News
NORTH BUTLER CHURCH CELEBRATES 175 YEARS
1848–2023
Posted October 3, 2023
The congregation of North Butler Church in Chicora celebrated their 175th Anniversary on September 24.
A look into their history appears in the minutes of The Redstone Presbytery. They mention on April 10, 1798 that Thorn’s Tent was among the many vacancies making “supplication for supplies.” This location was about a half mile from the location of the present North Butler Presbyterian Church. By 1803, the place of preaching had been moved and most of the attendants combined with those of Salt Springs in the Lick Hill area and became the Harmony Congregation. However, some Presbyterian families remained in the vicinity of Thorn’s Tent which was in the bounds of the Concord and Butler churches during the pastorate of the Rev. John McPherrin. After his death in February 1822, these scattered families would meet at the home of Fergus Hutchison.
On April 14, 1846, “a petition was presented to the Presbytery from a number of the inhabitants of Donegal Township and northern Butler Township requesting a congregation be organized in that region.” (This area didn’t become Oakland Township until 1854.) Revs. R.B. Walker and Thomas W. Kerr were appointed to meet at the house of Fergus Hutchison to organize a congregation. The committee fulfilled their appointment and organized a congregation known as North Butler. The congregation consisted of 20 members and was regarded as a branch of Concord Presbyterian Church.
On October 6, 1847, this congregation asked for “the organization of a church” and on Jan. 18, 1848, North Butler Presbyterian Church was organized. The first house of worship was erected in 1848 on the present grounds, which the church bought from Fergus Hutchison, but it burned before it was finished. The congregation built another frame structure on the same foundation a year later. The present house of worship was erected in 1881 at a cost of approximately $1,500.
This view of the church from the early 1920s shows the trend to use the latest mode of travel. Horse stalls, which had been at the far end of the present parking lot were being torn down. A peek inside would reveal two chandeliers, each holding four coal oil lamps; two pot-bellied stoves furnishing heat; and handmade straight-backed pews.
During the Depression, Rev. Howard W. Strobel, who served from 1927–1943, agreed to minister for whatever the congregation could afford to pay. His salary varied from $350 to $400 annually for almost 10 years.
In 1955, a basement was constructed under the church and contained a kitchen and a large social room that also served as Sunday school classrooms. The cost of materials and furnishings was approximately $3,500 and most of the labor was donated by members of the church and area neighbors. The kitchen appliances were a gift from the Willing Workers Sunday School Class. The stove top and ovens are still in use today.
Music for worship was supplied by piano for many years until 1961 when it was replaced by the purchase of , through various class donations, a Baldwin organ at a cost of about $1,250. By 1964, church enrollment had increased to 132.
An addition was built onto the front of the original building, consisting of a vestibule and minister’s study upstairs and two classrooms downstairs at the cost of $4,500. Membership in 1973 was 193.
On July 10, 1977, a service of ordination was held for James Randall “Randy” Campbell, a member of our congregation. Another member who answered the call to ministry is the Rev. Kathy McDevitt Davis.
A car show was a part of the annual Community Days event.
In the 1970s members participated in the Butler Council of Churches softball league and won the division championship in 1972. Members participated in a bowling league.In 1998 the active members numbered 89.
Over the years, an active youth group visited area nursing homes for Christmas caroling, had Christmas cookie sales, hoagie sales, Election-Day dinners, rummage sales and Kids’ Club. One of the longest running events was the Easter-Egg Hunt held on Good Friday. Apple Butter was made and sold for several years.
The biggest and most popular event was Community Day which was first held in June of 2016. There were games for kids, a pie auction, musical entertainment, an auction, 50/50, a car show, ice cream sundaes, face painting, cotton candy and lots of good food. The highlight of Community Day was the fireworks! Sadly, the event has been on hold since the COVID pandemic and has not been revived.
A flag pole was erected in the cemetery with the memorial money for longtime member Cleora Black who passed away December 29, 2022. The dedication on June 10, 2023 honored Cleora and her husband, Don, for their service to the North Butler Cemetery Association.
Currently the membership of North Butler is 78.
To celebrate their 175th anniversary, the congregation gathered for an outdoor worship service. Davy Whitmire and the Gospel Garage Band provided music and a luncheon followed. Anyone bringing a non-perishable food item for the Saint Vincent de Paul Society Foodbank received a ticket for a chance to go home with a gift basket!
Congratulations, North Butler, on 175 years of ministry. May God continue to bless your congregation.
PASTORS
1851-1858
Rev. John V. Miller
1862-1864
Rev. James Coulter S.S.
1865-1889
Rev. James H. Marshall
1899-1903
Rev. I. Davison Decker
1903-1910
Rev. Wilson W. Sloan
1911-1913
Rev. Charles C. Cribbs
1913-1915
Rev. George J. Timblin
1915-1919
Rev. Melzar D. McClelland, Ph.D.
1918-1922
Rev. Earl L. Stehman
1922-1927
Rev. W.E. Marshall
1927-1943
Rev. Howard W. Strobel
1943-1950
Rev. Charles Hindman
1950-1960
Rev. John C. McElroy
1961-1966
Rev. Jack Wineman
1968-1970
Rev. Terry Carnahan
1971-1974
Rev. Jean Henderson
1975-July 1976
James Jensen
1977-1981
Thomas McManus
1982-1986
Dennis Braun
1986-1991
Butler Area Ministry (Rev. Wayne Bell and Rev. Ralph McCandless)
1991-2021
Rev. Mary Sickels Kitchen
2021-present
Rev. Monica Hamilton
