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Churches
First Methodist Episcopal Church “Mac’s Chapel” built in 1886 • taken down somewhere about 1908.
Macksville Christian Church built in 1900.
Second Methodist Church, built 1909.
Free Methodist Church 1885-1986
Free Methodist Church camp building.
Tent meeting at the Free Methodist camp ground.
Lunchroom and kitchen at the Free Methodist camp ground. Now owned by Bob Wellman.
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3rd Methodist Church built 1952, dedicated May 8, 1955.
A SHORT HISTORY
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Macksville, Kansas, was granted a charter November 12, 1885. Prior to that date, there existed a class and Rev. A.J. Taylor, pastor of the St. John, came here occasionally and conducted services. As more families moved into this section of the state, it was deemed expedient to organize a church, and this was done in proper form. In March 1886, Rev. B.F. Rhoades was appointed the first pastor of the church.
The first Methodist Episcopal Church was built on ground donated by Geo. Mack on the site of the present church. It was complete in July, 1886 and known by the pioneers as “Mack’s Chapel”. The first trustees, as they appear on the original charter, were John McMorran, John Land, Geo. Mack, W.T. English, and John Welch. Because of hardships and crop failures the debt bn the first building was not paid off until 1899.
The building which preceded our present edifice was erected during the time Rev. J.Q. Turner was pastor. It was dedicated about May 16,1909.
By 1943 the Membership again began to realize the need for more and better Church School Facilities. A building committee was appointed and on March 23, 1952 the present building was officially opened. With the indebtedness paid, the new Church was dedicated on Sunday, May 8,1955.
On May 10, 1939, three separate branches of Methodism came together; The Methodist Episcopal Church, The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and The Methodist Protestant Church to form The Methodist Church. On the local level a new name was also selected and the Trustees filed an amendment to the Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State on October 12, 1940. Then the name, The Methodist Episcopal Church of Macksville, was changed to Grace Methodist Church, and in that new name a second charter was granted on October 16,1940.
The Sunday School, as is usual, has been a vital part of the church ever since it was first started in Mack Hall in 1881. When the church was built, the Sunday School still functioned as a union Sunday School, but after the other churches were organized, it developed into the Methodist Sunday School.
April 23, 1968, unification was once again happening on the national level of our church. This time it was The Methodist Church and The Evangelical United Brethren that merged together to form The United Methodist Church. With that change the Macksville Church became known as Grace United Methodist Church.
The old original bell that tolled for our pioneers and founders in Mack’s Chapel, rang out for the last time March 6, 1951, when dismantling of the second church building was began. The bell however has found a place in the church yard as a memento of the past and an inspiration to the coming generations.
Free Methodist Church History
The Free Methodist Church has the distinction of being the oldest church on the townsite. A petition was filed on Feb. 21, 1885 by M.R. Becktell, Reuben Webb and Theodore Howe who were the trustees. On July 13, 1885, a charter was granted on the Free Methodist Church by the Secretary of State. The lots for the church were bought Dec. 1885, the church was finished and dedicated May 1886.
The charter members were Mr. and Mrs. Mark Becktell, Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Webb, Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Howe, Mr. and Mrs. Robert T. Anderson, Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher Bissitt, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, Mr. and Mrs. Kemp, Mr. and Mrs. Wade, Mr. and Mrs. Albert C. Anderson.
The church had a large round dome on the east end of the roof but was removed because it was heavy.
The first parsonage was built in 1884. The first pastor was Rev. Pempilton he served from 1885 to 1887. The church had 27 members when first organized. The two Sunday school rooms and vestibule were built in 1953. The Free Methodist Church had a camp ground on the east side of Macksville (the block where Evergreen Park is located). This was purchased in 1926.
Taken from the Oct. 15, 1936, Macksville Enterprise and a history written by a church member possibly Harriett Pyle.
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Macksville Christian Church built in 1916.
Macksville Christian Church
The history of the Macksville Christian Church can be traced to the early years of 1895. Macksville was in the pioneer years of development.
Christians began meeting in various homes during the early month of 1895 and after several meetings a revival was scheduled to be held at the Macksville Methodist Church with Rev. W.L. Ennifer, pastor of the Pawnee Rock Christian Church, engaged to hold the meetings. This revival meeting was scheduled for March 27, 1895. These Christians desired a church to meet according to the New testament pattern.
On April 5, 1895 this group of Christians met and organized the Macksville Christian Church with 40 people signing the Charter. This group of 14 families met in homes, in Free Methodist and Methodist Churchs until 1901. Pastor Ennifer continued to come to Macksville once a month for a year.
The first Elders were Dr. Alford and J.B. Young. During the years before the 1st church was built the Christian Church met in the Free Methodist Church and since that church had no baptistry they built a wooden baptistry by a well in the northwest part of Macksville on Kennedy place. It was made of tongue and groove 2 by 12 white pine 8 ft. long with steps inside and outside the tank. It took a windmill several hours to fill this tank.
The lots for the 1st church building were secured from Wilson Stark this 1st church was a rectangular wooden structure with a baptistry built in the platform at the front of the church. This church was dedicated in May of 1901, by Rev. J.A. Slick. At that time the church was reputed to be the largest in Stafford County.
The 1st parsonage was built in 1902 at a cost of $625.00 plus donated labor. It was sold later to Mrs. Harriet Johnson, to provide funds to secure a corner location for the present church.
In 1916 our present church was built and it was dedicated by Rev. F.T. Ray. This church was built according to the Akron plan which was very popular for
Christian Churches during that time. The cost of the church was $20,000.
The church to this day host the beauty and warmth of the architecture of that day. The sanctuary has a theatre quality acoustics, the curved pews with the podium in the corner gives a warm atmosphere, the beautiful curved balcony with the rails andvelvet curtains along with the beautiful oak woodwork and the intricute Star of David windows gives the church a unique beauty and warmth. Structurally the Church is as sound today as it was 69 years ago when it was built. The second parsonage, a small cottage was bought in 1920 and placed on the site of the old church. In October of 1929 the 3rd present parsonage was started and it was finished in February of 1930 at a total cost of $9,000.
During the 1930’s the town of Macksville boasted of a population of near 1,000. And through the years the Macksville Christian Church shared in spreading the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. During these years the church was known as "A Church of Fellowship”. Many activities were continually taking place in the Fellowship Hall in the basement of the church. In 1956 the need for more educational space was felt as Sunday school was still being held in the parsonage living room and basement, church basement, bell tower and balcony. And in 1963 a new two level Educational Building was built and dedicated at a cost of $45,000. This building consisted of a Fellowship Hall, Kitchen, Chapel on the main floor with Sunday School rooms in the lower level.
In 1981 the church and educational buildings were joined together as one unit. In the past few years the church has undertaken numerous projects to remodel and update the facilities to include a complete family center with recreation and kitchen facilities, new exterior steel siding for the parsonage, the finishing of the parsonage basement to make a five bedroom home with living room, dining room, kitchen, and family room. The Macksville Christian Church continues to "Build on the foundations of yesterday for a solid tomorrow.” Presently we have 258 members.
The Macksville Christian Church has had 34 pastors serving the church in it’s 90 year history. Today the Macksville Christian Church reaches out to our community with the warmth and love of the "Family of God.”
The names of the charter members were as follows: W.L. Ennifer, J.W. Alford, M.A. Alford, John DeVore, Nancy DeVore, A.T. Garth, Mrs. J.W. McDonald, Roena McDonald, W.H. Johnson, M.F. Johnson, Mrs. C.E. Conley, E.M. Garth, Roberta B. Garth, Robert Kennedy, J.R. Johnson, M.A. Kennedy, W.A. Marquiss, N.A. Marquiss, J.H. Gilchrist, Mrs. A.J. Gilchrist, D.A. Askew, Charles Gilchrist, Mamie Askew, S.S. Hutton, Ann Hutton, Estella Hutton, Mrs. L.S. Thomason, Mrs. Mary Thomason, C.E. Poling, Mrs. Tina Poling, J.S. Young, J.B. Young, Alice C. Young, James Phillips, Mrs. Mattie Craig, Mrs. James Phillips, Myrtle Hutton, Alice Kennedy, Grace Kennedy, Hattie Becker.
Submitted by Rev. Jerel Hagerman
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