The Purpose of the Church

He works on us in all sorts of ways. But above all, He works on us through each other. [People] are mirrors, or “carriers” of Christ to other [people]. Usually it is those who know Him that bring Him to others. That is why the Church, the whole body of Christians showing Him to one another, is so important. It is so easy to think that the Church has a lot of different objects — education, building, missions, holding services. ... The Church exists for no other purpose but to draw [people] into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose. It is even doubtful, you know, whether the whole universe was created for any other reason.

—C.S. Lewis

Bits From the Past

Samuel and Sarah Peter Brand Bequest
The tremendous growth of the Sunday School with an average attendance of 154 in 1894 meeting in the sanctuary created a need for additional space. A plan was drawn up to build an addition. When Samuel Brand, who had served the Sunday School as secretary/treasurer, died on Jan 7, 1895, at the age of 57, he left a bequest to the church of $1,000 to be used for a new building with the request that his wife, Sarah Peter Brand, contribute the same amount. She did, and the church members began to work in earnest to raise money for a new building. One project was the publication of a church history. By 1899 they had a new building, the brick building we use today. The stained-glass window in the front vestibule is dedicated to the memory of Samuel and Sarah Brand,  who provided the seed money and tipped the decision in the direction of a new building.

Sabbath School
In the 1890s, when the drive was underway to raise money for the new church building, the Sabbath School met in the sanctuary but was independent of the church. It was part of a national, inter-denominational organization called the Sunday School Union. The organization was very popular, and the high attendance was one of the reasons the need was felt for a new building. Twelve classes with a total of 150 or more pupils were meeting in a one-room church. The Sabbath School raised a large donation for the new building. The large stained-glass window on the west side of the sanctuary recognizes the donation made by the Sabbath School toward the new building.

Ladies Aid Society
In February 1896, the Ladies Aid Society was formed to raise money for the new building, especially for its furnishings. One of the first projects was to have a photograph taken of the 1852 building then in use. The organization continued to function until about 1909. A window in the sanctuary bears the name of the Ladies Aid Society.

The Industrial Society
On March 21, 1923, the women of the church organized the Industrial Society for the purpose of raising money to be used for upkeep of the church and especially for the Manse. Serving thrashing dinners and quilting were important sources of income for this group.

Annual Chicken and Biscuit Supper
In 1931 the Women’s Foreign Missionary Society (which had been organized in 1877) began the annual Chicken and Biscuit Supper to raise money. This has developed into the Smorgasbord and Bazaar still held each fall. The name of the sponsoring organization has changed over the years: in 1941 the women organized as the Women’s Fellowship. Later it was known as the Presbyterian Women’s Organization (PWO), the United Presbyterian Women (UPW), and presently Dayton Presbyterian Women (DPW). The money raised in this annual project has benefited both missions and the local church in many ways. A window in the sanctuary bears the name of the Women’s Foreign Missionary Society.

The Tither's League
In the early 1900s the Tither's League was formed to promote tithing. The money received was divided among the general fund, the local fund, and the missionary fund. In 1919 the organization purchased a new bulletin board that was fastened to the front of the church.

The Trustee Fund Association
On September 28, 1930, the Trustee Fund Association was formed to raise funds for use in maintaining, repairing, and insuring  the church properties. The money raised was given directly to the trustees for use for these purposes.

Memorials
The church receives many memorials, funds given in memory of deceased members. Items purchased with these funds often bear a plaque listing the name of the honoree. A book is maintained listing those who have given funds in memory of others. This book is found in the parlor. The stained glass windows also bear the names of members honored when the present building was built. Windows were donated in honor and memory of the following individuals: Father James A. Carnahan (the large Sower window), Samuel Favorite, David H. Crouse, Asa Andrew, Robert Elliott, Calvin Dill, Noah Sharp, and Rev. C. A. Kanouse.

The Nesbitt Memorial Fund
In 1976 Dr. William S. and Esther E. Nesbitt donated their house at 734 Walnut St. to the church in memory of family members. The church had to decide whether to use the house, rent it, or sell it. The decision was made to sell the house and invest the money. This money has served us well over the years as the Nesbitt Memorial Fund. Dr. Nesbitt was especially interested in providing land for church expansion. Monies from this fund were used, along with donations and a Synod loan, when the Ricks property was purchased in 1996.

The ADAM Fund
The ADAM Fund was established in 1998 in memory of Adam Dexter, a twenty-year -old deacon of the church was killed in a car accident. His family asked that the fund be used for projects to benefit the elderly and the handicapped, areas of special interest to Adam. The new handicapped accessible bathrooms were constructed using monies from the ADAM fund and other sources.

PCUSA
From the PC (USA) Web Site

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), with denominational offices in Louisville, Kentucky, has approximately 2.3 million members, more than 10,000 congregations and 14,000 ordained and active ministers.

Presbyterians trace their history to the 16th century and the Protestant Reformation.  Our heritage, and much of what we believe, began with John Calvin (1509-1564), whose writings crystallized much of the Reformed thinking that came before him.

Presbyterian 101:  A general guide to facts about the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Presbyterians trace their history to the 16th century and the Protestant Reformation.  Our heritage, and much of what we believe, began with John Calvin (1509-1564), whose writings crystallized much of the Reformed thinking that came before him.

Calvin did much of his writing from Geneva, Switzerland.  From there, the Reformed movement spread to other parts of Europe and the British Isles.  Many of the early Presbyterians in America came from England, Scotland, and Ireland.  The first American Presbytery was organized at Philadelphia in 1706.  The first General Assembly was held in the same city in 1789.  The first Assembly was convened by the Rev. John Witherspoon, the only minister to sign the Declaration of Independence.

What is distinctive about Presbyterian Church?
Presbyterians are distinctive in two major ways:  They adhere to a pattern of religious thought know as Reformed theology and a form of government that stresses the active, representational leadership of both ministers and church members.

A little Presbyterian history
Portions of the Presbyterian church in the United States have separated from the main body, and some parts have reunited, several times.  The greatest division occurred in 1861 during the American Civil War.  The two branches created by that division were reunited in 1983 to form the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A), currently the largest Presbyterian groups in this country.
 

Presbyterian theological beliefs
Some of the principles articulate4d by John Calvin remain at the core of Presbyterian beliefs.  Among these are the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scripture, justification by grace through faith and the priesthood of all believers.  What they mean is that God is the supreme authority throughout the universe.  Our knowledge of God and God’s purpose for humanity comes from the Bible, particularly what is revealed in the New Testament through the life of Jesus Christ.  Our salvation (justification) through Jesus is God’s generous gift to us and not the result of our own accomplishments.  It is everyone’s job -  ministers and lay people alike -  to share this Good News with the whole world.  That is also why the Presbyterian church is governed at all levels by a combination of clergy and laity, men and women alike.