history_heading  
  The following text was written by Evelyn Hetzler, with help from Betty Miller.
  
     
  Franklin County, Iowa came into corporate existence in 1855, just three years after the arrival of the first settlers. In 1856, when the population of the entire county was listed officially as only 780 persons, the town of Hampton was platted, and in March of that same year, after a political tussle, was designated the permanent county seat. The fact led to the establishment of basic businesses and drew population from Maysville and other communities, which had larger settlements.  
     
  In September of 1857, four residents of Methodist background invited the circuit rider to visit Hampton to establish a congregation, thus becoming the second Protestant group to set up a formal organization in the town. H. J. Burley had charge of the Methodist mission out of Eldora at that time. His territory included all of Franklin County and most of Butler County. That was the corn meal winter, a winter so severe that the circuit rider came to Hampton only twice. Early in 1858, services were held, and continued with more or less regularity as conditions permitted.  
     
  That first congregation lists the names of only four men. They were James Thompson, George Thompson, O. F. Kitchell, and Chauncey Gillett. It is interesting to observe that all the church property is in Block 14, of Gillett's Addition to the original town of Hampton.  
     
  While Hampton was a station on the circuit rider's list, a different man served it each year. Rev. James Hunkins followed H. J. Burley; then in 1859 a Rev. Knickerbocker was in charge of the Iowa Falls circuit, to be succeeded by Asa Critchfield. In 1860 W. F. Hestwood is recorded as being in charge of the Maysville circuit. Apparently each of these men at one time or another visited Hampton to conduct religious services. A local resident, John Gilliland, who worked as a bricklayer and plasterer, but who was also a preacher, aided them at times. In 1861 W. O. Glassner preached here a few times; in 1862 C. L. Jones had the Alden-Maysville circuit; then came D. P. Billings, J. G. Wilkinson, and J. A. Kerr. Mr. Wilkinson had organized a class of thirteen persons, six men and seven women.  
     
  In September 1866, L. S. Cooley administered the Hampton church affairs, and under his guidance was set up the original articles of incorporation, bearing the date May 15, 1867, and attested by George Beed, notary public.  
     
  During the Civil War years under severe economic and social pressures, Hampton had stood still. In fact, there had been two months during 1862 when there had not been a general store in the town. But with the ending of the wartime strictures, the little village picked up, and in September of 1869, at the Upper Iowa Conference held in Independence, Hampton was made a separate charge with Frank Robertson as resident minister. The little congregation numbered only 35 members, and that included Chapin and Shobe's Grove. The group was commended for its fine spirit, and at the next conference held in Cedar Falls, it was possible to report that Hampton had added more members than any other charge on the circuit. The railroad had come to Hampton. The county had grown from 780 persons at the time of its founding to 4,738 and that in only fourteen years. With the increase in numbers came a growth in financial strength and enterprising courage so great that during the 1870 conference Hampton was made a separate station, continuing under the leadership of F. M. Robertson. In 1871 when the Rev. Mr. Robertson moved on to other duties, he wrote into the official church record book a note of highest congratulations to the Hampton Methodist group.  
     
  The first year's meetings were held in schools, homes and various other places, and when they started to build in September of 1870, they had an imposing frame Gothic structure under way, which would cost them $6,000. The building was thirty by sixty feet in size, not including "towers or orchestra", as a contemporary account details it. There were only 62 members and ten probationers on the official lists at that time, but half the cost was raised by subscription, and in thirteen years the entire debt was lifted.  
     
  The church building was dedicated on New Year's Day of 1871, and for twenty-one years stood where the present church stands, a prominent building in the growing prairie town. Just a few weeks after this religious ceremony, Hampton received official designation as a city of the second class. It had become a thriving county seat in the heart of a prosperous Iowa area. In 1890 the ornately imposing courthouse was built, a triumph of Victorian architecture. Hampton Methodist took a new look at their frame church building.  
     
  A special community pride edition of the Hampton paper in January 1892 refers to the Methodist church as being newly carpeted, and to the church and the parsonage as being freshly painted. Nevertheless, the spirit of expansion and improvement was so strong that later in the same year plans were made to erect a new brick church.  
     
  Accordingly the frame building was sold and moved across the street to the lot just east of the present public library. There it stood for nearly a generation as the Olympic Theater. When it was torn down in 1911, E. A. Mallory purchased the salvage lumber to be used in the construction of a residence on his farm southeast of town. Later it was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur E. Mallory.  
     
  The red brick Victorian Gothic edifice constructed in 1893 is referred to in contemporary reports as a "handsome new house of worship" which stands out majestically as the most attractive building in Franklin County. At the time it was built there were only 362 members on the official church roster, but the building could accommodate a thousand persons easily. Confidence in the future of the community could have no more tangible evidence than this. The new building had cost $26,500 in a day when all costs were but a fraction of present day prices. That it was indeed a magnificent church is emphasized by the fact that the first interior decorating job cost $3,000, presumably in addition to the cost of construction. A contemporary account reports that the new "art style" decoration was used, a style employed by no other church in north Iowa at the time. Until 1913 when the interior was completely redecorated, the worshipers could admire the intricate stenciled borders on a deep buff colored background, two large pictures on the north wall, and religious insignia in each of the ceiling squares. Over the central organ arch, in fancy gold letters, was painted the eighth verse from the sixth chapter of Micah:  
     
  The red brick Victorian Gothic edifice constructed in 1893 is referred to in contemporary reports as a "handsome new house of worship" which stands out majestically as the most attractive building in Franklin County. At the time it was built there were only 362 members on the official church roster, but the building could accommodate a thousand persons easily. Confidence in the future of the community could have no more tangible evidence than this. The new building had cost $26,500 in a day when all costs were but a fraction of present day prices. That it was indeed a magnificent church is emphasized by the fact that the first interior decorating job cost $3,000, presumably in addition to the cost of construction. A contemporary account reports that the new "art style" decoration was used, a style employed by no other church in north Iowa at the time. Until 1913 when the interior was completely redecorated, the worshipers could admire the intricate stenciled borders on a deep buff colored background, two large pictures on the north wall, and religious insignia in each of the ceiling squares. Over the central organ arch, in fancy gold letters, was painted the eighth verse from the sixth chapter of Micah:  
     
  What doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly, And to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?  
     
  The new church had been designed to accommodate a pipe organ, but for the first ten years the reed organ from the frame church had to be used. However, on April 12, 1904, the "first boxes of parts" for the new organ were unloaded. The reporter from the newspaper added, "It is a mystery to the uninitiated how it can ever be put in the compass and space allotted to it." To us it is a mystery how they could on April 14 announce in the press that an organ recital would be played on April 29 on an organ, some parts of which were still to be unloaded from the railroad car. At any rate, the recital was performed on schedule. A prominent young Chicago organist, Clarence Dickinson, had been engaged to play the dedicatory recital, assisted by the celebrated Moody quartet from Moody Institute.  
     
  Over the years the Hampton church has enjoyed good music, has had the service of professional music people and has given opportunity for participation in music activities to persons of all degrees of talent. We cannot begin to name all the leaders of music in the church, but no history would be complete without mention of Ed. D. Haecker and his sister-in-law, Belle Haecker. These two served in both the frame church building and the present one over a period of some forty or fifty years.  
     
  During Dr. Cleworth's pastorate a youth choir was organized. In the early days of the program rehearsals were preceded by a story hour conducted by the pastor. As years passed, plans were modified until in 1958 we had a Caroler choir of small children and a Chapel choir for juniors as auxiliaries to the Chancel choir of adults.  
     
  The Chancel choir meets for weekly rehearsals in the church, but in 1925, in the days before automatically controlled furnaces, in order to save work and coal, the board voted a fee of a dollar to be paid to persons who would have choir rehearsal in their homes. The extremes of cold and the varying conditions of humidity were hard on the organ, and in spite of regular care by organ men retained on annual contract it deteriorated. In 1934 some of the most urgent repairs were undertaken, but in March 1936, official minutes reveal that the organ had been silent some six weeks. The organ was worked on again, and the report indicated that the repairmen found some parts of the organ laden with pine needles from Christmas decorations. In 1956 a complete rebuilding was proposed, including the electrification of the action. This made possible the moving of the console to the east wall of the sanctuary. The altar was placed where the console had been, centered directly beneath the visible pipes. Electric power had long since replaced the original waterpower to operate bellows, but until the 1957 rebuilding, all stops had been actuated manually.  
     
  On October 20, 1957, a rededicatory recital was played by Mrs. C. D. Quaife, the regular organist. She was assisted by James Hulse, Jr., a tenor from Mansfield, Ohio, and a cousin of her husband. In honor of the organist who had played the original dedicatory recital in 1904, Mrs. Quaife included in her program "Reverie" by Clarence Dickinson. He was still an active organist, living in New York. The organ, after the rebuilding, was appraised for insurance purposes at $40,000.00, a far cry from the $5,000.00 original purchase price.  
     
  Pride in the grand new facilities was one of the considerations that led Hampton, in 1903, to invite the Upper Iowa Conference for its next meeting. The church building was the second largest in the area, and by the time of conference the new pipe organ would be installed. Hampton had entertained conference in 1892, but at that time it had been necessary to accommodate the general meeting in a huge tent erected a block south of the church. In time for the 1904 conference there would be the means to entertain more graciously, and Hampton people were eager to play host again. As things developed, Davenport, the largest church in the area was awarded the 1904 meeting. But in 1905 the Fiftieth Annual Upper Iowa Conference met in Hampton for five days, beginning September 27. The entire community joined in the welcome. Citizens of all denominations opened their homes to delegates; glorious autumn weather favored the entire period. The Hampton Chronicle, as a service to delegates, and as a symbol of the complete welcome, printed a daily paper featuring conference news. During the conclave, on September 29, 1905, occurred near Hampton the first fatal automobile accident in Iowa, when Fred Harriman, a thirty-year-old banker, member of a prominent local family, was killed returning from a business trip to Geneva at the "tremendous speed" of thirty miles per hour. Mr. Harriman was not a churchman, but it is part of the official record that the conference extended a resolution of sympathy to the family and the community. Otherwise routine business occupied the attention of the more than 200 ministers and lay delegates. It is certain that they found Hampton a more than adequate host city.  
     
  Conference invitation was extended by Hampton again in 1929, but not until 1940 did the annual meeting occur here. Again the Chronicle printed a daily paper, and again all citizens opened their homes to delegates. There were 173 lay delegates, many official lay visitors, and 164 ministers in attendance over the conference period. More than a thousand persons attended the worship service on Conference Sunday, September 22, 1940. It would not again be possible to entertain the Upper Iowa Conference as such, for in 1949 it would be merged with the Northwest Iowa, to be known as the North Iowa Conference. Also at that 1949 meeting would occur the ordination of Wayne E. Shoemaker, later a Hampton pastor.  
     
  Bishop Magee presided at the 1940 conference using a pulpit, which his father had used during his pastorate in Hampton some forty years earlier. Also familiar to the Bishop and to his brother, Dr. John B. Magee, then president of Cornell College, and a speaker at the conference, was the parsonage immediately to the east of the church. It had been built in 1882 during the tenure of F. M. Coleman. By 1940 there was some talk of erecting a new home for the pastor. In fact, in 1920 the congregation had bought the lot to the east of the original property with this plan in view. Other needs had seemed more important, and it was not until 1950, after completion of extensive renovation in the sanctuary and in the basement of the church that Dr. Rowley permitted the board to take under serious consideration the parsonage project. Tragic interruption came in December with Dr. Rowley's illness and sudden death. However, the need had been recognized, and the decision to build was made on February 12, 1951; construction was begun on May 15 and on October 31, 1951, a new pastor, Rev. Ralph E. Baker, moved into the new parsonage. The old residence was sold at auction, and in June 1952, was moved to a site in Dumont, about thirteen miles east. It is a measure of inflation to note that the new home cost $19,000.00 in 1951, as against $2,200.00 in 1882 for the old one.  
     
  Inflation, increase in the size of the local congregation, added responsibilities in benevolent outreach - these are some of the factors which make running a church a project in big business. In 1892, during the last year in the frame building, the entire budget for the year was $3,660.00, in contrast to the 1958 budget of nearly $30,000.00.  
     
  A church building is never finished. Through the years it must be refurbished and well maintained. From minor repairs to major maintenance problems, someone must take responsibility. Space must be readied for various group meetings. Building and grounds must be attractive at all times. This day-to-day, week-to-week responsibility had been since 1935, the cherished burden of W. F. Sampson. In recognition of his long tenure and devotion beyond the call of duty, special services were held on Sunday, June 22, 1958, at the worship hour. Mr. Sampson was presented an engraved plaque, and a reception in his honor was held following the regular church service. Mr. Sampson had come to Hampton as a young businessman in 1904, and after three decades as a leading citizen, retired, if taking care of a large church can be so termed. To him there is actuality in the newspaper report of that year concerning the newly installed lights at the church to supplement the great central chandelier. (Both chandelier and lights are replaced now with new fixtures.) He watched with personal interest through the years, sometimes as a member of the board, later as one to carry out decisions of the board. In 1932 the chancel platform was extended. In 1936 new doors were placed at the entrances. Later Mr. Sampson himself supervised the addition of metal bands of decorative and protective value to the lower sections of those doors. In 1942 a metal rail was installed at the southwest steps as a safety measure. These routine repairs stand beside major projects such as the sanctuary and basement remodeling (1949), reshingling (1950), repointing the masonry (1957), recarpeting the sanctuary (1957), and other modernizing and replacing of worn equipment. Then occasionally comes the need created by the touch of disaster or accident, as the fire in the church steeple in 1941.  
     
  On February 9, 1941, just as Sunday School was being dismissed, fire was discovered at the base of the spire. Young Robert Pribbenow, a Boy Scout living in the house where the Olympic Theater had once stood, first noticed the flames, and turned in the alarm. The fire was difficult to reach that high above the ground, but fortunately it had been discovered in good time and was extinguished before damage to any other part of the building. The morning worship service was cancelled, but in the afternoon a scheduled county youth meeting went forward as planned. Cause of the fire was never determined. The steeple was rebuilt immediately. Careful comparison of pictures before and after the fire will reveal that some of the ornate stonework was modified to simpler lines, but the general impression is the same.  
     
 

The appearance of the base of the steeple was again slightly modified in 1955 when amplifiers were installed to carry the sound of the new chimes out over the city. These chimes were a memorial gift to the church, one of many living memorials that have from time to time been accepted by the official board. The altar, pulpit and lectern stand as memorials to Dr. Rowley. Other memorials range from small items such as additional hymnals to the sanctuary piano, which was purchased by combining many memorial gifts. A complete record is kept in the pages of a beautiful leather bound book, itself a memorial gift, always available to be read at the rear of the sanctuary, reminding us of the people who have helped to build this church.

While holding in memory those who have built, a church must also be always mindful of its youth who will build. To this end our pastors and lay leaders have devoted much effort. Especially as a strengthening of the youth program is the Clear Lake cottage project. Methodist campgrounds had been prepared on the south shore of Clear Lake for district use. In June 1932, the local congregation recorded the deed to lot 92 of the campgrounds, and in January 1936, proceedings of the official board carry first mention of a plan to build a cottage on the site. In 1938 the cottage was completed, dedicated free of debt. Hampton had become the eighteenth town to erect a cottage on the grounds. Since then hundreds of youth and adults have made good use of the cottage during camps and family gatherings. In 1993 the Western Home took possession of the Clear Lake United Methodist Camp.

Back in the "good old days" of 1903 the Ladies' Aid held a public supper to raise funds for the new organ - at an astonishing high price of $1.00 a plate. (The first course featured blue point oysters.) In 1941 the Ladies' Aid, the Home Missionary Society and the Foreign Missionary Society were merged into the Woman's Society of Christian Service. General meetings alternated with seven separate circle meetings to keep the women informed on matters of church business, to provide opportunity for study of religious materials, and to promote a feeling of mutual interest.

There was a Men's Brotherhood, which saw periods of great activity, but was not chartered until 1958. Epworth League of earlier years became the MYF with its regular Sunday discussion meetings and its two annual high points, Easter Breakfast and Christmas Caroling. Some of the adult Sunday School classes have regular social functions, which are great morale builders for the members. In addition to these local efforts, the church participates in all conference programs, supporting Hillcrest Babyfold in Dubuque, Friendship Haven in Fort Dodge, Wesley Foundations on various college campuses, and Hampton Center half way round the world in India. Of special interest in Hampton because it was largely promoted and perfected by T. J. B. Robinson, is the ministerial pension fund, which gives a measure of financial security to retired ministers and to the families of deceased ministers. Support in these and other areas has been through money and through personal promotion when appropriate.

During Dr. Rowley's pastorate, to enable the minister to devote more time to counseling, calling and other aspects of spiritual leadership, a part-time secretary was employed. In August 1954, Miss Frieda Blum was hired as full-time assistant. Her help made possible the publication of the Tower, a mimeographed bulletin of news and announcements. The first copy appeared during the Lenten season of 1955, under the direction of Rev. R. E. Baker. Each issue is sponsored by special gifts from volunteer donors. Also under Rev. Baker, the Methodist Prayer Breakfast was expanded to an interdenominational experience. This unique devotional was started during the pastorless interim by a small group of laymen. It developed into two weekly prayer breakfasts, one for men, one for businesswomen, and became so favored that it continued past the Lenten season, and is still among the regular union services of the community.

Other interdenominational services in which local Methodist participate include the Union Good Friday Services and the Thanksgiving Service.

Several Hampton pastors have left us to become District Superintendents, and others have come to us after having filled such an assignment. As a matter of church policy, no man may serve more than six years on a district position without an interval as a local pastor. The fact that men who have served us have been given these assignments speaks well for the caliber of leadership we have enjoyed.

Two pastors died in the service of this church. Charles Cressey on December 21, 1881 and Dr. W. Glenn Rowley died on December 21, 1950.

Four men who served here are buried in the Hampton Cemetery. J. B. Taylor died in 1881 at the age of 64 in Epworth, Charles Cressey died at the age of 40 in Hampton, J. W. Clinton in 1894 at age 63 in Vinton, and his son, DeWitt Clinton, who died in 1939 in California and was brought back here for interment.

One pastor, C. F. McClean, resigned in 1883 because of some temporary serious eye trouble. He was replaced by F. M. Coleman who served two and a half years in the old frame church, to return twelve years later in 1898 to a term of service in the present building. He is the only pastor to have served here at two different times.

The pastor who served the longest was W. C. Cleworth, 1933-1945. One pastor of the "Gay Nineties" recorded 79 marriages during his pastorate, and being of a statistical turn of mind, made marginal notations of the fee received for each ceremony. The average was a little over four dollars, and ranged from one fifty-cent offering to an honorarium of $25.00, for a ceremony that involved a long trip out of town.

Rev. Collis had a special hobby of remembering all the birthdays in the congregation, thus giving especially the children a sense of importance that comes with personal recognition.

Another pastor had a habit of providing, at his own personal expense, baskets of groceries for families that he observed to be in straitened circumstances. He would step into the grocery store, order a supply of provisions to be delivered, and then have the amount made a part of his own bill. This was the Rev. DeWitt Clinton who served this church nine years, the second longest tenure in Hampton. He came in 1908, seventeen years after his father had served as local pastor. It was DeWitt Clinton's pride to have followed his father into four different charges. DeWitt Clinton's son John, and John's son, DeWitt II, were also ministers and have occupied the Hampton pulpit as guest ministers. Thus we have the distinction of having been hosts to four generations of ministers from a single family.

A sister of DeWitt Clinton had married T. J. B. Robinson, local leader in both church and secular affairs. Of the building committee that supervised the construction of the present church in 1893, "T. J. B." was the only one to live until the Centennial year. He died during the weeks just following the decision to build the education unit.

The building project for the beginning of the second century of Methodism in the community had been under consideration for some time. During the very early years Sunday School in Hampton had been conducted as a non-sectarian function. As churches were built, each group was able to fend for itself, and so in 1871, with the new frame building, the first Methodist Sunday School had met under the superintendency of N. McDonald. By the close of 1872 there were 180 persons of varying ages enrolled. In 1905 when the Upper Iowa Conference was held in Hampton, a news article proudly pointed up the fact that "Sunday School rooms are in the basement of the church and are well arranged to accommodate the 285 members of this branch" of the local church. However satisfactory space may have seemed then, by the time of the First World War there was talk of the need of expanding. It is interesting and significant to note that a suggestion was recorded in the minutes of the Men's Brotherhood for May 21, 1917 that the congregation should plan to erect on the north side of the church a building suitable for Sunday School and other organizational groups. It was over four decades before this idea came into fruition, and in the meantime Sunday School classes were sprouting in every corner imaginable, and many alternatives were considered.

The 1949 remodeling of the basement had included installation of folding partitions to divide the classes. There was still the basic need for additional space. Various plans for expansion were explored with final action coming in 1958 in the acceptance of architect's plans for a wing to the north. The idea had come full circle, for the committee working on the idea was not aware that an idea similar in principle had been offered forty-one years earlier.

Out of this congregation have come a few ministers. Six spent part of their youth in the influence of this church as Bishop Ralph Magee, Rev. Carl K. Hudson, Rev. John B. Magee, Rev. John D. Clinton, Rev. Virgil Welch, and Rev. Leslie Yaw. Miss Lillian Raper, who spent her girlhood in Hampton, was for some years a missionary in China. Others from this church have been accorded the honor and responsibility of leadership in state and national affairs, notably T. J. B. Robinson, who served several years in the Congress of the United States.

New sanctuary lighting built and installed by the Builders Sunday School class was dedicated in 1957, along with recognition for work in refinishing the pews in the sanctuary. The education wing started in 1958 was completed and dedicated November 8, 1959, providing adequate Sunday School classrooms, office and library space. Pastor Wayne Shoemaker was a guiding force in these important improvements. Helen Preston began work as the first parish visitor in 1960. Others who have succeeded her in this venture are Pearl Hellyer, Anna Althen, Lynne Hanson, Ellen Paulson, Elvera Dodd, Sharon Paulsen and Jan Johnson. The fine work of these lay people has extended the care and concern of the church to many homebound people who needed a helping hand and a kind word between visits from the minister.

The first pictorial directory of church membership was published in 1968 to be followed by a second edition in 1974 and a third edition in 1980.

Pastor Robert Wendel guided the Hampton Methodist Church into a new relationship and a new name of Hampton United Methodist Church when the E. U. B. people and the Methodist people affiliated in 1969. Marilyn Hinrichs was hired that year as Hampton's first Director of Christian Education. Others were Diane Oliphant, 1971, Fran Hildreth, 1973, Marge Wendel, 1974, and Sharon Nelson, 1976.

Harriet and Agnes Green who long served with distinction as secretaries in our Sunday School were retired in 1969 when Matilda Butson assumed that responsibility. The continued growth of the church school activity required addition of the new classroom at the back of the balcony in 1970. Our first scholarship fund for college bound students was established and funded in 1972.

Pastor Harold Sherman came to Hampton in 1976 and the church basement was carpeted that year. A new practice of lighting Advent candles during the worship service was begun in 1976. Many Sunday School teachers have served with distinction. Fonda Smith was recognized for twenty-five years of service in 1977.

The ever-growing library service handled by Pearl and Matilda Eye and later by Frieda Blum was moved to new quarters in the second floor of the education building in 1979, the year Pastor Clifton Ellerbeck came to Hampton.

Following the two-hundredth anniversary of the Sunday School movement in 1980, extensive redecorating was done throughout the education wing, with the addition of murals added to the walls of the four-year-old and kindergarten classrooms, all of which was completed in 1981.

New Sunday School materials arrived for use in 1982 identified as "Children's Bible Studies". The congregation shared in a retirement party for long-time, faithful custodian Ken Wilkinson when he turned his responsibilities over to Chuck VanWert, in 1982. The popular Bethel Bible study series, started by Pastor Clif and Marge Ellerbeck, was continued for a second season.

During the 1980's Hampton lost some vital business and rural population was declining. Church membership in 1984 was 912, with average attendance of 180; by 1987 membership was 775, with attendance at 166. In 1984 storm windows were added to the education unit and pew cushions were installed in most of the sanctuary. In 1985 and 1989 protective coverings for stained glass windows were replaced.

Summer work camps took a group to Kentucky in 1985 and to New Mexico in 1991. In 1989 for a cost of $54,621.00 the sanctuary roof was replaced, and a new elevator installed, each costing about half of the total. In 1991 for a cost of $16,150.00 a steel roof replaced the flat roof area. In 1992 the interior of the sanctuary was re-decorated for a cost of $13,576.00. The church budget for 1992 was $176,598.00.

In 1990 the church received an $8,000.00 grant to make possible a full-time Director of Discipleship. Becky LaMar was hired taking the place of the Christian Education Director. The Parish Worker, Coni Schulz left the area, and the work was taken over by volunteers. In April of 1989, world famous Clown Minister Floyd Shaffer packed the sanctuary for a dynamic service. In 1991 we also had the honor to recommend Gerry Kahler as a Candidate for Ministry.

1993 was the year of celebrations in honor of our church building being 100 years old. The year began with a powerful evangelism thrust with the Lowell Lundstrum team here on January 17. A Centennial Quilt designed by Irene Korth and Mildred Bell was completed with the signatures of 930 friends and members of the church. About twenty women of the UMW did the embroidery work on the Log Cabin design quilt. In addition, a Centennial Plate was designed and sold. October 3 was the highlight of our Centennial celebration with Bishop Charles Wesley Jordan bringing the Sunday morning message, "A Firm Foundation", and Mason City District Superintendent Ward Young sharing in the service and communion. The festive noon meal and an afternoon of sharing with former pastors made for a great day. On January 2, 1994 a Time/Prayer Capsule was prepared, to be opened in the year 2008, the 150th Anniversary of the founding of the church.

Also, in 1993 as a result of the findings of the state inspection of our boiler, major repairs were necessary. In 1995 the house immediately north of the church building was removed and burned. New sidewalks were installed to the northwest of the church. A new sign in memory of Tony Johnson was put in place in 1996, and in 1997 a planter was placed around the sign and the front of the church was re-landscaped. In 2000 a four-foot stainless steel cross was installed on the south side of the church.

During the years of 2000-2001 the Education Committee implemented a new Sunday School program called the Rotation Model Sunday School. This is a Bible based program using several workshops where each class visits a different workshop each week for six weeks. The workshops include Audio-Visual, Drama, Arts & Crafts, Bible Knowledge, Computer and a "flexible workshop".

MINISTERS OF THE HAMPTON METHODIST CHURCH FROM THE DATE OF THE OFFICIAL ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

L. S. Cooley 1866-1869
F. M. Robertson 1869-1871
W. L. Thorp 1871-1872
W. J. Mitchell 1872-1873
J. B. Taylor 1873-1876
F. X. Miller 1876-1879
Charles Cressy 1879-1881
C. F. McClean 1882-1883
F. M. Coleman 1883-1886
J. W. Clinton 1886-1891
F. W. Luce 1891-1895
J. C. Magee 1895-1898
F. M. Coleman 1898-1900
H. W. Troy 1900-1903
E. T. Gruwell 1903-1908
DeWitt Clinton 1908-1917
F. C. Witzgiman 1917-1921
W. G. Crowder 1921-1924
R. F. Hurlburt 1924-1926
R. H. Collis 1926-1929
J. Arthur Young 1929-1931
A. W. Henke 1931-1933
W. C. Cleworth 1933-1945
W. G. Rowley 1945-1950
R. E. Baker 1951-1957
W. E. Shoemaker 1957-1963
J. P. Gable 1963-1969
Robert G. Wendel 1969-1976
Harold Sherman 1976-1979
C. W. Ellerbeck 1979-1988
Samuel J. Hahn 1988-1995
Larry R. McCann 1995-1998
Michael Bahde 1998-1999
Wilbert R. Trusheim 1999-2001
Jerry R. Miller 2001