Page 3 Continued Petrolia United Methodist Church History

Page 3 Continued Petrolia United Methodist Church History

A  special Charge Conference accepted the donation of a 25 x 144' lot adjacent to the

2 that were purchased the year before.

The Petrolia Church earned the Marvin T. Judy Award for Excellence as the Outstanding

Church of the Year for member churches with a membership of 50 to 100.

In  May  Rev  Mckenzie  instigated  the  beginning of a community worship service and

singing  on the fifth Sundays of each quarter. The Baptist Church of Petrolia and the

Methodist  Church  of  Friberg-Cooper agreed to participate. Attendance started at 56

and rose to 102 at the next meeting.

On  November  14,  1993,  the  church celebrated its 85th Anniversary with Rev. Doyle

Henderson, Pastor in 1986-87, preaching.

The  after-school  program for community children held twice a week in the fellowship

house continued, and two new children's Sunday School classes were formed. The pastor

involved more laity in the worship services as readers, children's sermon teacher and

ushers.

A  grant  of $750 from Town and Country helped build handicap ramps at the church and

fellowship  house  and  a covering over the church entrance. The church funded set-up

and  steps  for  the pastor's mobile home on church property adjoining the fellowship

house.  Rev.  Mckenzie owned the home under the agreement that he would sell it later

only to be removed from the lot.

The  practice  of  putting  a  monthly  notice  in the county paper about our worship

service  schedule  was  begun. New directional signs were installed on Hwy 79 and the

Charlie Highway.

1994  saw  a  lot  of  activity  under  the leadership of Rev. Jim McKenzie. Five new

members  came: Katha Shawver, Jerry and Marti Grimes, James and Rhonda Rue. One died:

Mamie Weatherall.

Water  lines  under  the church were replaced. The gas line from the fellowship house

was  connected  to  the  one  at  the  church  to  save one minimum charge. New floor

coverings  and  commodes  were  installed  in the rest rooms in the church, a new air

conditioner  was installed in the sanctuary, the ramps were given new steel railings,

and the outdoor sign was stained and the letters repainted.

Lewis  Sleeth  joined the Bi-vocational Pastor Program and began serving the churches

at  Vashti  and  Bellevue. The Lydia Patterson Institute was supported and a delegate

was  sent  to  Annual  Conference.  A  revival  was  held with Bishop Blake, District

Superintendent   Walter   Zimmerman   (a   former   Petrolia   pastor),  and District

Superintendent Joan Gray LaBarr were the preachers.

"Fun  Time"  was continued with the children. A group of youth were taken to a TEXANS

basketball game, to a swimming party and to an Evangelism Rally. "The Sobbing Stone,"

a  play  by  St.  Marks UMC of Wichita Falls, was presented in our church. Rhonda Rue

became  our pianist, choir robes were donated to us from Midwestern State University,

and  plans  to  begin  a choir were made. The Byers-Petrolia UMW met sporadically but

continued their giving to missions.

The  food pantry and clothes closet were continued. One church family was helped when

their house burned and another family helped through a crisis.

In  1995  four  new  members were added: O. C. and Helen Hurst and Charles and Vivian

Drescher and one died, Ada Merrill.

The  above programs were continued in 1995. "Bring a Friend Sunday" was celebrated, a

new  roof  was  installed on the fellowship house, and the vinyl siding on the church

was  repaired  after  hail  damage. Four people attended the Visionaries banquet, the

Bible  Study  was  reactivated,  and  Contemporary English pew Bibles were purchased.

Three  families  were  helped with financial aid, birthday cards were sent to members

and  close friends, Native American Sunday was celebrated, a wiener roast was held to

close  "Fun  Time."  An  area  and  electricity  were provided for the Senior Citizen

outdoor  Gospel  Music  fund  raiser  and  funding was provided for the drug and gang

McGruff program.

A  new pastor, Rev. Richard Lucier, came in 1996, after Rev. McKenzie retired because

of  health  reasons.  Membership  stood  at  69. Joanne McDonald, Richard Lucier, and

Sheryl Lucier were added while Lora Gibson, Myrtice Moon and Duff Davis died.

New carpet was laid in the sanctuary, possible through a gift from M/M Darrell Massie

in  memory  of  Lora Gibson, a long-time member. The church got a new roof because of

hail  damage.  The  children's  after  school  program was revived and renamed "Wacky

Wednesday."  A  CD  of all the hymns in the Methodist Hymnal was purchased to be used

when  pianist  Rhonda  Rue could not be present. The Fifth Sunday community services,

food  pantry,  clothes  closet, Easter breakfast (prepared by men), egg hunt, special

Easter  and  Christmas  services,  Wednesday  night Bible studies, and good preaching

continued with the change of pastors.

Rev.  Rick  Lucier returned in 1997. Membership dropped to 62 with the death of Ralph

Glandon and Bob Rutledge and the transfer of James and Minnie Mckenzie and Robert and

Sheila James. New insurance was acquired to cover replacement values and professional

liability for the pastor and officers.

Rev.  Rick Lucier remained with us in 1998 with 60 members at the end of the year. We

lost  4  to  death,  Rick  Fields,  Maria  Garcia, Chuck Drescher, and Bob Brown, one

transferred  to  another  church,  Charlie  Garcia,  and  2  joined,  Helen and Danny

Griffith. Family night and fifth Sunday community church services continued with good

cooperation  among churches and inspiring sermons and singing. The food pantry served

5 families, the Wycliffe translator was supported, and the children's Wacky Wednesday

program continued. The UMW continued with the women of both Petrolia and Byers making

up the unit.

Bro.  Rick continued to be a favorite of all in the church as he was a most effective

preacher and leader.

In  1999,  Cindy Armour and Melody Morris joined the church under Rev. Lucier, Annice

Bell  and  Eula King died and Dewayne Glasgow was removed by Charge Conference. Bible

study and Methodist history were studied and the usual programs went forward.

In  2000,  with Bro. Rick still our pastor, the Sunday School was revived and a choir

was  begun, the first in Petrolia UMC in at least 50 years. A candle lighting service

was held at Christmas and the pastor led a mime communion service at the fifth Sunday

community  service  at  Byers  and  the  Petrolia  Church hosted another fifth Sunday

service.  At  Easter, a breakfast, egg hunt, and a special baptismal covenant worship

service were held.

Grace  Chapin,  daughter  of  charter  members  of  the Petrolia UMC, made a special,

generous  gift  to  the  church  with  the specification that it be used only for the

maintenance  of  the church building. A special building fund was thus established. A

new  heating and air conditioning system was installed. A new CD player was purchased

to upgrade the sound system.

Support for Kathryn Keller of Wycliffe Bible Translators in Mexico was continued. The

food  pantry  was discontinued because of a lack of need in Petrolia. Cards were sent

to  members  absent,  ill, or having birthdays and anniversaries or as invitations to

special events. The pastor was paid an additional housing allowance of $100 monthly.

In  the  spring  of  2001, Rev. Lucier was moved to a church in Wichita Falls and was

replaced  by  Rev.  Louis Pearce. New siding and windows were installed on the church

and  other  necessary  repairs  made.  Special  services were held at Christmas, Palm

Sunday and Easter. A prayer chain was set up to be activated when needed in a crisis.

Monthly   family  nights  of  food  and  fellowship  were  continued,  as  were  also

participation in fifth Sunday community services.

In  2002,  membership  stood  at  47  with  Jamie  Elledge  joining  and Darla Fields

transferring  out.  Jamie Elledge, started an after school program with an enrollment

of  42  and an average attendance of 27. A children's Sunday School was also started.

The  pastor  was  active in visiting the nursing homes of the area and the hospitals.

Fifth Sunday community services continued to be held.

By  Charge  Conference  in 2003, membership had dropped down to 44. Pat Ott and Danny

Griffith  died, 2 members came by confession or faith restored. The kids' programs on

Wednesday  afternoon  and Sunday mornings and their acting as acolytes were continued

under  the  direction  of Rev. Pearce and Kim Goolsby. A new TV was purchased for the

program.  The  children  and  youth  made  a  trip  to  the  Holy City in the Wichita

Mountains.

The altars and communion rail were painted white with brown trim and a lighted walnut

cross was installed on the wall behind the altar. Fifty new hymnals were purchased.

In  2004,  Rev.  Pearce was moved to Grant Street UMC, Wichita Falls, and we welcomed

Rev.  Al  Easterling  and  wife  Clara  to  the  church.  Membership  was 41 with the

withdrawal  of  5  at  their request and reported at Charge Conference: Bruce and Kim

Goolsby,  Butch  and  Olga  Rosinbaum, and Buddy Linton, and 2 coming in from another

Methodist Church: James and Minnie McKenzie.

Pastor Al was enrolled in his first course toward being a certified local pastor. The

leaders  of  the children's programs were among those who left before Pastor Al came;

the  program was put on hold until leaders could be found. Participation continued in

Fifth  Sunday  community  services  and  in  monthly  family fellowship meetings. New

linoleum  was  laid  in  the fellowship house and a new roof was put on the church to

repair hail damage.

Most  of  the  same  programs  were continued in 2005 under the leadership of Rev. Al

Easterling.  He continued to be outstanding in visiting people in the hospital and in

checking  on others by phone. He continued his Course of Study under the direction of

Beverly  Drive UMC, his home church. The choir program was outstanding and children's

sermons  and  then activities and Bible stories involved them in the back room of the

church  by  the  pastor's  wife. The church continued to support UMCOR and the county

Outreach  Ministry  with  money,  food and clothing. A new clavinova was purchased to

replace the ailing piano.

In  2006,  membership  increased to 41 with new members Bill and Carolyn Holmberg and

Jane  Evans,  death  of  James  McKenzie,  transfer of Minnie McKenzie and removal by

Charge  Conference  of  James  and  Rhonda Rue. Basically the same programs continued

during  2006.  The  church donated Christmas gifts to nursing home patients, helped a

needy  family  with  rent  money,  and  celebrated  Christmas and Easter with special

services. Several different Bible studies were held.

Pastor Al continued at Petrolia UMC in 2007, continuing his Course of Study and doing

a  good  job  of preaching and visiting in the hospitals and generally ministering to

the  needs of the congregation. Membership declined with the addition of Jerry Grimes

but the death of 4 members: Jerry Grimes, J. L. Hair, and Floyd and Margie Patterson.

A  vacation  Bible  school was held and went right on in to Sunday School with mostly

grandchildren of church members attending.

The  church  took  advantage  of the conference-wide insurance program which saved it

considerable  money. A donation was made to the Senior Citizens Center each month and

offerings continued for UMCOR, Nothing But Nets and the county Outreach Ministry.

In  2008  family  night  was  discontinued  because  of  flagging  interest  and more

disability  among  members.  The  kids'  messages  and Sunday School were still going

strong  as  well as the usual programs, preaching, and general ministry by the pastor

and  members.  A new copier and inter net service were added to make office work more

efficient and easier. VBS was well attended.

As  2008  draws  to a close, the Petrolia UMC is strong in spirit and enthusiasm with

the  addition  of  5  new members and a flurry of activity in preparing for our 100th

Anniversary.  The  pews  were  recovered  in  the  summer, the bathrooms and upstairs

renovated, and the outside sign painted.

God  has richly blest the people called Methodists in this part of the world for past

100 years and we have faith in His Providence for the future.

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