Our Story

A TIME OF BEGINNING (1895-1905)
It was 1895 when Elder Allen Oberlin and his family left St. Louis, Missouri for Logansport, Indiana. Logansport was a new territory with much prospect in ministry. The railways and canal systems were bringing new people into the area. Logansport was a thriving community of potential converts and Elder Oberlin wanted to win these individuals to Jesus Christ. So when Elder Oberlin arrived in the new territory, he opened a Sunday school in Adamsboro; a community just minutes from Logansport. He rented some rooms in the Adamsboro Mill where he taught the word and preached to a small congregation on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. His work in Logansport and the surrounding communities gave Elder Allen Oberlin the title of father of the Logansport congregation.

As communities in the west grew, Elder Oberlin felt the call from God to move in this new direction. In 1900, the believer’s gathered and called on Elder A.G. Crosswhite, a German Baptist speaker, to come and preach a revival service at the Adamsboro Mill. During the revival, seven were baptized and a new enthusiasm to begin a church in Logansport was ignited. The District Mission Board, sanctioned by the Indiana district of the German Baptist Brethren Church, took charge and supported regular preaching and teaching in the fellowship. A.G. Crosswhite believed that God wanted him to make Logansport his home base for evangelistic work, so he set up residence in the community. While here, A.G. Crosswhite offered his services to lead the fellowship. The congregation embraced the idea and continued the work of the Lord in Logansport and the surrounding communities.

During the years of the war, and immediately after, a time of stagnation took over in the life of the congregation. The congregation took a very strong peace stance during war times and that was not liked by many. Records show that during and just after the war attendance shifted from being a growing congregation to a declining congregation. Numbers in the 1930’s were approaching one hundred, but by the 1960’s numbers had fallen into the low sixties. Instead of new ministries beginning, the status quo was held onto. “The same” replaced “the new” in a time of change in our world. Change was happening rapidly in society, but not in the church.

Homer and Rosetta Fry became members during this time in the life of the church. They said, “A lot of part time pastors came in and out of the church during this season. They were good people, but had full time jobs outside of the church and that made it difficult for the church to have a vision and to grow.” It also seemed like there wasn’t a need to grow. “There was a good crowd each week” said Rosetta, “and we didn’t see a need to reach out into the community.” They became comfortable with just loving each other. While asking Rosetta about the important people in the life of the church during this season she responded, “On September 14, 1952 I became a member and was baptized in the basement baptistery. Some names we remember were Ray & Faye Martin; they were the first ones to greet us and make us feel at home in the church. Minnie & Vic Kitchel were deacons and showed us the love of Jesus.” One character that seems to have great importance on this act and moving the church on into the next was Jerry Holsinger. Rosetta Fry gives this story, “I remember when the district called us to accountability on tithing. Homer was still working at the paint store and we had two little boys. Money was tight. We remember thinking ‘Tithing, how could we ever do that?’ I remember an elderly gentleman, Jerry Holsinger, who witnessed to us. He had raised a large family of 10 children. It would have been during the depression when he stood up at the council meeting and said that after reading the scripture that talks about tithing he felt called to do just that and God always provided for him and his family. So we went home still thinking we could not tithe, but God called us to do that. And the Lord certainly has blessed us! I believed Jerry Holsinger helped many in the Logansport church family to become tithers.”

During this time of the status quo, a group of newcomers began thinking about bigger and better things for the church. Their work brought them to Logansport, and their service to the Logansport church will be remembered. Helen & Keith Ross, Paul & Evelyn Neher, Gene & Sue Arthur, were transferred into the community from another location and they lived here approximately 10 years. They were very active in the Church and started the people thinking about building a new facility in the late 50‘s and early 60‘s. Their vision of a new building was contagious and began moving the congregation into a new era. They saw into the future and believed that the opportunity would require a small move east.

New buildings did not lead to new opportunities. While the building was complete, a huge debt was faced by the congregation. Bud Reed, a member of the Logansport Church of the Brethren since 1962, said, “For six years, the focus of the congregation was on building a new building; now the focus was on paying for it.” He said that the concern of the congregation was not on how to minister to the community, or how to reach individuals for Christ, it was how to raise enough money to make the payments on this new facility. So from July 4, 1971 to April 12, 1981 the focal point of the congregation was on paying for their dream. While the dream was good, it took away from the mission of the church.

It was a time of increase and decline. Numbers would go up for a season or for a pastorate and then recede to their previous place. The stagnation in mission and ministry eventually lead to decline. But that stagnation was not a sign that there were not good people present in the church. There were a number of major players in the Logansport Church during act 5 and 6. Dorinda Stackhouse said, “Leon and Doris Ulery were a part of the team that envisioned the need for a church to be on one level. Their concern was for the elderly and a way to help them come into the church. Homer and Rosetta Fry were wonderful, loving people whose parents worked in the children’s home of Logansport. They brought many of the kids into Sunday school and church and gave much energy to the youth group. Howard and Marge McCoy where the head deacons and provided leadership to the congregation while Seth and Thelma Huddleston served on the board and worked with the Sunday school program.” Dorinda also mentioned a few others. Thelma Huddleston was the one that suggested a newsletter that could keep the congregation informed of current events. Bob and Donna Nelson served as deacons and leaders in trying to retire the church debt. Glenn and Phyllis Stroup, and Paul and Frances Ridenour were just a few of the individuals that were a part of the church and its life.  

Jan Reed remembered that the 70’s and 80’s were plagued with new pastors, “It seems to me that every time we got a new pastor there were many changes for the congregation.  Most of them were good.” But with the advent of new pastors, there was little continuity in the ministry of the church. Each pastor brought change, but the change seemed to pass away with the onset of the new minister. Dave Sievers said that the change in pastors affected the passion that the church had in following its leaders. “Why should we begin a new ministry or program” Dave said, “The pastor would only be here a few years and when he left so did the ministry.” This attitude affected the thinking of the church for nearly three decades.

It was during this time that Joe Deitrick, one of the more influential pastors, came into the church. Joe was just out of seminary and full of ideas. He loved the denomination and spent much time and energy getting the church to focus on Denominational issues. He continued the ministry of adult baptism, love feast, and simple living that was set up by Brother Oberlin seventy five years earlier. Dorinda said, “Joe was 6 months older than I and I felt comfortable asking him questions concerning the beliefs and doctrine of the church. Before Joe, we were taught to believe what the preachers told us.  Joe also taught us it is okay to worship without a white shirt and tie. We learned it was ok to worship with cowboy boots and a guitar.” During these days, drama and new music became a part of the worship service while holding to the central beliefs of the church. Joe and his wife were at the church much longer than most. Their six year stent in the congregation made an impression that is still heard today. But after Joe came a list of short term pastors that once again left the church without solid vision.

During these years, there was a decline in worship attendance. There are many reasons for this decline. Bud Reed believed that the decline has many facets. He said that there was the lack of focus on the world. There was much time spent on paying off the debt of the new building. There were individuals and personalities in the congregation who were more self-focused and not so much focused on the community. And maybe part of the decline could be placed upon pastors that only stayed for short periods of time. It is easy to point the blame in different directions, but the decline of Act 6 will lead to the renewal of Act Seven.

Join us every Sunday as we gather to worship together a 9:30 am and 11 am.