Church: Curtiss – History of Alliance (1895)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Stone, Woodring, Averbeck, Maves, Rostad, Matthews, Wagner, Kringle, Kluve, Bulgrin

----Source: Olson Family Scrapbook

The Curtiss Alliance Church, which was the former Zion Congregational Church, had its beginning in 1895. Records show that it was organized for a community church having English and German services.

This church was started by itinerant pastors of which there were several who served a year at a time. Their headquarters was the home Mission Board of New York. They did away with the old constitution in 1906 and accepted the Council Manual of the Congregational Church. This church remained First Congregation until March of 1960, when under the pastorate of Rev. James Stone, they voted to change to Alliance, as the pastors serving the church since 1937 had been from the Alliance. Curtiss and Owen, who had formed an Alliance Church, shared pastors until 1976 when each church decided to be independent and have their own resident pastor.

While under pastorate of Rev. Arnold Woodring, Curtiss built the new church on the same location and it was dedicated in 1966.

Because of the growing need for more room, it was decided to enlarge the sanctuary and put a 32 x 50 foot addition on. This was completed and dedicated in March of 1981 under the present pastor. Rev. Marshall Averbeck.

Our first resident pastor was Rev. Dennis Maves, who came in 1976. he was a Missionary candidate and could only stay 2 1/2 years, being called to the Philippines as a missionary. In 1979, Rev. Averbeck came and is our pastor at the present time.

Some earlier pastors that have served here are Rev. Rostad, Rev. Matthews, Rev. Wagner and Rev. Kringle.

The organizations of the church are Women's Missionary Prayer Fellowship, which was started in December 1938 to work with and for missions. Juanita Kluve, a Curtiss hometown girl, was one of the first missionaries we helped.

A Senior Bible Class meets monthly. This started in 1948. These meetings are held in the members' homes frequently.

The youth of the church meet every Wednesday evening, while the adults are having the midweek Bible Study and prayer service.

In the earliest years, there was a Ladies Aid called the Helping Hands Society.

The men have an organization called the Men's Fellowship.

The church and its organizations are working for the furtherance of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Curtiss community.

Submitted by: Mary Bulgrin