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| With the arrival of substantial numbers of Homesteaders in Sherman County in the years of 1885, 1886, and 1887, the Church of Christ was organized October 22nd, 1888 by J.W. Hedges with eleven members. The original membership held their meetings in the schoolhouse and later at the courthouse. The membership grew steadily and on May 27, 1891 an application was signed for a charter to incorporate the Church. In the winter of 1891-�92, a church house was built on the corner of 11th and Broadway and was dedicated free of debt. This was accomplished through the efforts of the first two ministers J.W. Hedges and F.P. Franklin. This structure was extensively remodeled under the ministry of B.A. Channer. Twenty years later in 1933 under the ministry of L.S. Dudley, the Sunday School basement was added to the structure. Our living link As members of the United Christian Missionary Society, our church was a Living Link Church and has as our �Living Link� our own Gladys Robbins Bowers, daughter of Clement and Elizabeth Robbins. Gladys was a nurse and her husband, Dr. Robert Bowers, was a medical doctor and surgeon. They served as medical missionaries in the Belgian Congo from 1952 to 1964. They were the parents of three children: Kay, who accompanied them to the Congo, and Larry and Martha who were born in the Congo. Dr. Bowers is deceased and Gladys lives in Oklahoma, City. Our Timothy In 1951, Glenn Cowperthwaite, son of Alfred and Ada Cowperthwaite, and his wife, Marge, moved to Enid, Oklahoma where Glenn began his training for the ministry at Phillips University. They have served Disciples of Christ Churches for thirty-five years in Colorado and Oklahoma. They have served the Capitol Hill Christian Church in Oklahoma City the last sixteen years. They are the parents of Rolly, Mary June, Annette and Jerri. Name Change At the annual meeting on July 1, 1958 the congregation voted to change the name of the church from Church of Christ to First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, of Goodland, Kansas. Our New Building On January 2nd, 1959, Mr. and Mrs. E.A. Rhoads deeded all of block 45 Beams Addition to Goodland to the First Christian Church. This was during the ministry of G. Everett Figgs, who made the preliminary plans for the building of a new church on the site. Under the leadership of Rev. Durward Penry the plans were carried forward and the new building was erected at Eighth and Arcade and dedicated on August 26, 1962. Shaver and Company of Salina were the architects and Rhoads Construction of Goodland were the contractors. The new church was built at a cost of $197,250.00. It was necessary to take out a loan of $125,000 with the Board of Church Extension. This loan was paid off and the mortgage burned October 26, 1975. |
| The 120 Year History First Christian Church Goodland, Kansas |