First Presbyterian Church of Neola Iowa

HISTORY PAGE

    On February 20, 1880, Rev. G. M. Lodge & Elder J. S. Love visited Neola to look after the interest of Presbyterianism in the area. On the following Saturday, the Rev. Lodge preached in the schoolhouse. He found 4 families, parts of whom were members of the Presbyterian church and encouraged by this, advised that a church be organized as soon as practical.
   On March 14, the Rev. Lodge preached again in Neola, and appointed Monday, March 22 as the day on which to organize. On the 22nd day of March, 1880, by the authority of the Presbytery of Council Bluffs, a committee, consisting of Revs. G. M. Lodge, F. H. Cleland and Elder J.S. Love, met in Neola at 2:00 p.m. to organize a Presbyterian Church. Those organized into the Church were as follows: John, Jessie, Katie, Jennie, Kennedy, and David Buchanan, Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Hunter, Mrs. Anna Remington and Dr. & Mrs. Harvey. John Buchanan was elected a ruling elder and Lawrence Hunter a deacon.
   Money was raised and with an appropriation from the Presbyterian Board of Missions of $500 and the town of Neola, a frame building, 42 X 38 feet was completed in March, 1882 at a cost of $1000.
   By 1886, the Church was holding services each Sunday, morning & evening, Wednesday & Friday evenings. The Beebeetown Methodist Circuit was giving permission to use the Church for services on Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday evenings. At that early date, the 2 churches began a bond which ultimately lead to the unity of the congregations. The M. E. Church of Neola was organized in the late 1880's on the corner of 3rd and Pearl Streets. Arrangements were made in 1930 for the 2 congregations to unite in service and joint services continued under the name of the Federated Churches of Neola, but each maintaining its denominational identity as far as church government was concerned. In 1935, the Methodist building was sold. On May, 7, 1943, the Federated Church of Neola came under the auspicies of the Presbyterian Church USA in a formal union of the two bodies.
   The first electric organ was purchased in 1940 for a cost of $545 along with new hymn books.
       On November 7, 1948, the Congregation purchased the Honey Creek Church and dismantled the building and after moving, sorting, stacking and cleaning the wood, it was used to build a new manse.
Plans for a new church were giving the go ahead on March 27, 1956 and the new church was dedicated in 1956. In 1967, the Church was remodeled to add the educational wing and a study for the Pastor.

Welcome to the
First Presbyterian
Church of Neola

400 2nd Street
Neola, IA 51559
712-485-2339
[email protected]