History

A Brief History

One Hundred years ago as the hot, July sun burned its rays on to the Oklahoma wheat fields, the Holy Spirit was also burning a call to holiness into the hearts of obedient men and women. Men and women, never realizing what their faithfulness would ignite that summer, read an inauspicious invitation in the July 16, 1916 edition of the local newspaper. The announcement was squeezed between an article about an Indian dance at Cantonment and another article reporting that the Lieutenant James Cullison was in Watonga to recruit for the National Guard. The brief invitation read:

O.H.C. GOSPEL TEAM MEETING AT WATONGA
The O.H.C. (Oklahoma Holiness College) Gospel Team will conduct a series of meetings in Watonga beginning July 12 and continuing to the 24th. The meeting will be held under a tent near the Central School building. Everyone is invited.

Shortly after this tent revival, nine people formed the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene. These members were: Mrs. Letha Reeves, Mrs. Ethel Summer, Mrs. Cora Chapman, Mrs. Hazel Dyke, Mrs. Della Warren, Mrs. Emma Syria, Mrs. Clara Wolverton, Mr. Leon Dyke and Mr. F. E. Chapman. The church initially met under the trees or in members’ homes with F. E. Chapman preaching.

Reverend Chapman, the subject of an article in the September, 1916 edition of the local paper, was accused of causing a “church war” in Watonga. Mr. Chapman, a Methodist, was prone to shout in church when he was happy. Some of the members of the congregation disapproved of this behavior, and the local Methodist board voted to expel F. E. Chapman from their services. District Superintendent S. H. Owens presided over the organization of the church.

Not long after this, a carpenter shop, located on First Street and one-half block east of Prouty, was secured as a meeting place. The congregation temporarily moved from this location when a church of another denomination complained to city officials that the Nazarenes made too much noise. The power of the Holy Spirit moved in the services and in the lives of the congregation.

On a blustery January day in 1917, the first assigned pastor, Ira L. Campbell, and his bride of three months arrived.  At the fifth annual assembly of the Western Oklahoma District in 1917, the small church proudly submitted the following report:

CHURCH MEMBERS: 10
N.Y.P.S. MEMBERS: 8
MEMBERS IN SUNDAY SCHOOL: 17
TEACHERS AND OFFICERS: 3
AMOUNT RAISED FOR THE DISTRICT OFFICE SUPPORT:$  14.10
AMOUNT RECEIVED FOR PASTOR SUPPORT: $112.24

On December 3, 1917, members purchased the carpenter shop, where they were worshiping, and stepping out on faith, they made a mortgage for $300.00. That spring, on March 11, 1918, the church was incorporated as the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene.

During 1921 and 1922, the church building was remodeled. A platform with steps was added to the north end of the sanctuary. An altar was placed in front of it. The sanctuary had a center aisle with folding chairs lining each side. A pot-bellied wood and coal stove heated the building in the winter, and hand paper fans cooled worshipers in the summer. Adding a vestibule and belfry tower helped to transform the carpenter shop into more of a churchlike edifice. Hopefully, the congregation would one day acquire a bell for the belfry so its ringing could invite others to join them on Sunday mornings much like other churches in the area. This newly remodeled church measured 28 by 38 feet and was valued at $1650.00.

After worshiping for several years and more than tripling in size of congregation in this location, God gave the people a vision of owning two lots on the corner of Prouty and building a beautiful brick church to proudly sit on that corner to the Glory of God.

“Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 19:18).  This vision slowly started to become a reality in 1928 when two adjoining lots on Prouty and a five-room house, which would become the patronage, were purchased for $1050.00.

In 1932 Pastor Thomas Hayes directed another remodeling project on the original church that had once been a carpenter shop.  With the help of Clay Cocannouer and others, the belfry tower, which never housed a bell, was converted into a Sunday School classroom.

Curtain dividers created classroom space all over the building.  Sunday School was growing strong.  Even though the country was in the grips of the Great Depression, God’s power was abundant as the Nazarenes continued to spread the gospel of holiness.

At the same time, brush arbor meetings held southeast of Watonga across the road west of Cordell Rural School, resulted in many people of the Cordell community being saved.   These new Christians started attending Sunday night services.  An interdenominational Sunday School continued to meet in the Cordell School until 1947.

The vision claimed by the congregation when they purchased the land in 1928 advanced another step when Rev. C. E. Hagemeier came as pastor in September 1944, because in the spring of 1945, he and the congregation tore down the old parsonage and built a new two-story one on the north side of the lots facing Prouty.  This left the corner available for the future construction of a church that would complete the vision God had given them eighteen years before.  In the spring of 1946, Rev. Hagemeier directed the construction of the church’s basement.  For the next two years, the congregation worshiped in the basement until the brick church, 40 by 60 feet, was completed.  Many hours of donated labor by members and friends and God’s faithfulness enabled the congregation to accomplish the vision that had been given to the people twenty years before.  District Superintendent W. T. Johnson led the dedication service held May 23, 1948.

During the pastorate of Rev. and Mrs. Clinton Rock, Jr., the spiritual needs of the Indian people of Watonga began to burden the church.  A ministry to meet these needs was established.  Mrs. Rock conducted an Indian Sunday School in the basement while the rest of the congregation were having Sunday morning worship services in the sanctuary above.  Later an Indian Mission Church of the Nazarene was built under the supervision of Rev. E. K. Wissbroecker.  It was dedicated June 23, 1957.

The congregation continued to grow and more room was needed once again.  Rev. Roy L. Bickford and the congregation, working together, started construction on an education building on July 31, 1961.  It was located on the northeast corner of the church property and cost $4500.00.

During Rev. Roy L. Bickford’s pastorate, another remodeling project was undertaken.  The outside west steps were eliminated and an inside ramp was constructed in the entry.  New windows, a remodeled platform, paneling and central heat and air were some other improvements.  An addition of four classrooms was also constructed on the north side of the church.  Lester Stein, a local carpenter, supervised the building and remodeling program.  Mr. Stein also crafted an eight-foot wooden cross and a pulpit to adorn the newly remodeled sanctuary.  The cross now decorates the foyer of the present church.  The cost of these extensive remodeling efforts was approximately $23,000.00.  District Superintendent Jerald Locke spoke at the dedication services held October 3, 1965.

Upon his death on August 8, 1961, Sammy Christian, son of Ora Christian, provided in his will that the income from 160 acres west of Watonga would go to the church for a period of five years.  His will also provided that if the attendance of Sunday evening services, averaged 100 or more the fifth year following his death, the church would receive the farm.  The church met these requirements; therefore, they inherited the farm.  With the proceeds from the sale of the farm, together with other monies from the estate, the church elected to purchase a piano and other needed items. The tithe of this inheritance was used to build a church and residence in Africa.   The church deposited the remainder to a building fund.

The need for a parking area prompted the congregation to relocate the parsonage.  June 26, 1971, four lots were purchased at 512 North Prouty, and on March 27, 1972, construction of a four-bedroom brick parsonage began.  A local carpenter headed the building under the direction of pastor, H. M. Curtis.  District Superintendent Jerald Locke dedicated the parsonage, built debt free.

While Rev. H. M. Curtis was pastor, again the growth of the church called for more fellowship and classroom space. The educational building was enlarged by building an addition on the south of it.

During the pastorate of Rev. John W. Frazier, a bus ministry was begun.  An extensive outreach became a reality with the purchase of two buses with countless families reached.

This ministry continued to flourish and during the tenure of Rev. Harold Rains.  A GMC van was purchased for transporting elderly to services and teens to activities.  Ten acres of land were also purchased on Highway 33 east of Watonga on October 11, 1978, for the sum of $28,500.00.  God had once again given His people a vision, and soon the pastor, the people, and God’s faithfulness would unite to see a new church built on this property.

The building of the present church started in the fall of 1985 under the direction of Rev. Joseph Predaina.  Members celebrated the first service in the new sanctuary on Easter Sunday, 1986.  The church was dedicated on October 26, 1986, and the church also celebrated its seventieth anniversary at this time.  General Superintendent John A. Knight preached the dedicatory message, and Dr. Jesse Middendorf, District Superintendent, was also present.  The value of the present facilities has been placed at one million dollars.

Opportunities Inc. purchased the church properties at First and Prouty.  These buildings were once used as a treatment center for substance abuse.

Rev. Ron Gilbert accepted the call in June, 1989, to become the pastor after having served as a missionary in Africa for four years.   The outreach to the Drug and Alcohol Center was both rewarding and challenging.  The General Church celebrated its 75th Anniversary during this time, and a group from this local church attended the celebration in Pilot Point, Texas.

Rev. Larry Hall became the pastor in 1992.  During his pastorate he served 9 years as chaplain at the Diamondback Correctional Facility. After years of sacrificial giving, the congregation was also able to celebrate with a “mortgage burning” ceremony with Dr. Theron Daniels presiding.

Rev. William Taylor served briefly as pastor.  During the 2005-2006-assembly year, our church welcomed Rev. Jeff Liles as pastor after his successful ministry with the youth in various churches across the country. When Pastor Liles came, the church board was ready to do whatever it took for the church to grow, so the church implemented a more contemporary style of music and revitalized the children and teen programs. The church began to see an increase after several years of low attendance. The facility suffered damage from the hurricane of 2007, which called for extensive repairs.

Rev. Kason and Casandra Oakes joined our church family in May 2011 after his tenure in local and district NYI ministry.  The year 2013 brought a youthful explosion and a baby boom in the nursery. In response to this boom and a community need, a Kid’s Day Out program began. A grief share program was also started. The church adopted ”Nurture, Nourish and Flourish” as the mission statement.  Celebrate Recovery, a ministry that harkened back to the one began in 1989, was introduced with many people responding.

At the 2015 District Assembly, District Superintendent, Dr. Rowland challenged the church to “Dream About 2020” and about what our church would look like by that time.  The church was challenged, began to pray, and God began to open doors.

By 2016, our church made simple sacrifices and began the process to plant a church in the neighboring community of Okeene with God leading in miraculous ways.

Tear-stained altars, regenerated sinners, sanctified believers, marriage vows, dedicated children, home-going celebrations, Christian growth, worship services, and compassionate ministries have been a part of the First Church of the Nazarene’s history, and these are still part of the church today.

We are celebrating 100 years of the Watonga Church of the Nazarene being alive and well.   From 1916 to 2016 God has continued to show us His Promises are real!  He never has, nor will He ever leave us or forsake us, and may we all look forward to the future in service to Him.