We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
Mary O'Bryan, the oldest surviving member of the Harlem United Methodist Church, adds her name to a banner during the 100th anniversary celebration hosted by the church. O'Bryan, now 93, said she's attended the church since childhood.
Edie Breitmeier leads the congregational singing for guests and members during last Sunday's 100th anniversary celebration for the Harlem United Methodist Church. About 90 people attended various activities throughout the day that ranged from a continental breakfast to an outdoor play in the afternoon.
Katie Noel, of Harlem, browses the collection of photos and memorabilia gathered for the 100th anniversary celebration of the Harlem United Methodist Church. Organizers made a major effort to invite persons who had a connection to the church that first began as a congregation of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ.
Nearly 100 church members and guests gathered to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Harlem United Methodist Church. Celebrants began the day with a continental breakfast in the church fellowship hall and then moved to the sanctuary for a regular Sunday morning service. After a catered lunch on the grounds, a special program in the afternoon included more singing, a play depicting the work of "Brother Van" and a summary of the 100 years the Harlem church has served God and its community.
Church started as a United Brethren congregation
Several families, associated with the United Brethren in Christ denomination, moved to the Harlem area in the early 1900's. After about a year of preaching services two city lots were purchased, in 1915, and work to build an 18' by 36' chapel began. In 1916 the first service was held in the chapel and 11 charter members formed a new church. By 1928, recognizing the need for more space, the men of the church moved the existing chapel back from the main street and began a new building, which they completed in about nine months. The current church facility is on the original town lots.
By 1946 membership had grown and the church building was well equipped. The church celebrated its 30th anniversary. That same year two branches of the Brethren churches united to form the Evangelical United Brethren Church. Twenty years later, in 1968, the Methodist and Evangelical United Brethren Churches united world-wide and the local membership, by majority vote, became the United Methodist Church of Harlem.
Seeing benefits to a combined ministry, in 1970 the Harlem United Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church formed a yoked parish. The churches continued their denominational support but share a minister and work collaboratively to minister to the community. Both church buildings are utilized for alternating worship services.
Pastor Jack Mattingly has served as minister since 2004 and also is minister for the United Methodist Church in Chinook.
A day-long anniversary celebration
Before the regular Sunday service, members and guests gathered in the downstairs fellowship hall for a continental breakfast. The organizing committee had gone to some lengths to invite former pastors, members and others with connections to the church. There were a number of surprised looks and shocked responses as former acquaintances recognized and greeted each other. One former member, from western Montana, told this was the first time he had visited the church since he left to attend college as his family had left the area about the time he left for school.
A regular Sunday worship service followed with guests and members filling the sanctuary. Estimates were that about 80-90 attended the morning service. A number of hymns and choruses were sung including "Jesus Loves Me," a first song typically learned by youngsters. Edie Breitmeier, who was leading the singing, said, "That chorus was for all of you who attended Sunday school here. How many did attend Sunday school here?" About 20 hands went up and those folks all remembered the words.
Colleen Brommer, one of the event organizers, read greetings from people who could not attend. One note was from Jane Mills, a former pastor from 1996-2004 ("Journal" readers will recognize that name as a current columnist for the newspaper), sent greetings from Idaho and said she was sorry she was not able to attend. Reverend David Burt, brought greetings from the Methodist Bishop and presented a congratulatory certificate to the congregation.
An interesting note from former member Arbowyn Brekke Gunning, now of Spokane, read, "On your birthday you were called to the front of the church and put a penny in the offering plate for each year of your birth and Walter Goldsmith then led everyone in a birthday song." Another former member added, "At one time we had a little wooden church that you put your birthday pennies in. When you dropped in a coin a light would come on in the little church." Every time one of the old member's names was mentioned it brought smiles, more stories and a few tears to the eyes of the guests.
The last chorus of the worship service was "Brother Van's song," a chorus entitled "Harvest Time." Rev. William Wesley Van Orsdel was a Methodist circuit rider in Montana in the era when settlers poured into the state. He arrived in Fort Benton, by steamboat, in 1872 and covered central Montana as he founded over 100 churches and other surviving institutions. David Burt told later, "Brother Van loved this chorus. He was an enthusiastic but not very good singer. He always insisted "Harvest Time" be sung at every service he attended." Others added, "This chorus is usually sung at any major Methodist gathering held in Montana. It's a testament to the high regard folks still have for Brother Van's legacy."
At the end of the morning service all guests and members were invited to sign their names to a banner to commemorate the occasion. One of the ushers assisted Mary O'Bryan to the front of the congregation to sign the banner. O'Bryan, at 93, grew up in the church and is the oldest surviving member of the congregation. Recognized for her wealth of knowledge about local history, she shared a lot of stories about the Harlem church and the faithful people who ministered there over the years.
Dinner on the grounds
For lunch a catered BBQ dinner was served in the yard behind the church. A large tent with banquet tables and chairs made for a pleasant setting to eat and visit. After the meal the final part of the celebration began.
Event organizers had written what they described as "a loose interpretation of the first visit to our area by Brother Van." The narrated story, with guests and members recruited and costumed as characters in the plot, told of Brother Van's arrival in the mining town of Landusky. With no existing church building, or even a schoolhouse, locals secured an abandoned saloon for the first preaching service in the mining district peopled by rough frontiersmen and miners. The play, complete with props and scenery erected along the back of the church building, was enthusiastically received by the audience.
By mid-afternoon the formal part of the anniversary celebration was completed. Some guests, having made a long drive with an early start, began to drift toward their vehicles to head home. Others took the time to do some more visiting and catching up with folks they hadn't seen for many years.
For local organizers, the clean-up leg of the celebration began. It was interesting to note that most of the people who put this celebration together were also preparing for Harlem's annual July 4th celebration...one more example of how the people of the Harlem United Methodist Church continue to serve their community. Congratulations on a successful first 100 years and best wishes for many more years of service.
