Warren County Iowa Genealogical Society

 

 

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    Motor Friends Church

    Motor Friends Church (Waveland Church), 14350 240th Ave., Milo, IA. 50166, phone (641) 942-7798,

    http://www.motorfriendschurch.com/index.html

      

    Motor Friends Church, written by Florence Gibbons MICHENER, copied from the History of Warren County, Iowa, by Gerard SCHULTZ and Don L. BERRY, The Record and Tribune Company, Indianola, Iowa, 1953, pages 119-151

    In 1869 a group of pioneer Friends had located here. They were, mostly from Ohio and Indiana. They had been holding meetings in their homes, and they were planning to build a church. A small child, Allen TRUEBLOOD, named for the Rev. Allen JAY of Indiana, died, and the family wanted to bury the child where the church would be. A meeting to decide on location was called. Calvin and Cynthia BLAIR offered to give five acres on the east side of section 11 if the group would put up a building of which they approved. The name of the monthly meeting was Waveland. The first church had a door in the south and a gallery in the north, and the floor was raised in the back. Later they built sixteen feet on the east with a door in the east and the pulpit in the west.

    In 1905 this building was torn down and the present church was built. The building committee was composed of J. C. WOODCOCK, S. J. TRUEBLOOD, R. T. ELLIS, F. B. MICHENER and Clark SMITH. On December 18, 1906, the trustees of Waveland Monthly meeting deeded the property to the trustees of Motor Monthly meeting to conform with the post office name. The trustees were R. T. ELLIS, Edd FRUSH and F. B. MICHENER.

    Our parsonage was built in 1899, a six-room house 24 by 38 feet. Clark SMITH gave the ground and the rest put up the building.

    In 1942 a basement was put under the church. The Ladies Aid have a kitchen with full equipment. Basement committee was composed of Tristram DILLON, Fred VAN ZUUK and John L. MICHENER.

    An endowment fund provides for the care of the cemetery. The endowment committee was composed of J. W. GIBSON, F. B. MICHENER, Clark SMITH, R. T. ELLIS and Cy BENNER. Our meeting has been served by thirty-four different pastors, the first pastor -being Joseph BLACKLEDGE in 1888. The first pastor to live in the parsonage was James PICKARD in 1899. Thomas PERISHO was pastor in 1906 when the church was built. Our present pastor is Miss Edna HUTCHINS, serving her fifth year.

    The following history of Motor Friends Church comes from the website, “Welcome to the City of Milo” at http://www.cityofmilo.com/Churches/Churches.htm

    Motor Friends Church, Keith SMITH, Pastor, 14350 240th Avenue, 641-942-7798 Motor Friends Church, a rural Friends (Quaker) church, was established in 1869. It has been at the same location since it was started over 130 years ago, but there have been three different buildings that have been used as the sanctuary. The first was built in 1870 with the present building being completed in 1986. A new parsonage was built in 1975 and then remodeled and added on to in 1994. The present church buildings were started in 1979 with the building of a fellowship hall with the first indoor restrooms, and then the sanctuary was added in 1986. Meeting for worship begins at 9:30 a.m. with a time of fellowship, following Sunday School at 10:45 a.m. The Ladies Aid meets in member's homes on the second Wednesday of the month at 1:30 p.m. and the Missionary Society (U.S.F.W.) meets at the church on the third Wednesday of the month for an all day meeting with quilting taking up most of their time. A youth group meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m.

    The present pastor is Keith SMITH and his wife, Nancy. Motor Friends is constantly striving to be the salt and light of Jesus Christ here where we are planted and sowing seed of salvation wherever our lives will take us.