TIMELINE
FOR HISTORY OF NORTH KINGSTOWN UNITED METHODIST CHURCHTIMELINE
FOR HISTORY OF NORTH KINGSTOWN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
October
30, 1966 – First church service held in the Seventh Day Adventist Church. The
Rev. Morrill Martin serves as minister until 1967. Church meetings held at
Gray’s Motel. 55 charter members with 150 persons attending the chartering
service.
November
1966 – The Youth Fellowship organized.
November
23, 1966 – The first Quarterly Conference held (now called Charge Conference)
and officers elected.
January 5,
1967 – NKUMC Women’s Society formed (now called United Methodist Women).
January
19, 1967 – Rev. Brady Whitehead becomes first full time appointed minister.
The pastor and family lived at Gray’s Motel until a parsonage could be
provided.
January
27, 1967 – The first all church supper was held at St. Paul’s Episcopal
Church. The use of the hall generously provided on many occasions.
February
6, 1967 – A parsonage at 20 Bayberry Drive is purchased.
March 19,
1967 – A Chartering Service held at the Seventh Day Adventist Church with
Bishop James Mathews presiding. 110 members.
June 26,
1967 –Rev. Brady Whitehead moved to another charge and The Rev. Roger Sawtelle
becomes our pastor.
November
16, 1967 – The Rev. William T. Richards becomes our pastor.
June 1968
– Land purchased at 450 Boston Neck Road for $35,000. A gift from the Mission
Board.
August
1970 – Construction of first phase of new church is begun. It would become a
meeting room, bathrooms, office and a sanctuary which was a multi-purpose room
(now the fellowship hall).
December
20, 1970 – The first service held in the new church building.
May 9,
1971 – The new building is consecrated.
1973 –
During this year, the Quonset Point and Davisville Navy Bases closed. About 60%
of the membership was forced to move away. NKUMC faithfully carries on through
hard times.
July 1,
1974 – We yoked with Christ United Methodist Church in Wakefield. Rev.
Richards was appointed to serve a church in Springfield, MA and Rev. Jonathan
Almond, pastor of Christ UMC becomes our pastor also.
August
1974 – Tough times persist. The parsonage at 20 Bayberry Drive is sold and
$15,000 income from sale was invested for future expansion use.
June 24,
1976 – The Rev. Almond becomes our new fulltime pastor. Pastor Almond, his
wife Nora and family lived in a room at Camp Aldersgate during July, until a
parsonage could be built.
July 27,
1976 – The new parsonage is finished and the Almonds move in with their
possessions – worldly and spiritual.
June 11,
1980 – Ground breaking ceremonies for the 2nd phase of construction are held
during morning worship. Church membership has rebounded from 55 in June 1974 to
195 in June 1980. Building program will house a 230 seat sanctuary, kitchen,
choir room, office. The multi-purpose room which had served as a Sanctuary will
become a fellowship hall. Members dedicate themselves to completing the work
with the labor of their own hands.
April 24,
1983 – The Sanctuary is completed and consecrated for worship.
1983 to
1988 – The Rev. Jon Almond and wife Nora tended their flock for 11 successful
years before he was re-appointed to the First Methodist Church in Melrose.
Membership flourished.
1988 -- The
Reverend Richard Dupee came on board as pastor.
1990s --
The Reverend Dupee was followed by The Reverend Richard Davis. Dick loved music,
especially the drums. He is filled with God’s spirit and that spirit often
moved him to play the drums and cymbals. His services were marked by joy and
deeply heart-felt prayer and punctuated by an occasional burst of cymbals and
drums. His sense of humor was remarkable. He once visited the local Taylor
Rental store and asked the proprietor, also a congregation member, if he could rent
some nails and paint. Dick’s wife, a Catholic, also attended our services to
hear Dick’s sermons. Connie is a beautiful lady who is loved dearly by our
congregation. Dick guided the planning and fund raising for the additions to the
church in the early 1990s.
1993 –
Construction on the 3rd phase of the church building plan is
completed. The congregation loved its sanctuary, but found it needed to expand
and add an inside route to go from the sanctuary to the Sunday School rooms
without going outside. In the midst of the building process, adding a new room,
kitchen and library, a member of the church, Dawn Belshaw, was married. The
congregation stepped over lumber and around framing to get to the large room
where the reception was held. It made the wedding special.
1994 --
Dick Davis retires from his ministry and he and Connie move back to their
original home on Cape Cod where he continues to be a "substitute"
minister for his home church and later was called back into service briefly to
be interim pastor for a church in Burrillville, RI. Dick was replaced by Stan
Culy. His wife Lena became ill during their time with us and she, sadly, passed
away.
July 1997 -- The Rev. Beverly Stenmark becomes the first female pastor at NKUMC.
December
2000 – Congregation celebrates the 30th anniversary of the first
worship service in our church at 450 Boston Neck Road. An historical booklet is
prepared with the history of the church written by charter member Eleanor Bourn.
Church honors 8 members who were part of the original 55 charter members: Edward
Flade, Vivian Flade, Eleanor Bourn, Charles Fogg, Ken Green, Ida Green, Malcolm
Jenne, Brian Jenne. Now led by The Reverend Beverly Stenmark, our church continues to grow.
Spring 2001
– NKUMC launches its church website www.nkumc.8m.com
. The website is launched by Travis Price as a high school project. When Travis
went off to college in September 2001, the site is re-launched by his father
Larry Price who continues as its editor.
September
2, 2001 – A
second worship service is added at 8 AM in addition to the 10 AM service to serve a growing congregation.
2001 -- Fiona Project. Congregation comes together to help raise money for a liver transplant for Fiona Halstead, a member of the congregation. The drive becomes a community-wide effort. And best of all, a happy ending.
September
11, 2001 – Congregation along with the rest of America worships and prays
during the tragic events of 9/11.
February 2003 – A tragic fire in Rhode Island takes the lives of 100 people. The Rev. Beverly Stenmark joins other clergy in ministering and comforting the families affected by the tragedy.
2004 -- Several members of our church enter God's Heavenly Kingdom: Joyce Belshaw, Bob Hisey, Charlie Kuster, Arlene Johnson, and charter member Brian Jenne. We celebrate their lives.
December 2004 – Website address moves to www.nkumcri.com.
January 30, 2005 -- Our church throws a party celebrating the 60th wedding anniversary for charter members Ken and Ida Green.
September 4, 2005 -- Congregation raises nearly $1,500 for UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) to aid hurricane victims on the Gulf Coast.
September 25, 2005 -- All Town Meeting of church congregation as a Learning Team leads our church in exploration of our past and future to plan growth for the future.
Summer 2006 -- Church congregation learns that a 12-year old girl in Sierre Leone, West Africa needs surgery to repair a hole in her heart. Congregation begins organizing fund raising drives to provide the surgery for Saffiatu Bah. The fund raising continues into 2006 to provide the surgery at a hospital in Tel Aviv, Israel. Congregation makes home made Valentine cards, bracelets and garners news coverage. Congregation learned of Saffiatu from members Daniel and Dorcas Kamanda. Lisa Dallas leads the effort to save Saffiatu.
February 7, 2006 -- Saffiatu Bah arrives at hospital in Tel Aviv, Israel for medical evaluation, hopefully leading to life-saving heart surgery.
February 11, 2006 -- 8-year old Hudson Reynolds, his mother Melody and Lisa Dallas and her two twin daughters, Samantha and Abbey, ride bikes for 16 miles to collect donations to help Saffiatu. The bike ride raises over $1,700 for the Saffiatu fund being collected by CITA International.
February 19, 2006 -- The congregation has reached $23,000 of the estimated $25,000 needed for Saffiatu's travel, surgery and health care.
March 2, 2006 -- Saffiatu Bah undergoes successful surgery to repair her heart and begins recovery in an Israeli hospital. Congregation thanks God for the blessing he has given her.
June 2006 - Saffiatu and her mother return to their home in Kabala. Saffiatu recovering well!
July 2006 - A "meditation" garden is built on the church grounds in memory of Priscilla Teeden. The area will include two benches in memory of Priscilla and Sue Sams and how much they contributed to our church.
October 18, 2006 - The church family mourns the death of Ken Green, one of the charter members of this church, who passed away on this date.
January-February 2007 - Pastor Beverly Stenmark on six week spiritual leave, returning in late February. Retired pastor F. Richard Garland and the lay speakers filled in leading worship services during Beverly's absence.
February 2007 - Long time member Dave Watson passes.
Easter Sunday, April 8, 2007 -- Eleanor Bourn, charter member and one of the original founders of North Kingstown UMC, passes into God's Heavenly Kingdom. Read the Tribute to Eleanor | Read Eleanor's history of NKUMC
May 10, 2007 -- Norm Graichen, tireless servant of God and head usher at 8 AM worship service, dies after a long and courageous struggle with cancer. Read the Tribute to Norm
October 13, 2007 -- Jeff Dallas leaves for Sierra Leone to gain visa for Saffiatu and finalize her trip to USA.
October 17, 2007 -- Working together, Jeff Dallas and Dorcas Kamanda overcome obstacles in Sierra Leone to gain visa for Saffiatu.
October 19, 2007 -- Saffiatu Bah arrives in America to begin her new life living with Lisa and Jeff Dallas family.
January 6, 2008 -- After 10 and a half years as pastor of North Kingstown UMC, Beverly Stenmark is named Superintendent of Mid Maine district of the New England Conference by Bishop Peter Weaver. She will leave for her new appointment in July 2008.
February 19, 2008 -- Mala Davis, long time active member of our church and Sunday School teacher, died suddenly on Tuesday, February 19th.
February 23, 2008 -- Several hundred family members, church members, co-workers from the North Kingstown schools, and friends crowded into the North Kingstown United Methodist Church on Saturday to celebrate the life of Mala Davis who passed away suddenly last Tuesday. She was 51. The large turnout was testimony to the many lives touched by the Fishing Cove School librarian, Sunday School teacher, wife and mother of two. Despite additional seating set up in the sanctuary, choir loft, music room and corridor outside the sanctuary, it was standing room only for the remaining who came to honor Mala. Long time church members could remember few occasions in the history of the church when so many gathered in this place to worship or celebrate a life. A two-hour reception followed the memorial service to support the family. Link to full story
February 24, 2008 -- The church celebrates Lee Cone's 90th birthday with cake and ice cream following worship services. Link to story and photos
March 9, 2008 -- Nearly 200 gather to remember Damon Paul Brunelle who grew up in our church. Damon died on Saturday March 1, 2008 at the age of 22, leaving a wife and two young children. Link to memorial page
March 30, 2008 -- Bishop Peter Weaver appoints The Rev. Lori Eldredge, associate pastor at Wesley UMC, Concord, NH, to become the new pastor at NKUMC, effective July 2008.
May 18, 2008 -- Pastor Beverly baptizes her granddaughter Kyla during the 10 AM worship service.
May 25, 2008 -- A first for our church as triplets are baptized.
June 1, 2008 -- The memory garden on the church grounds receives a new wooden bench, dedicated in memory of Norm Graichen, a long time usher who died in 2007.
June 8, 2008 -- Pastor Beverly Stenmark's last preaching day at NKUMC as our congregation says goodbye after 11 years of faithful service by Pastor Bev. Congregation holds a farewell picnic after worship and presented parting gifts to our beloved pastor who went on to become district superintendent of the Mid-Maine district.
July 6, 2008 -- We welcome The Rev. Lori Eldredge as our new pastor. Pastor Lori comes from New Hampshire where she was an associate pastor.
September 21, 2008 -- The congregation plants a peace pole on the observance of World Peace Day. The four-sided pole has carries a message of peace in a different language on each side of the pole. Link to photos: http://www.nkumcri.com/nkumcri/sunday092108.html .
November 29, 2008 -- Congregation holds a pot luck dinner to honor Ida Green, charter member of our church, who turns 90 years old in December. Over 100 people attend. Link to story & photos
January 25, 2009 -- Congregation celebrates Christine Washburn's 90th birthday with brunch following church worship. Link to photos
January 2009 -- Men's Breakfast group charters to become a United Methodist Men's group. The women of the church also activated a former charter to again become an active United Methodist Women's Group.
April 25, 2009 -- Church holds a spring yard sale and raises over $1,600 for the church, Habitat for Humanity and mission work in Sierra Leone. Link to photos
April 26, 2009 -- Youth group surpasses goal of $10,000 raised for World Vision over the past decade. This year's 30-hour famine included a sleepover in cardboard boxes on the church grounds to raise awareness of the plight of the homeless. Photos
May 29, 2009 -- Congregation learns that charter member Sam Flade has passed away after an illness, begins to mourn and pray for Sam's family. Story and tribute
May 31, 2009 -- Pentecost Sunday features confirmation class and new members AND Church holds town meeting to plan its future
June 5, 2009 - More than 200 attend Celebration of Life Memorial Service for charter member Sam Flade. Photos and tributes
June 7, 2009 - Kirk MacGregor, in the midst of battling his cancer, rallies to attend Sunday worship, June 7, 2009. Photos
July 4, 2009 -- Kirk MacGregor, head usher at 10 AM worship, dies after battle with cancer. Photos and tribute
July 5, 2009 - New experiment as 10 AM worship is moved from the sanctuary to the fellowship for the hotter summer months of July and August. Photos
July 10, 2009 -- Kirk MacGregor remembered in Celebration of Life Memorial Service. Story and tributes
August 2, 2009 -- Long time Music Director Kathy Koziol announces she is resigning the position September 1, 2009 to accept fulltime employment in a local school district. A search is launched for her replacement. Story
September 26, 2009 -- United Methodist Men holds annual fish fry for congregation and serves over 100, raising $650 for the North Kingstown Food Pantry. Story
September 27, 2009 -- Congregation attends another Town Meeting to learn of expansion plans under consideration: a new education wing, renovated kitchen, and repairs to the organ. Organ repairs to be paid by an anonymous donation. Story
October 3, 2009 -- Annual Harvest Festival and Craft Show raises over $1100 for the church. New church cookbook is published and sales begin. Story
October 4, 2009 -- Paul Mancini Sr. is selected as the new music director to start his duties on October 18, 2009 Story
October 11, 2009 -- In special charge conference, church members accept a generous gift of nearly $60,000 from an anonymous benefactor to repair our church pipe organ. Story and Photos | More about our church organ
October 13, 2009 -- Isaiah Morris, devoted father and long time member of NKUMC, passed into God's Heavenly Kingdom Remembering Isaiah Morris
November 6, 2009 -- Pastor Lori Eldredge's sister Kathleen Eldredge passes away after a few weeks of battling cancer.
December 2009 -- We begin adding videos to the church website, NKUMCRI.COM, which was originally launched in 2001.
December 13, 2009 -- Fiona Halstead celebrates the 10th anniversary of her successful liver transplant which was facilitated by donations from the congregation a decade ago. Link to photo of celebration cake
2009 and beyond – It’s a blank page to be
filled with events yet to come. All we know is that God brought us to this place
by tapping the hard work of many hands and He will continue to guide us.
We owe so
many, and most of all, our Father, who gave us the will and strength to continue
in His name. I hope this gives the members something to remember of our past and
to inspire us to continue with enthusiasm and spirit.