First Christian Church of Moline (Disciples of Christ): Church History

The mission effort of First Christian Church of Moline reaches far and wide and close to home. We give financially to our own denomination's Basic Mission Finance that supports local, regional and worldwide ministries. We have six Special Day Offerings, the proceeds of which go to different areas of need in the United States and around the world.

Each Sunday finds some of our Elders and Deacons visiting hospitalized and shut-in members of our church and bringing them Holy Communion. An elder visits the hospitals each Tuesday as well.

Our church is jointly involved in two successful blood drives with Salem Lutheran Church during the year. We participate in the Crop Walk and Blanket Sunday each year in cooperation with Church World Service. Members of our youth groups and others walk in support of those who have to walk for their food. Other members sponsor the walkers with pledges to fight world hunger.

We gather non-perishable foods once a month to support the food pantry at Christian Friendliness, an interdenominational mission agency serving the Quad-City Area. We support several local agencies financially, including Churches United, Christian Friendliness, and Christian Family Care Center. During Advent we collect special items such as school supplies, toys, mittens, and gloves for civic groups involved in distribution at the holidays. Seven times a year, in rotation with other area churches, we prepare and serve a supper at a local meal site. Year round, at home and around the world, First Christian Church heeds Jesus' call to love our neighbors and care and comfort those in troubled times.

Past Ministers

Rev. Robert E. Henry (1906-1910)
Rev. William B. Slater (1910-1915)
Rev. James A. Barnett (1915-1916)
Rev. I. H. Beckholt (1916-1917)
Rev. O. I. Bennett (1917-1919)
Rev. William B. Slater (1919-1935)
Rev. J. H. Gibble (1935-1941)
Rev. E. A- McKim (1941)
Rev. Clinton Meininger (1941-1947)
Rev. Marjorie Meininger
(Served part of her husband's ministry)
Rev. Herschel L. Conley (1947-1953)
(Died while serving the church)

Rev. Charles H. Willey (1953-1970)
Rev. Frank Gardner (Interim)
Rev. E. Phil Dubbs (Interim)
Rev. Paul Ausherman (1971-1984)
(Received his Doctorate while serving)
Rev. Herbert P. Davis (Interim)
Dr. Paul Kerr (1985-1992)
Dr. William Wassner (1993-1996)
Dr. Paul Frahm (Interim)
Rev. Elizabeth Pass (2002 - 2005)
Dr. Kenneth Kline (1996-2007)
Revs. Frieda and Terry Foland (Interim)

Past Associates

Rev. Scott Huson (1956-1958)
Rev. Stephen Carnock (1961-1967)
Rev. Gladys Carnock (1961-1972)
Rev. Stephen Massey (1967-1970)
Rev. Keith D. Strain (1972-1975)
Rev. Christine Hershberger (Miner) (1975-1977)
Rev. Charles M. Heyer (1977-1985)
Rev. Kathleen Thomas (1993-1994)

Timothy's

Rev. Glenn Jewell, Thornton Christian Church, Thornton, IN
Rev. Stephen Massie, University View Christian Church, Denver, CO
Rev. Robert Miner, Flat River Christian Church, Park Hills, MO

On August 7, 1906, Mr. W. F. Eastman submitted his letter of resignation as elder and chairman of the official board of Memorial Christian Church in Rock Island. Even though his resignation was not immediately accepted, Mr. Eastman continued to feel he was called to help build up a new church in Moline.

Thirteen months before, the young Christian Endeavors of Memorial had been instrumental in getting a Bible School started for children of the Moline hilltop area near 19th Avenue and 16th St. They had rented -- for $10 a month -- a tiny tin-clad store building. They cleaned and polished, washed windows and hung clean crisp curtains. They added chairs, a table, an organ, some pictures and a lesson chart. They canvassed the neighborhood and got parents to promise their children would come on Sunday afternoon.

The first session was held in July, 1905 and flourished under the very capable leadership of Dr. James H. Nichols. Those visionary youth of Memorial Church began to see the possibilities of a church. Their own Pastor, Rev. 0. W. Lawrence, held two weeks meetings during which he emphasized the brotherhood plea for One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. His telling of the Gospel story was so convincing that several people responded to the nightly call to accept their Savior. Sixteen adults became the first members of the new congregation on March 30,1906.

Rev. Lawrence agreed to conduct worship services every Sunday afternoon until a minister could be called. As a mission church under the direction of the State Board of Missions, a suggestion was received from the State Secretary and the call was issued to Rev. Robert E. Henry; newly ordained, he began his work with the new congregation on May 15, 1906.

On September 13th the same year, three trustees, including Mr. Eastman, were elected and the church incorporated as First Christian Church of Moline (The first Bylaws were not adopted until the Spring of 1909). Under Rev. Henry's ministry membership increased to 50, and in less than three years, had outgrown the tiny building. The congregation purchased a lot on the comer of 16th Street and 18th Avenue A and built a wooden meeting house which was dedicated on April 18, 1909. The pews and other furniture had been purchased from the church in Lanark, Illinois.

Rev. Henry resigned in the spring of - 1910 and on May 22nd, that year, Rev. W. B. Slater preached his first sermon at the Moline Church. During the next five years, the Memorial Christian Church, gradually relinquished their responsibilities as the new congregation was able to assume its own financial independence.

Rev. Slater resigned May 1, 1915. Then followed three short ministries; Rev. J. A Barnett, May, 1915 - May, 1916; Rev. T. H. Beckholt, May, 1916 - October, 1917; Rev. O. I. Bennett, October 1917 - July, 1919.

A new sanctuary was dedicated in July, 193l. After sixteen years in one ministry, Rev. Slater felt the church needed a change; he resigned in the summer of 1935.

The next man to fill the pulpit was Rev. James N. Gibble. Because of the Depression, the beautiful church had a $35,000 debt which was involved in a bank receivership. Churches and other secular institutions were offered adjustments when cash settlements could be made. The congregation raised $5,000 cash and received a loan of $10,000 from Church Extension Board. An agreement to clear the mortgage held by the bank left a debt of $10,000 which also was cleared off in regular order.

Although Rev. Gibble was 46 years of age when he came to our church, some felt he was too young to take on the grave responsibilities prevailing in the church. However, as the years progressed, his youth was no longer considered a handicap. The church budget always was under subscribed. However, bills were paid as they came in from current and unexpected sources. Many special events (plays, ice cream socials, bake sales, etc.) were held which raised some of the money to pay bills. Small ads were inserted in the Sunday bulletin to help pay for the printing. A monthly newsletter "The Voice" also was financed by ads and was distributed by hand at church assemblies and in pastoral calls. Fuller Printery assisted by giving special printing rates and continued the publication for several years.

An Easter Pageant with a cast of 60 was performed twice on Easter for four years, always to capacity crowds. Mr. Roy Conrad was the director.

The Youth were organized under the name of Christian Endeavor. Annual Conferences were supported by large groups attending.

Vacation Church School was held in conjunction with other denominations. Public schools were opened for these annual summertime schools and a small fee was allotted to churches involved. Ministers were involved in the administration and teachers were recruited from participating churches.

Mr. C. E. Simmons served as an elected Superintendent for most of the time during Rev. Gibble's ministry. The Loyal Married People's Class held the banner in attendance. The Builders Class was growing in interest and promise. There were two other adult classes ... small but loyal in attendance ... and there were classes for ALL ages from cradle to youth.

During these years, the church was unified in love and affection, with but slight exception. Rev. Gibble resigned in 1941.

On July 7, Rev. Clinton Meininger began his ministry in the Moline First Christian Church. At thirty-three he was Moline's’ youngest pastor.

In December, a Midnight candlelight Christmas service was held. It has become an annual tradition.

A considerable debt upon the church was given serious thought by the membership. Rev. McKim, in his short ministry, had suggested a Dollar-A-Month program which now was put into practice and proved to be very satisfactory.

On January 24th, Mrs. Meininger was ordained and served Ad Interim Minister after her husband was inducted into the Chaplain Corps of the United States Navy on January 28th. During her ministry, the church burned the mortgage on January 1, 1945 and was finally free of debt.

Before Rev. C. Meininger left for the Navy, the Golden Circle Class surprised him with a party. He was called to the church on the pretense of a leaking water pipe; he arrived in undershirt, trousers and slippers. After the initial shock, he excused himself saying he thought he had left the iron on. He returned a few minutes later, fully dressed.

The church held Memorial Day services for the Patriotic Organizations of Moline. All the organizations attended morning worship in uniform. Also, that year, the DeMolay chose First Christian Church for their family worship.

During the ministry of the Meiningers, through the courtesy of Wendt Brothers Funeral Home, WQUA broadcast our services for several months.

Builders and Loyal Married People's Classes held reunions and the church continued to join with other churches for Union Daily Bible School: both Meiningers directed sessions at Willard School.

This year, the sanctuary and the entire church were redecorated. All but the sanctuary was completed by the men of the church under the capable leadership of Ed Greenway.

In September, Rev. Meininger resigned to accept a new pastorate in Kentucky. Over 500 guests attended the farewell tea on October 26th.

On January 4, 1948, Rev. Herschel Conley began his pastorate in Moline, having moved his wife and four of his five children from Indiana the week before. Their eldest child was left in Indiana to finish her senior year of high school. This family was the last minister's family to five in the parsonage next door to the church.

Before the Conleys arrived, a Crusade goal of $9,000.00 had been accepted by the congregation. With hard work and cooperation of classes, women's groups and individuals, this pledge was overpaid by 1950.

To further carry out this pledge, the church engaged in a campaign of evangelistic calling which was so successful that it was repeated every year. In 1953, the effort brought 65 new members.

Rev. Conley began early to improve the financial conditions of the church and provided a program of education in systematic giving. He started an educational fund to aid young members in their study to become ministers. This fund was initially called The Education Fund...but was changed, later, to the H. Conley Memorial Education Fund, in his memory.

There was a growing interest in supporting a living link missionary. The church membership increased, as did interest in giving. Rev. Conley believed in advertising the church by participating in community activities. His ministry was one of work, prayer and deep concern for his people. A great percent of the 3500 calls made while in Moline were in sick rooms. He had special services recorded and taken to shut-ins that they might have this small part of worship with the congregation.

After preparing for Sunday worship service, Rev. Conley suffered a heart attack and passed away at 12:40 am, May 3, 1953. We could site many accomplishments, but the important things live on, speaking for him and his work: deacons serving communion, young Elders, a Sunday School Class he taught and loved, a young man studying for the ministry, Christmas Eve candle lighting service, little children now grown and leading in the church, and many other things that a minister likes to see in his congregation.

On October 1, 1953, Rev. Charles H. Willey began his long association with this church. This same year, the parsonage was converted to classrooms and offices and a house was purchased at 2719 - 16th Avenue, Moline, for a parsonage. At the same time, Mrs. V. A. Nelson (Clara) was called to be a full time secretary.

Approximately seven months after the beginning of this ministry, the Elders and Official Board felt it necessary to provide two identical worship services on Sunday morning. Rev. Willey was young and enthusiastic.. full of dreams and determination. The church seemed ready to take a giant step forward.

As activities progressed, it soon became necessary to call additional help into the church office. Mrs. Herbert Dailing (Nee Martha Conley) became associated in the details of the office work.

The youth work gathered momentum and often there were 110 young people in attendance at their Sunday evening meetings.

The Official Board felt an administrative change was in order and after careful and detailed study by a special committee, a new set of Bylaws and Constitution were adopted by the Board, then by the Congregation, authorizing the church to operate on a functional basis which included ten departments. The Living Link missionary program, started by Rev. Conley just before his death, was established with Mrs. Anna Mae Adams in Paraguay.

A bus was purchased and put into service transporting youth and other groups, allowing them to fellowship together as they expanded their interests and social relationships. Rev. Scott Huson served as Associate for just under two years.

Membership continued to grow. Stewardship seemed to be a very minor problem with the church operating in the black and able to accumulate enough to begin plans for an educational addition.

Rev. Stephen Carnock and Rev. Gladys Carnock were called into ministry on February 1, 1961. They served as Minister of Visitation and Director of Religious Education, respectively.

The old parsonage was moved out, the new addition was completed and an early retirement of the debt arranged.

These were years of great growth for First Christian Church of Moline ... it was not unusual to find large Sunday School classes. Adult classes met in various parts of the building wherever they could fit. The big new rooms served well, as each class was one elementary grade of 25-35 children who were divided into four smaller learning groups. Jr. High and Sr. High youth had their rooms, too, although not newly built, they were redecorated. The Cradle Roll was a noisy place for several attendants each week: several toddlers in the main room, and several babies in five cribs or "nests" along the wall in the second room. Vada Wendell was the R.N. in charge, assisted by other nurses and loving women. Barb Miner took charge of the nursery for two and three year olds. Four and five year olds were placed in our Kindergarten class until they entered First Grade at public school.

It was not unusual to have 1200 worshipers on Easter with overflow crowds seated in the chapel or fellowship hall. Christmas programs were so well attended... and had so many participants... they were held at John Deere Junior High School. Every summer at least one Sunday was spent in a local park for worship and a picnic.

During this year, Rev. Stephen Carnock passed away, Rev. Stephen Massie was hired as Associate, and the Wee Care Day Care Center was founded. The Center, as an outreach program of the church, would assist parents of low-income families to become self-supporting by providing care for their children while the parents sought employment or continued their own education. This was the first day care center in the area to cater to low-income families. It is licensed by the State of Illinois.

First Christian Church of Moline headed the list of 100 Disciples of Christ Churches with the most baptisms: 115 in 1968. That year also saw another 90 persons who transferred by letter making the church 5th in total additions with 205 new members. Participating and non-participating members in First Christian Church, Moline, was approximately 1800. three worship services were conducted every Sunday morning.

Rev. Willey had become a much in demand public speaker. With the blessings of the congregation, he was able to fulfill many speaking engagements throughout the country and still carry on his duties as our Senior Minister. In 1970, however, he began to feel that ministry was more than serving one church, so in October, he resigned from his position as "our" minister in order to more actively pursue his calling to become a minister to the whole country. Later, his congregation was world-wide.

At the same time, Rev. Massie resigned as Associate, bringing to an end a very successful team ministry. Rev. Gladys Carnock remained and was of help to Rev. Phil Dubbs and Rev. Frank Gardner, both of whom served six month interim's with us.

An Associate, Rev. Keith D. Strain, was called in January of 1972; he was installed March 12th. With his arrival and his assigned responsibilities of several departments including Christian Education, Rev. Carnock became the Minister of Visitation.

This became a very musical year. a set of 25 handbells was purchased with $902.22 from the Memorial Fund. Mrs. Ausherman served as Music Director and added the beautiful sounds of the Bell Choir to enhance the worship services. At the same time, she directed four vocal choirs...cherub, junior, youth and chancel choirs. Through the summer a family choir provided our special music.

In February, Rev. Strain accepted a call to Countryside Christian Church in Mission, Kansas where he would serve as Associate. His vacated position in our church was filled in August by Rev. Christine Hershberger. Soon after, Rev. Hershberger re-instituted the Sunday School class for the mentally handicapped.

The building was in use throughout the week ... buzzing with activities of church groups, committee meetings, Wee Care Day Care children, and several community organizations special meetings.

Outreach offerings, this year, totaled $4,783.50. Weekly worship services were provided for residents of East Moline Care Center, and the congregation began participating in the Food Pantry program of support for Christian Friendliness.

This year saw the resignation of Rev. Hershberger and her marriage to Robert Miner, a young man who had grown up in our church. He is one of our Timothys. That wedding took place on June 18th and in September, Rev. Gladys Carnock was married to Murlin Fernbaugh before they moved to California.

This year saw thousands of "boat people' (refugees) coming to the United States. Our congregation, as another outreach program, voted to sponsor a Vietnamese family. Lai Tran, his wife, Nu, and their four children were greeted by several members of the church and helped to find living quarters, furnish it, and find employment.

Worship attendance averaged 300 per Sunday; more new members were added and many weddings and funerals were conducted. Youth groups continued with weekly meetings throughout the year; 17 Sunday School classes averaged 166 per week. Many other activities kept our church thriving even though the community began to suffer with so many businesses leaving the area causing families to move, too.

To help our church celebrate its 75' anniversary, Chester Layton built a detailed replica of the original building. The scale model was furnished with tiny furniture such as that in the year 1906.

Our church pipe organ, built by Moeller Co. in 1931 and purchased by the church for $2,000.00 was removed in 1983 and returned to Hagerstown, Maryland, to be rebuilt at a cost of $40,210.00. It was returned to the church in July and rededicated in November.

The Board and Congregation granted Rev. Ausherman time to pursue study for a Doctor of Ministry Degree. He finished his studies before he resigned. During his years with us, we began to be served by women elders, deacons, and Board Chairmen.

Rev. Heyer continued as Associate and Dr. Herbert Davis was called to fill the interim period while the search for a new Senior Minister was conducted.

During this interim period, several changes were made in the administration of the church. The Day Care Center became self-supporting and began to make payments to the church, based on the number of children being served. The Board decided we could no longer afford two ministers, so Rev. Heyer resigned in December.

In January, the congregation approved the first major renovation of the building in 24 years. The total cost of the project would be $445,000.00 and would include a new entrance and elevator, making the whole building accessible to the physically handicapped. The construction was completed the next year.

Air conditioning was installed in the chapel... a room with no outside opening since the new entrance was finished two years previously. All rooms and closets in the building were numbered.

The library was moved to several areas of the church, with each area covering one specific category. The book inventory was significantly reduced.

The flat roof of the education wing was replaced with a peaked roof and the drainage system was repaired. It was hoped these two repairs would prevent further water damage inside. A loan for $20,000-00 was approved, anticipating that the payments could be met without asking for raise in Building Fund giving.

Becky Brahm, also a lay worker, was hired as Youth Director, beginning her duties on May 1^st.

This year saw more construction... phase 2 of the total renovation project providing for much-needed storage space between the sanctuary and education wing, This also provided us with another entrance to the sanctuary, near the office.

On December 31st Dr. Kerr retired after 45 years in the ministry. He and his wife Betty Jean moved to Robin Run Retirement village in Indianapolis.

Also, on that date, MaryLou Johnson, DCE resigned. Pam Jackson, lay-worker, was hired as a replacement.

The Search Committee, having been aware of Dr. Kerr's coming retirement had been diligently searching for a new Senior Minister. Our new pastor, Dr. William Wassner, arrived February 1st and was installed on February 28th. Soon afterward, changes were made in office staff, with an Administrative Assistant replacing the current staff of two, and volunteers were expected to help with routine office work.

Pam Jackson gave up the DCE position and became our first parish Nurse. Barbara Meyers also took training and became involved in the new program.

Late in the year Rev. Kathleen Thomas accepted a call to serve as Associate Minister.

During her time with us, she was instrumental in starting a youth program in a house purchased for the purpose by the church. Located at 1842 - 16th Street, it is next to the smaller of the church's two parking lots. Outdoor activities are carried out in the parking lot or on a sand lot in the back yard of the house. A summertime program has become very popular as an after school program for children of elementary age in the area.

Dr. Wassner accepted a call to be Senior Minister for an affluent Christian Church in South Bend, Indiana and left us in January. Dr. Paul Frahm filled the interim for several months, until a call was issued to Dr. Kenneth Kline who took up his duties as our new Senior Minister in August of this year.