4705 Center Street - Mineral City, Ohio 44656         330-859-2724         info@mc-naz.org         Terry Passmore, Senior Pastor         Karma Burton, Associate Pastor

HISTORY OF THE MINERAL CITY CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE

There were places of worship in Mineral City long before the Church of the Nazarene.  Even now, new choices are available.  Eighty years is but a trickle in God's bucket of time.  Nevertheless, it is inspiring to review the gravel trail from those 1926 revival nights in a ragged tent with splintery benches to a fine church, with comfortable padded pews in a pleasant sanctuary.

 That fiery Dick and Tillie Albright revival gave at least thirty people a new vision about holiness.  They met with Mary Oberlin, who was praying for strong guidelines to Heaven.  Those eager Christians decided to take their battered kitchen chairs to Bill Walters' bleak tin shop, south of town by the railroad tracks, "an' have us a real church..."

 Only music was the train's shrill whistle, reminding them God was the engineer in charge.  Not much heat except for the warmth in their hearts.  The light of the Lord shone ' round about and all was well with their souls.

By the new year, 1927, Pittsburg District had heard the good news.  Dr. H. Howard Sloan accepted seven charter members as a nucleus of faith.  They were William Farnsworth, Mary Oberlin, Ida Glenn Miller, Anna Cogoun, Jane Neidlinger, and Ferol and Rosetta Baldwin.

 By assembly time in April, Rev. Albert B. Schneider, who had taken charge of the flock, reported 15 members with an average of 30 in Sunday School.  That was the year Charles Edwards, the new pastor, negotiated with United Bretheren in Christ whose Center Street congregation had disappeared.

 It wasn't the greatest, as chapels go.  Water-spotted, tattered wallpaper drooped from the grooved ceiling.  The bare pointed windows seemed symbolic but there were plenty of splinters when worshippers kneeled by the rough wooden altar.  Four iron piped gas lights made it possible to see the words in the ragged donated hymnals when someone could be found to pump the ancient organ.  The bell had a good clear ring.  People came!

The $25 down and the ponderous $1027 balance plus interest was a giant step in faith but it was a victorious vision.  October 5th, 1936 (after having paid a total of $2800) the deed was surrendered.  Following Pastor Schneider, Pastor Charles Edwards and wife Alice served until 1930.  Thereafter, Nazarene ministers and their loyal, caring helpmates have been: John and Leila Guy (1930-36), Douglas and Ida Stewart (1936-39), Robert and Marie Morris (1939-44), Clarence and Dorthy Lindeman (1944-46), Floyd and Blanche Williams (1946-54), Otis and Josephine Mills (1954-62), Clayton and Florence Stouffer (1962-68), David and Veramae Aldridge (1968-74), James and Carol Hall (1974-77), Allen and Donna Arner (1977-84), Richard and Dorthy Phelps (1984-89), William and Judith May  (1990-92), Ronald and Joan Whittenberger (1992-95), Brian and Melissa Grimm (1995-1998), and Fred and Gigi Blauser (1999-2009).  Pastor Terry Passmore is the current senior pastor with his wife Kelly serving diligently by his side.

Today the Church stands a beautiful building.  Through the years many improvements have been made, featuring a large foyer and new offices, a beautiful sanctuary including padded pews, a glorious nursery, kitchen, large fellowship hall, and numerous rooms for Sunday School Classes, and Kids Konnection.  In 1998, the Church purchased the current parsonage located to the left of the church, turning the former parsonage into the Church Annex, which now contains rooms for the Teen Program to use, as well as rooms for guests to stay in.  The church later purchased property located behind the church and created overflow parking, as well as land for the Church Campus to extend as more room was needed.

In 2008, the Church was given an opportunity to accept an estate located on Lindentree Rd. approx. 2 miles from the church campus.  After an executive board meeting, the Church accepted the donation and obtained a large structure in need of remodeling with most materials provided, as well as the 2 1/2 acres the facility sits upon.  Antique furniture was also given which was auctioned  The estate merchandise was auctioned on April 4th, 2009 and the money was used to continue ministry.  Property was then sold in the Spring of 2010 and the money was invested in remodeling the parsonage. 

The Church has seen a lot in it's last 85 years, and we look forward to the future with God leading our way.