updated 09/18/2019
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Christian Science Church DedicatedOn Sunday morning at 10:30 o'clock, the First Church of Christ, Scientist, McGregor, Iowa, was dedicated. No special service was planned. Mrs. Bell sang a solo, the words of which were the thirteenth chapter of first Corinthians, in the revised version.
In May, 1892, a little group of eighteen people met at the home of L.C. Farnum and organized a Christian Science church.
Meetings were held at the different homes of the members until steadily increasing numbers made it necessary to secure permanent quarters. The G.A.R. hall was rented and for four years services were conducted there. In 1897 a large upper room in the Barron Block was rented. The ensuing years witnessed a slow but continuous growth.
A building fund was started in October, 1915. In April, 1916, Mr. Farnum bought a lot on Main street and presented it to the church for a building site. In April 1917 ground was broken for a foundation and on a perfect June mornig, the cornerstone was laid. The work progressed and in September the first service was held in the new building.
With gifts from its friends, the contributions of its members and the very generous gift from the trustees [illegible word] the will of Mary Baker Eddy, every debt is paid.
~North Iowa Times, Thursday, February 7, 1918
~Transcription note: this was a full column article, has not been fully transcribed; only the paragraphs and sentences that might be of interest to researchers
~Transcribed by S. Ferrall, September 2019~*~*~
Christian Science Church of McGregor
The Christian Science Society of McGregor was organized on May 10, 1892 by Mrs. Elizabeth Webster of Chicago. The articles of incorporation were drawn by A. Chapin. The charter members were: L.C. Farnum, Jennie A. Farnum, Emma Farnum, E. Hoxsie, Mrs. E. Hoxsie, C.C. Standert, Sarah Standert, A.F. Hofer, Mrs. M. Hofer, Robert Lindsay, Sarah E. Lindsay, Edith B. Lindsay, Belle Halverson, Mrs. Jennie Mason, G.S. Douglass, Julia Douglass, H.H. Reynolds, Nelda Reynolds, William Ulrich, Matilda Ulrich and William Scharff. Church was held in the Barron Block until 1917 when the present church on Main Street was built.
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~source: North Iowa Times, November 29, 1956
~contributed by S. Ferrall