Historical church closes

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BY CHRIS ZAVADIL / Madison Star-Mail

MADISON — An era is ending in Madison Sunday.

First Presbyterian Church is having its final service after 137 years of Sunday morning worship.

“We lost people,” said Darlene Barrett, who has been a First Presbyterian member for 62 years. “Our members have passed away and (there’s) no young people.”

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Madison’s First Presbyterian Church is known for its distinctive stained glass windows. The 137-year-old church will have its last service Sunday. (Courtesy photos)

Actually, the town is growing — from 2,135 in 1990 to 2,367 in 2000 — but that hasn’t meant new members for the church.

“This is a Hispanic community now, they have their own church,” Barrett said.

Madison is one of several Nebraska towns that have seen dramatic changes in their makeup in recent decades. The percentage of its Hispanic population grew more than 400 percent from 1990 to 2000, according to the U.S. Census.

Members of the church hope the historic building still can be used, but they have no final plans.

“We have no idea,” Barrett said.

First Presbyterian was Madison’s first church, organized in 1870 at the home of the town’s first residents, the Henry M. Barnes family. First members were Barnes, John Q. Harvey and Anna Marrs.

The first church session was June 19, 1870, at the school house.

The first church building opened in 1872 and was destroyed by a tornado Sept. 28, 1881. The second cost $2,000 and was built on the present church site at the corner of Third and Nebraska streets. It was dedicated May 2, 1882.

The cornerstone for the present-day church was laid Nov. 18, 1913, and the new church was dedicated June 14, 1914. Cost: $26,000.

Immanuel Lutheran Church and First Presbyterian shared pastors from 1993 to 2000. In all, 32 ministers have served the Presbyterian church.

In addition to Barrett, active members today are Walter J. Botsch, Doris Jane Botsch, Richard Kautzman, Elsie Kratochvil, Lillian Peterson, Lyle Reese, Glen Stewart, Elaine Stewart, Angie Weber, Lois Westfall and Vlasta Whyte. Of them, eight have been members for at least 59 years.

The church is perhaps best known for its distinctive stained glass windows. “Jesus and the Children” was given by the choir and shines above the choir loft. “Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler,” a gift from Christian Endeavor, graces the south wall.

And everyone’s favorite is the window on the east of the risen Jesus and Mary outside the empty tomb. It was presented by the Ladies Aid Society.

Because of the windows, First Presbyterian long has been host to Easter sunrise services.

“As the sun was coming up those windows were just beautiful,” Barrett said. “It was spectacular.”

After Sunday’s services, she said, she’ll go back to the Methodist church.

“I was a Methodist before I became a Presbyterian. In 1944, Hal Schenck was the Methodist minister and he went over to the Presbyterian church in Creston … and then he came to Madison and he just kind of persuaded us to go over there.

“It’ll be a nice reunion,” she said of the worship services and luncheon planned for Sunday at First Presbyterian.

“And a really sad day.”

Journal Star writer Catharine Huddle contributed to this story. Reach her at 473-7222 or chuddle@journalstar.com.