PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) - As pioneers moved westward across the United States, many brought with them a strong faith in God.
It wasn’t long before people began to assemble based on common beliefs. Many early gatherings took place in public buildings or people’s homes. Referred to as “circuit riders,” traveling ministers would come into town and preach. As their numbers increased, groups of believers set out to construct church buildings to worship in.
In Pendleton, a pair of early churches were being built in the late 1800s within a stone’s throw of each other. An informal race was on between the Episcopalians and the Methodists to complete their building first.
Rev. Charlotte Wells, the current pastor of Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, said Episcopalian pioneers focused on the exterior portion of the building, while just down the road, the Methodists concentrated on the interior.
“We finished our building first,” Wells said. “But they were able to have their service first.”
The Methodists also have a long and rich history elsewhere in Umatilla County. According to a 1976 booklet created by the West End Ministerial Association, Rev. William Deweese of Echo Methodist-Episcopal Church began holding religious gatherings in the Hermiston home of Col. and Mrs. Horace G. Newport. Beginning in August 1906, they are believed to be the first religious services held in the town.
EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER
The cornerstone of Pendleton’s Episcopal church was laid in May 1875. Nearly 120 years later, the building remains. In addition, it holds the distinction as the oldest church building in Pendleton still being used as a place of worship by its original congregation.
“It’s nice to see our church lasted more than 100 years,” Wells said. “It ties us to the people that came before us.”
Historian Mildred Searcy chronicled the history of the church during its centennial in a booklet called “The Little Brown Jug.” The church was called this by the husbands of the pioneer women who were instrumental in starting the church.
Wells said if it weren’t for the perseverance of the nearly two dozen women, the church might not have been organized. Rev. Lemuel Wells (not related to the current pastor), a circuit riding minister from Walla Walla, came into town. Stopping by the saloons, he invited men to Episcopal services to be held the next day in the courthouse.
Women and children were in attendance but the men were more interested in drinking and gambling on a Sunday horse race.
Wells said he’d hold a special service on Monday for the men. However, as the story goes, the men lost money and didn’t want to show up to a church service with empty pockets.
Charlotte Wells said people enjoy the beauty of the church’s interior, which features a marble-clad altar, intricate wood carvings, a blue-paneled ceiling over the altar, wood paneling and vivid stained glass windows, including what is believed to be an original Tiffany & Co. A large window just off the main altar commemorates the pioneer women of the church. A highlight, Wells said, is one depicting the “Ascension of Christ” at the back of the chapel.
“Even if there’s no light on inside, it still glows,” Wells said. “It’s stunning.”
Regular attendance is 60-70, with High Holy Days reaching 100-120 people, Wells said. The Episcopal church, she said, is very tradition-minded. However, since the human race isn’t the same as it was 2,000 years ago, Wells said the church changes with the times.
“We want to honor tradition, but we don’t want to be so bound by tradition that we don’t change,” she said.
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
By the summer of 1907, shortly after Hermiston was incorporated, the Methodist church was formally organized in the town.
“During Hermiston’s centennial, it also was our centennial,” said Judi Mason, a former church secretary. “It was impressive to me that the church has lasted that long.”
Referred to as the “Bungalow Church,” the first building was constructed in 1908. It was used from 1909-1922 and later became a parsonage. With increased attendance, the congregation dedicated a new structure April 3, 1922. Expanding over the years to accommodate swelling congregations, the church continues to meet in that location.
For its centennial, “A History of a Church” was compiled in 2007 by Dave Hutchinson, Dorothy Irish and Lela Collier. It described the church’s construction as a labor of love with most of the carpentry and masonry work performed by church members.
A trained civil engineer and architect, Henry John Ott provided instrumental input into its construction, son Walther Ott said in a letter about the church’s history. Ott suggested design methods that would be long-lasting and require little maintenance. Phil Hector, who has helped with the music program and finance committee, said the building remains in good condition, considering its age.
“It’s a struggle for the congregation to keep it that way,” he said. “It’s old and had demands.”
Hutchinson said Rev. Syd Bell had hoped to ring the church’s bell 100 times during the 2007 centennial. However, the rope broke during the process - and that’s the last time it has sounded.
A highlight in the building is a number of stained glass windows. Provided as gifts and memorials, they add beauty to the sanctuary. Of particular note is a large one of Jesus that was donated by the Ladies Aid Society, the precursor to the United Methodist Women’s, Hector said.
Aside from the building and its history, Hector said a more important part of the church is the people. Attendance has dwindled over the years - regular Sunday services shrank to around 90 people 20 years ago and now hovers around 45. Despite the low numbers, Hector views the people as more important that the actual structure.
“At some point, you cross over to the memories of the people and the pastors,” he said. “It’s an ongoing river of service and faith.”
ECHO
The city of Echo is proud of its heritage and history. The town makes it a priority to preserve and renovate its historic buildings.
St. Peter’s Catholic Church, de-consecrated in 1996, and the Echo Community United Methodist Church were both added to the National Register of Historic Places Aug. 28, 1997.
“For Echo as a whole, we as a community feel that our history and our heritage is represented by our historic buildings and sites,” said city administrator Diane Berry. “It’s what makes us special and unique.”
St. Peter’s Catholic Church, constructed in 1913 in the Portuguese Colonial Revival style, features a distinctive stucco façade. The interior houses ornate statues and a faux marble altar.
In 1996, it was donated by the Diocese of Baker to the Fort Henrietta Foundation. The building has received a new roof and some basic repairs, including replacement of some windows. The Echo Kiwanis have committed time and resources to help clean and repair the building, as well as heading up fundraisers to contribute to the ongoing renovation.
The Echo Community United Methodist Church was originally built in 1886 on land donated by J.H. and Cynthia Koontz. A simple New England vernacular style, the church was expanded and transformed into the Gothic Revival style in 1910 when the Koontzes donated additional land.
The congregation, according to a history written by Bennie Lee Tolar, originally met at “Spikes Grove,” a spot along the Umatilla River, located in a cottonwood tree grove south of town. Circuit rider ministers, who arrived by horseback, led the outdoor services. Families often camped along the river for a week or more while participating in worship services and communal meals.
GREASEWOOD FINNISH APOSTOLIC LUTHERAN CHURCH
Located five miles west of Adams, the Greasewood Finnish Apostolic Lutheran Church was built in 1884. It provided a place of worship for the Finnish Laestadian community, with services presented in their native language.
According to “Pioneer Trails Volume 9,” Finnish immigrants were lured to Oregon from Michigan to claim free homesteads. Many came to the area, building homesteads and farming the land.
“For one dollar, Peter and Josephine Enbysk donated one acre of land for the church in the center of the settlement,” the article states.
Longtime Pendleton resident James W. Enbysk, who died July 2015, was among the descendants. He was proud of his heritage and often wrote articles for the Umatilla County Historical Society’s “Pioneer Trails.”
Although services are no longer held at the building, which is surrounded by wheat fields, the fenced churchyard springs to life as the weather warms with colorful wildflowers. The property is maintained by the Greasewood Finnish Heritage Society. In addition, it has been a featured stop during Century Farm Tours presented by the Umatilla County Historical Society.
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Information from: East Oregonian, https://www.eastoregonian.com
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