The Education Building

On April 3, 1921, there were 721 persons tucked into the corners of First Methodist Episcopal Church for Sunday School!  On April 6, 1930, there were 620.  On the first Sunday in April, 1940, 424 attended Sunday School.  That amount fell to 373 on April 2, 1950 and was back up to 483 on April 3, 1960. 

In 1957, the church authorized the election of a building committee to develop plans for an education building.  A brochure, developed for a capital campaign from January 5 to February 14, 1959, pictures the First Grade Sunday School class meeting in a storage and cloak room, the Kindergarten class at the west end of the dining room and two Third Grade classes meeting on either side of a divider in the kitchen serving area.  The campaign, chaired by Clarence Webb during the pastorate of Rev. Floyd C. Moss (who served from 1957 to 1961),  had a goal of $200,000.  The building plan included a long (125 feet) and narrow (33 feet) three-story building set to the south of the existing building with an elevator in the portion joining the existing building to the new structure.

Bids for the building were opened on July 28, 1961, and the church agreed to enter into a building contract at a church conference on August 2.  A groundbreaking service for the education building was held August 27 and excavation began on September 7. 

A second campaign, called Program of Progress, was held February 17-27, 1962.  Don E. Aitken chaired the campaign, E. R. Stevens chaired the Building Committee and Rev. Hobart R. Hildyard was pastor.  At that point the cost for the facilities had grown to $255,000 and indebtedness stood at $110,00.  During the campaign, daily bulletins were mailed to leaders culminating on February 27  with this “Flash!” announcement that $102,954 had been pledged.  The building was completed and an open house was held the afternoon of Sunday, September 16, 1962.  The new structure included the Chapel of the Cross at the east end on the first floor and fifteen classrooms for children and youth.

Rev. Hildyard served from 1961 through 1966.  He was followed, for three years, by Rev. Joyce Wilson.   In 1968, the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church merged to become the United Methodist Church.  This congregation became, then, First United Methodist Church of Independence. 

During this time, from 1956 to 1979, Margaret Confer served as pastoral assistant and parish visitor for the congregation.  In addition to the responsibilities for which she was paid, Margaret worked with the youth, locally and in the Kansas East Conference, and with the United Methodist Women.  She called on people who were new to the community and made them welcome at First Church and visited those who were homebound.  Many current members remember her warm welcome as their first reason for coming to this congregation.  

Rev. Maclure Stillwell was appointed to Independence First in 1969, at which time the present parsonage at 2709 North Eighth was purchased for $26,500.  1974 was a difficult year.  Rev. Stillwell moved to Olathe and Rev. Charles Schneeberger was appointed to Independence First.  Rev. Schneeberger died unexpectedly following worship on December 17, 1973.  Jack Newkirk reported to the church conference held in January  “that our church had done very well in the face of two very traumatic experiences during the past year....the loss of two ministers.”  He announced that Dr. Sharp would serve until a new minister was appointed to the congregation and that help had been pledged to Rev. Schneeberger’s family.  

Rev. Norman Simmons came in 1974 and two bedrooms were added to the parsonage to accommodate his family.  For several weeks in July and August, 1977, Rev. Simmons and Rev. David Reddish of Greasby, England, exchanged pulpits.