Our History
Our Church houses a congregation that is one of the oldest in the state of Minnesota. Its first
people were Congregationalists, Baptists, and Methodists. The Congregationalists date back to
Reverend N. A. Hunt, who came to the Mapleton Colony in 1856 and helped organize the
Sterling Congregational Church. This was the mother church of the Mapleton Congregational
Church organized in Mapleton in 1882.
The Baptist Church organized in 1866 with but four members. Services were held in private
homes, and then as the membership increased, they were held in the Troendle Hall until a new
church building was completed in 1879.
There were also two Methodist churches which over the years dissolved their churches and
members united with the then existing Baptist and Congregationalist churches. The Methodists were one of the earliest religious groups in the area being served by an early circuit rider.
By Rev. Edward M. Robinson (image above)
The following was written by our 10th minister about the nearly 100 year history of our church as it stood, back in the mid-1960’s. It was a primer for the “members of our church and others that choose to unite with us in the future.”
The year was 1917, the natal year when two churches in the village of Mapleton began a deep consideration as to whether or not two congregations of two different denominations could combine.
The First World War had been going for several years, rationing had begun, and many ways it was a difficult year. Fifty years ago, October 4th, 1918, these two groups of people, because of economic reasons and because they had a faith in something greater than their separate churches, voted to become federated.
Although, without question, there have been some difficult periods in the life of this Church, it has grown in many ways until today it stands as a united church with its historical roots going back to a group of people who had a vision of something that could be done for the betterment of many.
The final important step in this merger came about in 1930 during Rev. William Rippon’s ministry when the congregation voted to officially become the United Church of Mapleton.
1930, as 1917, was a difficult year in many ways; there were portents of terrible things to come. In the words of the great news analyst, Lowell Thomas, “Hitler apes Mussolini and threatens to seize power and conquer Russia. Stalin collectivizes the land of the Soviet Union with an iron hand and starts purge trials. In Spain, criticism of the monarchy becomes louder and talk or revolution increases. In India Mahatma Gandhi shakes the British Empire with his policy of non-violent resistance. At home, the great issue is the depression, with a slumping stock market.”
In 1958, another great step was taken by the church in the constructing of a new church building. This act, as much as any in the past, had a great impact upon uniting of our Church. Again, it was the difficult period between Russia and the U.S.A. was on to see who could build the largest stockpile of atomic weapons and the race to the moon had begun.
Today, in spite of the problems that this history has posed for the Church, we continue to grow and have reached a point where our outreach to others is yearly becoming stronger.
Our present brick Church houses a congregation which is one of the oldest in the state of Minnesota. It’s first people were Congregationalists, Baptists, and Methodists. The Congregationalists date back to Rev. N.A. Hunt, who came to the Mapleton Colony in 1856 and helped organize the Sterling Congregational Church. This was the mother church of the Congregational Church organized in Mapleton in 1882. The Baptist Church was organized in 1866 with but 4 members. Services were held in private homes and then as the membership increased, they were held in the Troendle Hall until a new church building was completed in 1879. In years past, there were also two Methodist churches which were dissolved, and the members united with the then existing churches. The Methodists were one of the earliest religious groups in the area being served by the Rev. Thomas McClary, an early circuit rider.
Today, over 100 years since these early pioneer churches, our membership is made up of many denominations in addition to those named above; including the Presbyterians, Lutherans, and Disciple of Christ denominations to name some.
We witness to the rest of our community and to a far greater area that we can find in our Church a meaningful worship experience and a sense of discipleship as we come together from so many backgrounds to the one God who is truly the Savior of all his people.
On Merging Churches
Our Church has been examined many times to discover its success in working to become a united church. Without question this has not always been an easy thing.
The first services of the merged congregations were held for periods of time in one Church and then the other (some said the Congregational Church was cooler in the summer and the Baptist Church was warmer in the winter). Eventually they met in the Baptist Church. There were also those who, because they could not accept the merger, tried to destroy it. But our Church has overcome these things and is certainly a stronger Church because of what it has gone through.
The opportunities are numerous for our “free tradition” Church, yet we often take them for granted. Another merged Church expressed their hopes in this way. “The goal of the union is to form a more effective Christian fellowship to serve our church family and community.”
people were Congregationalists, Baptists, and Methodists. The Congregationalists date back to
Reverend N. A. Hunt, who came to the Mapleton Colony in 1856 and helped organize the
Sterling Congregational Church. This was the mother church of the Mapleton Congregational
Church organized in Mapleton in 1882.
The Baptist Church organized in 1866 with but four members. Services were held in private
homes, and then as the membership increased, they were held in the Troendle Hall until a new
church building was completed in 1879.
There were also two Methodist churches which over the years dissolved their churches and
members united with the then existing Baptist and Congregationalist churches. The Methodists were one of the earliest religious groups in the area being served by an early circuit rider.
By Rev. Edward M. Robinson (image above)
The following was written by our 10th minister about the nearly 100 year history of our church as it stood, back in the mid-1960’s. It was a primer for the “members of our church and others that choose to unite with us in the future.”
The year was 1917, the natal year when two churches in the village of Mapleton began a deep consideration as to whether or not two congregations of two different denominations could combine.
The First World War had been going for several years, rationing had begun, and many ways it was a difficult year. Fifty years ago, October 4th, 1918, these two groups of people, because of economic reasons and because they had a faith in something greater than their separate churches, voted to become federated.
Although, without question, there have been some difficult periods in the life of this Church, it has grown in many ways until today it stands as a united church with its historical roots going back to a group of people who had a vision of something that could be done for the betterment of many.
The final important step in this merger came about in 1930 during Rev. William Rippon’s ministry when the congregation voted to officially become the United Church of Mapleton.
1930, as 1917, was a difficult year in many ways; there were portents of terrible things to come. In the words of the great news analyst, Lowell Thomas, “Hitler apes Mussolini and threatens to seize power and conquer Russia. Stalin collectivizes the land of the Soviet Union with an iron hand and starts purge trials. In Spain, criticism of the monarchy becomes louder and talk or revolution increases. In India Mahatma Gandhi shakes the British Empire with his policy of non-violent resistance. At home, the great issue is the depression, with a slumping stock market.”
In 1958, another great step was taken by the church in the constructing of a new church building. This act, as much as any in the past, had a great impact upon uniting of our Church. Again, it was the difficult period between Russia and the U.S.A. was on to see who could build the largest stockpile of atomic weapons and the race to the moon had begun.
Today, in spite of the problems that this history has posed for the Church, we continue to grow and have reached a point where our outreach to others is yearly becoming stronger.
Our present brick Church houses a congregation which is one of the oldest in the state of Minnesota. It’s first people were Congregationalists, Baptists, and Methodists. The Congregationalists date back to Rev. N.A. Hunt, who came to the Mapleton Colony in 1856 and helped organize the Sterling Congregational Church. This was the mother church of the Congregational Church organized in Mapleton in 1882. The Baptist Church was organized in 1866 with but 4 members. Services were held in private homes and then as the membership increased, they were held in the Troendle Hall until a new church building was completed in 1879. In years past, there were also two Methodist churches which were dissolved, and the members united with the then existing churches. The Methodists were one of the earliest religious groups in the area being served by the Rev. Thomas McClary, an early circuit rider.
Today, over 100 years since these early pioneer churches, our membership is made up of many denominations in addition to those named above; including the Presbyterians, Lutherans, and Disciple of Christ denominations to name some.
We witness to the rest of our community and to a far greater area that we can find in our Church a meaningful worship experience and a sense of discipleship as we come together from so many backgrounds to the one God who is truly the Savior of all his people.
On Merging Churches
Our Church has been examined many times to discover its success in working to become a united church. Without question this has not always been an easy thing.
The first services of the merged congregations were held for periods of time in one Church and then the other (some said the Congregational Church was cooler in the summer and the Baptist Church was warmer in the winter). Eventually they met in the Baptist Church. There were also those who, because they could not accept the merger, tried to destroy it. But our Church has overcome these things and is certainly a stronger Church because of what it has gone through.
The opportunities are numerous for our “free tradition” Church, yet we often take them for granted. Another merged Church expressed their hopes in this way. “The goal of the union is to form a more effective Christian fellowship to serve our church family and community.”
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