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The congregation plans to build a church to fit community needs.
Photo by Gall Folda
Cirici
By Robert Berggren
School of Journalism
"I felt as though I'd lost a member of my
family."
That was how Mrs. Elmer DeKay said she felt
after an April 14 fire destroyed Grace United
Methodist Church. Mrs. DeKay has been a
member of the church for 49 years.
"I was heartsick. I cried nearly all day," Mrs.
Walter Hall said. "I can't think of anything I
didn't do there, except preach in the pulpit and
join the Boy Scouts." Mrs. Hall has been a
member for about 40 years.
"It was like seeing a home burn," said Clyde
Mcintosh. "Your children have gone to Sunday
school there and you've given some in marriage
there. The sentimental value all floods before
you."
Meet in annex
Since the fire, the 1 8 5-member congregation
has been meeting in the undamaged annex to
the church it 2640 R St. The Rev. Dwight
Ganzel has expanded his efforts to avoid
overcrowding and now holds three services each
Sunday instead of two.
The Rev. Ganjel recalled one Sunday shortly
after the fire when 116 people came to the
same service. "We had people sitting in the hall
and some on the sidewalk outside," he said.
The pastor said the "firemen did an excellent
job" in putting out the fire, but the large
60-year old structure could not be salvaged.
He said the congregation received a good
settlement from the insurance company, but
the $350,00 awarded would not replace the
building. It would take about $800,000 for full
replacement, he said.
Become smaller
The congregation has become smaller in the
ii
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fire
years since the church was built. The original
congregation lived close to the chuich in family
dwellings which have since become apartment
houses, whose residents come and go and
seldom become regular members.
Because of this trend the congregation plans
to build a smaller church. It was expensive to
heat the large church and it was not
air-conditioned, Mcintosh said.
There is no set date for construction of a
new church.
The congregation has established a
fact-finding committee to determine what the
church can do for the community, Mrs. Neil
Callam said. The members hope to avoid
duplication of community services provided by
other churches. Mrs. Callam said the fire might
have changed us from "doing things like they've
always been done."
Room for people
She said she would like to have a church with
a room for people to get together. "A place for
people who are lonesome, just to talk." The
congregation consists largely of older people
who have not moved to the outlying areas of
Lincoln.
She said she would like the church to have a
place for the Boy Scouts to play ball and "do
their own thing", She said she would like the
new church to be a "friendly, out-going church
where young people feel they have a place."
"In a matter of months we ought to have
enough data and information to know what
functions we can fulfill," the Rev. Ganzel said.
In the meantime . , ."We're just very much
aware of our physical closeness," he said. At
the 9:30 morning service there are two adult
Sunday school classes, a regular church service
and children's classes upstairs. "If you were to
stand in the hall when they are all singing," he
said, "you'd really get a cacophony of sound."
weekly calender
Tuesday, Jury 10
"Civilisation", "The Pursuit of
Happiness" and "The Smile
of Reason", Sheldon 7:30
p.m., Sheldon.
"What the Butler Saw", 8 p.m.,
Howell.
Wednesday, July 11
Final date for candidates for
advanced degrees to deposit
theses and file final report
sheets for 8-week and first
session.
"What the Butler Saw", 8 p.m.,
Howell.
Thursday, July 12
"Company", 8 p.m., Howell.
Friday, July 13
Final examinations and end of
8-week and first session.
General registration for second
session.
"Company", 8 p.m., Howell.
Saturday, July 14
"What the Butler Saw," 8 p.m.,
Howell.
Sunday, Jury 15
"Civilisation", "The Pursuit of
Happiness" and "The Smile
of Reason", 2:30 Sheldon.
"What the Butler Saw", 8 p.m.,
Howell.
Monday, July 16
Second session classes begin.
Late fees for incomplete
registration due.
Summer film
"Stagecoach",
Union.
Tuesday, Jury 17
Education Film Festival,
Sheldon.
"Civilisation", "The Worship
of Nature" and "The
Fallacies of Hope", 7:30,
Sheldon.
series,
7 p.m.,
Lincoln
PITCHERS S1.00
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Summer Nebraskan photo
Fire destroyed the Grace United Methodist Church April 14.
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