First Church of the Nazarene, Mexico, Missouri

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

First Church of the Nazarene, Mexico, Missouri

Mexico, Missouri’s First Church of the Nazarene, founded in 1920, began services in a storefront. Membership remained around 15 until 1926, when membership rose to 36 in the aftermath of a tremendous revival. In 1930 the church became inactive due to a fire that burned down the building, which included the church and the parsonage.

After remaining inactive throughout the Great Depression and World War 2, the church was re-organized in 1946. This was a result of the successful tent revival meeting held by Reverend Olin Granger and his sister Margie. Services were held in the revival tent until the Fall weather forced them indoors. Throughout the Fall and Winter services were held in people’s homes and on the third floor of the old Central school in Mexico. Membership included seven charter members at the time of re-organization.

Mexico, Missouri First Church of the Nazarene continued to grow. The congregation began holding worship services in their first church building after the re-organization, a concrete block building in the town of Mexico. It became apparent to the congregation in the late 1950’s that they were growing out of their current facilities. The church bought 2 acres from a farm outside of town. In 1960, a new parsonage was built, quickly followed by the construction of a new church building, both on the new church land. These buildings, erected while Rev. Victor Clark was the pastor, were built mostly by church members donating their labor. While not yet complete, the congregation began holding services in this new church building during the winter of 1963-1964. In April, 1965, First Church of the Nazarene in Mexico, Missouri hosted the Missouri District Nazarene Preacher’s Conference.

During Reverend Clark’s ministry the congregation grew with Sunday attendance averaging more than 100. The Clarks left in 1974. They were succeeded by three pastors over the next fifteen years. Then by Reverends Duane and Nora Brush in 1989. In 1993, 30 years after Rev. Clark led the building of the present church building and parsonage, a fellowship hall was built in their honor – the Clark Christian Life Center. In the year 2000, the church began to sponsor a Hispanic ministry called the Cristo Viene Hispanic Ministry. This ministry is led by Reverends Elpidio and Elia Sandoval who hold services in Spanish on Sundays and Wednesdays. The Brushes continue to pastor the Mexico, Missouri First Church of the Nazarene reaching out into the community to spread the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Information obtained from church records.