| On May 12, 1889 under the leadership of B.E. Knickerbocker, a few
citizens of the Lebanon Community met and organized a Presbyterian
Church. The Rev. T. L. Sexton officiated. There were 14 charter
members, they were :William Pennington, Mary J. Pennington, Joseph G.
Morgan, Harlan Snyder, Edward Pennington, George Jones, Mary Nichols,
Minnie Porter, Herbert Waterman, Maggie Watermen, Jennie Blackman,
Beda Horton, Louisa Morgan and Sara Snyder. Harlan Snyder was chose to
serve 3 years as an elder and Joseph G. Morgan was elected for 4
years. The elders were chosen by communicant members and sworn in by
prayer and the laying on of hands. John Hahn was invited to preach one
-half the time, from June to the following August or 14 months. The
church pledged $140.00 and the Presbytery supplied the remainder of
his support. At first church services were held in the Lebanon
school until a church was built. The first Presbyterian Church
building was dedicated Jan. 14, 1900. On May 22, 1904 It was voted by
the members to help the Hastings College by donating $25.00 in five
annual payments. From 1909 through 1910 the Lebanon and Wilsonville
Presbyterian churches shared their minister and salary. In 1920 there
existed a federation between the Lebanon Presbyterian church and the
Lebanon Methodist church this federation lasted until Oct. 1922. The
Methodists desired a continuation but the Presbyterians didn't wish to
continue this arrangement as they felt neither church building was
large enough to accommodate the congregations and the Sunday schools. The Rev. Chas P. Robel was the first minister here as an Evangelist of the Presbyterian Church. Hw came May 20, 1921 and remained until Oct. 1 that year when the Rev. G.W. Paul was sent by the Methodist conference, he stayed until April 17, 1922. When he resigned and Rev. Robel returned and remained as minister of the Federated Church during the rest of its existence and as a stated supply of the Presbyterian Church until Feb. 1, 1923. On Feb. 11, 1923, the Presbyterian Church was incorporated. During the winter and spring of 1923 the old church was torn down to make way for a new church building. During this time the Methodist Church was used as a place of worship. On June 17,1923 the new Presbyterian Church was dedicated at a total cost of $13,850.00. The labor donated was $3,500.00 value of the old church was $1,500.00 and there was a grant of $1,000.00 and a loan of $2,000.00 from the Presbyterian Church erection board. On Jan. 6, 1924 after an evangelistic meeting in the Presbyterian Church 58 new members joined the church during Sunday morning worship service. During Febr. the session of the church voted not to hold services during the time the Methodists were holding a evangelistic meetings, This was a great disappointment to their minister Rev. Jackman so in April 1924 he asked to be released from his duties. In later years with all the trouble of trying to keep a minister the Lebanon Presbyterian church and the Marion Presbyterian church united and shared the Rev Robert Sheagley, this during the early 1950's. This association lasted for several years. In 1954-55 Rev. Wilson was our minister and an association was formed with the Danbury church which had just became a Presbyterian church. At this time we shared the minister and expenses and each church held it's own services. Rev. Warner Taylor was the minister at this time. In 1969 we had been without a minister for some time we used lay people to fill the pulpit. We then became affiliated with the Wilsonville Methodist. Rev. Roger Casteel Methodist minister served Danbury, Lebanon, and Wilsonville. The ministers since were: Rev Phillips Todd, Presbyterian, Rev. Vivian Hand, Methodist, Rev. Herbert Townsend, Presbyterian, Rev. Donald Morton, Methodist, and our present minister Rev. Gary Waguespack, Presbyterian. Danbury Presbyterian church asked to be let out of the yoke so now we are affiliated with the United Methodist Church of Wilsonville. The first 100 years are in the past and we are looking forward to the next 100 years with anticipation of what the future holds. With our faith in God and love in our hearts we say Praise the Lord and AMEN. |