The First Presbyterian Church, Yuma, Weld County, Colorado, was organized April 15, 1886, by Rev. T.C. Kirkwood, D.D., Synodical Missionary, who enrolled Mary Marshall, Mr. and Mrs. George M. Prickett, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Madeley, Mary E. Elmore, Sarah Wescott, W.S. Pershing, John L. Decker, Mr. and Mrs. M. Wilson, William Rankin, Ira Edwards, and Lavinia Mills.
Following election and installation of Charles H. Madeley, George M. Prickett’s child was baptized. Dr. Kirkwood’s sermon was, “Out of Zion, The Perfection of beauty, God hath shined.”
At first, services were held in Shook and Kinney’s unfinished building housing a saloon. Benches which Charles C. Chrismer had hauled and arranged, were planks laid across beer kegs.
A congregational meeting was called on May 15, 1887, and W.R. Field, J.W. Weed, and George C. Reed were elected trustees. The first minister was the Rev. William Marshall, who served from 1887 to 1889. The first quarterly communion was mentioned in the records to have been held on April 28, 1889.
For a time, services were held over Yerke’s Bank which was later known as the Weld Hotel. The location was where the former Equity Oil Station Stood. The business is now known as Car Care.
The first Sunday School Superintendent was Mary F. Pratt, and Miss Maxwell, Mrs. Madeley and Mrs. Faulkner were teachers.
The congregation then moved to the Wilms Building where they united with the Methodists until a tornado destroyed the structure. Later the Methodists purchased a building of their own and the Presbyterian services were held in the schoolhouse.
During 1890 – 1891, a Rev. Lower, who lived in Akron, held services on alternating Sundays. Not much is known about the church from 1891 to 1893 as the Clerk of Session being in poor health “neglected the record for which he asked the forbearance and forgiveness of the Presbytery.”
Through the efforts of Rev. A.F. Randolf who lived in Otis and served as pastor from 1892 to 1894, the first church building was built. Known as “The Little Brown Church”, it was dedicated July 8, 1894, and was located on the corner across the street, south from the present structure.
The next few years saw several pastors including Samuel W. Richards, 1895; Rev. Jones, 1898; and Rev. J.L. Cameron, 1899 – 1903.
In 1904, Rev. W.P. Kickey served. A Rev. Craven preached for three months and Rev. J.S. Megaw was here in 1907.
Records show that from organization in 1886 to 1912, there were 10 different ministers. Rev. Breckenridge arrived in 1912 and served until 1921. Apparently he pastored other churches as well, because in 1915 the church requested and received a full-time minister. Rev. Breckenridge received $1,000 and is credited with organizing the Christian Endeavor during his first year in the Yuma Church. The Rev. William Jobush was installed as the pastor in August of 1921. The congregation was involved at that time in building a new church which is the present structure. The cornerstone was laid on October 1, 1922, and the new church was dedicated on October 12, 1924. Items placed in the cornerstone included a Bible, a copy of the organization and history records of the church, a copy of the “Herald” and Presbytery, a list of membership at that time, a photograph of the first church building, photos of Daily Vacation Bible School members, a copy of the “Yuma Pioneer”, and a copy of the program for services held at the laying of the cornerstone.
From the time when Mr. Jobush left in 1923, the congregation was without a pastor until Robert T. Cordrey came in September of 1924. He arrived in time for the dedication ceremonies, just two years and 11 days after the laying of the cornerstone. Carl Hoch, still a member at this writing sang, “Open the Gates of the Temple”, and scriptures from I Kings, 8:22-30 and 9:1-3 were read. The bell from “The Little Brown Church” was transferred to the new building, and remains in use today.
Pastors for the next years included Steele D. Goodale, September, 1927, to May, 1936; H.H. Rayburn, October, 1936, to March, 1941; Fredrick Nichol, September, 1941, to October, 1945; Ward Bjerke, March, 1946, to 1953; Donald W. Hohnson, February 2, 1954, to January 20, 1960; Robert W. Tull, April 30, 1961, to July 1, 1965.
A Board of Deacons was created in 1961 to allow for reorganization of the Session and the Board of Trustees which had been the policy until that time, and to elect a board of six or more Deacons. The congregation voted to implement the new system including nine Elders and six Deacons.
During the early part of 1962, discussion considering installation of an elevator in the church was pursued. It was estimated at the time that the approximate cost would be $3,000, and the exact location would be decided later. Session minutes of June, 1962, reported that the ramp to the south door had been installed and the elevator project had been completed. The lift remains in use at this writing in 1986.
Following Robert W. Tull’s departure, Pastor Thomas C. Westfall, his wife Jane, and their five small children arrived in Yuma, November 25, 1965, making the move from the Presbyterian Church in Otis. Being “transplanted” from the eastern states of Ohio and Indiana, they found life on Colorado’s eastern plains to be challenging and different but never dull, and Pastor Tom came to love the openness of the prairie. He was especially appreciative of the colorful sunrises and sunsets, and often told Jane, “This is big sky country”. It was a particular joy to him to roam the countryside hunting for Indian artifacts, and at times he laughingly commented that his idea of retirement would be to establish a chicken ranch on the Vernon Road. He also loved to escape to their mountain cabin near Pitkin where he could chop wood to his heart’s content and enjoy being close to nature.
An addition to the building housing classrooms, kitchen, restrooms, and a fellowship room were added to the church in 1968. This was partially funded by gifts from the Heiserman Estate, church members and friends. During construction of the new part, Arlie Chaplin, a local plumbing contractor, asked Pastor Westfall if he should install refrigerated water fountain because the plans didn’t specify which should be used—a refrigerated or plain water unit. As in almost all budget situations, Mr. Westfall told the plumber that it should be plain as the refrigeration would be more costly. According to reports, the reply went something like this, “But Mr. Westfall, even in the Bible it says give them a cup of cool water.” Today we enjoy cold water from the refrigerated unit in the addition.
Searching for a name for the new part to be dedicated September 15, church members were invited to submit names for the building. Of the four suggested, “Memorial Hall” was chosen.
The St. Paul award was established in 1972 at which time it was voted to continue it as an ongoing award. Those receiving this honor to date have been: Howard Olsen, Kay Hoch, Vi Tribbett, Mildred Dedrick Morris, Lola Shepherd, Zella Hoch, Gib Carpenter, Carl Hoch, Margaret Olsen, and Jane Westfall.
By 1973, the energy crisis was catching up with everyone, and it was voted in a session meeting that the alley lights on Memorial Hall and those on the south side as well be turned of after 10:00 PM.
A search of the records revealed no specific date for the chapel, but it was felt that a more intimate atmosphere for small weddings etc. would be beneficial. It was in the 1970’s, too, that the Session approved Mary Rogers starting a chapel organ fund by donating $100 towards the instrument.
The choir had received new robes and during 1977 the church purchased a new robe to be worn by the pastor in keeping with those worn by the choir. It was in February of this year, too, that Session minutes contained the following words, “the proposal to use ladies occasionally as ushers was accepted”.
For a time it had been the practice following the choir anthem that members could sit in the congregation with their families if they wished. But in Session minutes of November 1, 1979, the following appeared, “Due to objection of certain choir members to not being able to sit with their families with small children, the previous recommendation that the choir remain in the choir section during the entire service is modified to permit sitting with families if considered necessary. Movement should be as quick and unobtrusive as possible.” Today the choir occupies a section on the platform during the entire worship service.
Pastor Tom worked hard during his tenure in the Yuma church. While preaching on Palm Sunday in 1976, he suffered a heart attack, but recovered to serve the Yuma congregation until his death December 8, 1983.
Following his illness, Mr. Westfall’s pace continued as before. The 1978 report to parishioners contained documentation of his average work week of 64.5 hours! He was concerned for and identified with the feelings of people in every situation, and believed that, “One had to have absolute faith in Jesus Christ to be any kind of a decent human being in today’s world.”
The congregation of the Yuma Presbyterian church was unique in the fact that they were able to provide encouragement and monetary support for the three Westfall daughters who had all elected to prepare for the ministry. Louise and Sue, both graduates of Princeton Theological Seminary, were ordained in Yuma during February of 1980 and January of 1982, respectively. At this writing Mary is enrolled as a student in San Francisco Theological Seminary, San Anselmo, California. To continue the family tradition of helping others, Tom Westfall, Jr. presently serves as Director of the Yuma County Social Services, while Jack will enter Medical School in the fall of 1986.
Employment of a part-time Christian Education director was approved in March of 1981. At this writing Sue Ewen fills the position. It was this year also that Ernest Anderson, Jr. and Catherine Lewien were honored for their 50 years of service to the choir.
During September and October of 1982, new chapel chairs were donated in memory of Edna Foster, and a new organ was in place and dedicated to Jim Anderson and Marion Rogers. The pulpit, constructed by Bruce Doron, was given in memory of Carl Woody. And it was 1982 also, that Jack and Ruth Allen were documented to have been present for every worship service during the year.
The interior of the sanctuary was refurbished during the summer of 1982, and dedicated October 3, once again exposing the sturdy beams that had been covered for a time when a false ceiling was installed as an acoustical improvement to the church.
Within the past few years electric candelabrum were installed and dedicated to Harold Olsen, and after years of hassle with the sound system in which every suggestion for improvement proved unsatisfactory, the Session voted on October 30, 1983, to accept the gift of an anonymous donor for a new one.
The Rev. Stuart Cameron came to Yuma February 2, 1984, as an interim pastor, and held that position until November. Soon after that he accepted a call to the Hartford Street Presbyterian Church in Natick, Massachusetts, where he is the pastor of that parish.
On December 1, 1984, Rev. Bruce Haapalainen assumed the pastorate of the First Presbyterian Church in Yuma. He had come from Bluffton, Ohio, with his wife Jeannie and small son Dylan, and was formally installed on January 13, 1985, to serve the Yuma congregation.
A portion of the funds bequeathed to the church have been authorized to make capital improvements in the building as a Centennial Memorial to Pearl Tulles, a long-time member. Private donations were used to purchase stained glass to re-do the semi-circular parts of the four north windows in the sanctuary. Kay Hoch drew the designs and Jim McCabe fashioned them to make a lovely addition to the otherwise plain glass panels.
For a century now, from the time Yuma was an outpost on the barren plain, the Church and its people have seen drought, plagues of grasshoppers and many other adversities, but they have survived. Survived to become the 360 active members of today. Survived to develop an identity of a large caring family to the community and each other, and leave a Christian legacy that time cannot erase.
By Shirley McCalla Cowart