Congregational History
Below, you will find a history of our local church, dating all the way back to 1924. If you would like to learn more about what has been happening more recently in the life of our congregation you can click on the "Annual Reports" tab to the left and read Pastor David Young's Annual Report. The reports from our church board secretary, treasurer, youth leader (NYI), missions leader (NMI), and the leader of our discipleship ministries (SDMI), will also be available by the beginning of May.
The First Church of the Nazarene was organized in Clinton, Illinois, August 3, 1924 by Rev. J. L. Cox, with the permission of District Superintendent, E. O. Chalfant. This was the immediate fruit of a tent meeting held by Rev. Cox. The singer was Harold Johnson. The tent was pitched on what was known as the Warner Lot on the corner of West Adams and Quincy Streets, where the telephone office is now located.
The first church board meeting was held at the Price home, 1415 E. Washington Street, on August 7, 1924. It was eventually decided to build a place of worship. Property was obtained, and a small frame tabernacle was erected by the Pollock Brothers and Rev. J. L. Cox. It was located at 111 No. Emma Street.
This building became nicknamed the “Sheep Shed” because of its unpretentious appearance. The outside was covered with tarpaper and the interior was the exposed rough frame work, with only sawdust floors. There were seven Sunday School classes, each held in a separate place, but with no partitions, all talking at the same time.
Almost two years later, the church board met and appointed Mrs. Theetta Roberts and Mrs. Earl Westray to solicit money to put a floor in the tabernacle. They were successful. The cost for the floor was $80.00. A number of business people gave regularly to help the church when it was needed.
In 1927, April 25, arrangements were mae by Pastor Smiddy and the peole to pay off the debt of $130.00 against the taberncle. Also, the purchase of the new church property was discussed. The board liked a property on East Main.
On July 7, 1927, the board met and voted to obtain $1,500.00 from Taylor & Abstract Co. and pay $300.00 down on the present church location. This property was eventually purchased from Ernest Manners, who moved his house to So. Alexander, across form the YMCA. But the severe depression postponed the building plans. The people called “Nazarenes” would worship in the “Sheep Shed” for fourteen years.
Finally, in September of 1937, Rev. Ernest Rice came to be the pastor. He was to be the one to get things under way for the new church. The old tabernacle was dismantled, and some of the lumber was used in preparing the basement. While the basement was being built, services were held for three months in the court House. All of the building was done by the members and friends of the church as they had time to work.
On January 23, 1938, the congregation acted to become officially incorporated as the Church of the Nazarene. Clara West was elected secretary. Erva C. North moved to adopt the proposed incorporation. Mabel C. Westray seconded the motion. Also, James L. West, Elwin M. Bowling, and William Cornelius were elected to serve as Trustees of the new corporation.
The last gathering to be held at the tabernacle (or “Sheep Shed”) was October 3, 1938. The first church board meeting held in the new church was December 5, 1938. Also, this was the beginning date for the first revival: it was with Rev. L. G. Wright. Reports show that “God really came.”
Apparently, finances remained tight. In January of 1939, the board was called to order and one item on hand was to raise the pastor’s salary to $20.00 a week and house rent, not to exceed $15.00 a month, with one food shower per month.
Then, in October of 1940, at a board meeting conducted by Rev. Zachary, now pastor, one item of business was that the pastor be relieved of the $7.00 per month rent on the parsonage. It was passed. Holiness evangelists didn’t fare any better. In April 1941, Rev. T. T. McCord came and held a two weeks revival and his pay was $25.00.
Through it all, the church gradually prospered and grew. In 1958, under the leadership of Pastor Kenneth Owens, an educational unit was added to the structure built during the ministry of Rev. Rice. Then, during the pastorate of Rev. Milton Marsh, the present sanctuary was built.
During 1962, Sunday school and Worship services were conducted in the educational unit while the sanctuary was being completed. Again, the building was mostly done by volunteer laborers. It was occupied on February 3, 1963. The dedication was held June 2, 1963.
The church moved to its current location, 51 Highway and Kleeman Drive, in the mid 1990's under the pastoral leadership of Rev. David Nash. Rev. David Young is now the pastor of Clinton First Church of the Nazarene.
Surely, across the years, God has led this church through many hard times and difficult places, and He has truly supplied every need. Because of God’s faithfulness and this people’s faith in Him, scriptural holiness has been preached and lived in this community for eighty years. We can clearly see that it is as the prophet said – “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts” (Zechariah 5:6).