The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1949-09-22
Methodist Church Dignitaries Coming
for ll5th Anniversary Here Sunday

Marking its 115th anniversary as
one of the focal centers in Bluffton
community religious activity, the
First Methodist church will celebrate
an anniversary re-dedication in
special morning, afternoon and even
ing services next Sunday.
Methodist church dignitaries head
ed by Bishop Hazen G. Werner, of
Columbus, will join leaders of the
Bluffton congregation in the many
fold activities scheduled for the an
niversary celebration.
Bishop Werner, Ohio resident
bishop, will preach the sermon at the
morning anniversary worship Service,
beginning at 1880 a. m. following
the usual Sunday school period.
His subject will be ''The Place of
the Church in the Drama of Today"
Methodist Dignita.ies
Also appearing on the morning
program will be Dr. John NJ.
Versteeg, Lima district superintend-
ent; Rev. Frank j. Patterson, retired
History of the Bluffton Metho-
dist church and program of next
Sundays services appear on Page
9 of this issue.
Ohio conference minister; Rev. J.
Paul Clark, now residing in Bluffton
and who is on sabbatical leave from
the conference; and Forrest L. Stein
man, lay leader and trustee Of the
Bluffton church.
A basket dinner at noon will be
followed by the anniversary dedica-
tion program beginning at 2:30 p. IN.
The dedication service will be led
by DR.. Versteeg, and the afternoon
sermon will be preached by DR.. f.
Bringle Macintosh, new president of
Ohio Northern university, at Ada.
Former Pastor Here
Rev. j. H. Butler, now living at
Lakeside, a retired pastor, who had
the Bluffton charge from 1910 to
1913, also will appear on the after
noon program. Rev. Butler drew up
the plans for the present church
building.
A union anniversary service at 7:30
p. m. Sunday will be addressed by
Rev. Paul Niswander, pastor of the
Jacksonville, O., Methodist church.
Rev. Niswander is the son of Mr.. and
Mrs. Lewis Niswander, of Bluffton.
DR.. Lloyd L. Ramseyer, president
of Bluffton college, also will take
part in the service.
Special music will be presented al
morning, afternoon and night serv-
ices with vocal duet by Mrs. Char
les Steiner and Mrs. James West
marking the evening program.
Church Board
Rev. Paul Cramer is pastor of the
First Methodist church, and the of
fetal board of the church is made
up Of: Rev Frank j PATTERSON, Rev.
J. Paul Clark, Forrest L. Steinman.
lay leader and trustee; A. ]. T..
Longsdorf, chairman of official board
and trustee; Charles Alderman,
chairman of board of trustees; G..
Ross Bogart, DR.. Franklin Roda-
baugh, Robert L. Artman, Stewart
Berryhili, Albert Augsburger, Forest
Harmon and Edgar Cook, trustees.
Clayton Hardness, treasurer; Mrs.
Frank Todd, financial secretary; Miss
Eileen Haller, secretary; Mrs. Cliff
West, honorary steward; James r.
West, steward and chairman of ush-
ers; Mrs. l.. NJ. Thomas, Mrs.
Bertha Hahn, II. Fl. Huser, Mrs.
Edith Mann Mrs. Albert Augsburger
and Mrs. Charles Steiner, stewards
Nelson Steiner, church school super
intendent; Mrs. Forest Harmon.
president of the womans society OF
Christian service, and Lynn Carmack,
president of the Methodist Youth
Fellowship.