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History of Kensington, Kansas - Centennial Edition,
1987
The
first Sunday School was held in the Rock Island
waiting room with the agent's wife, Mrs. Jamieson,
as teacher. After B.D. Vessey built the hardware
store, church services were sometimes held in the
store. The Methodist and Christian Churches followed
in the next few years, and later the Assembly of God
and St. John Lutheran Churches were added.
The First Christian Church held their first meetings
in 1874 in a dugout school house west of Olive
Branch Cemetery. In 1878, a frame building was
erected near the present site of the cemetery. The
old Olive Branch Church building was moved to
Kensington and dedicated in 1893. An addition to
this frame building was dedicated in 1907. Plans
began in 1922 for the new brick building, and the
cornerstone was laid in 1926. The building was
finished, furnished and ready for dedication in
1928. They continued until their merger with the
United Methodist Church in 1969 and is now known as
the United Church of Kensington. In 1983, the United
Church included a new street-level brick entrance,
with a chair lift to the sanctuary and improved
access to the basement. The altar area of the
sanctuary had been paneled in 1980. The paneling of
the basement and complete remodeling of the pastor's
study office were finished in 1987. In 1985 the
fifteenth anniversary of the merger of the First
Christian and United Methodist Churches was
celebrated.
In 1888 the Methodist Episcopal Church conducted
meetings in homes. The movement to organize a
Methodist Episcopal Church in Kensington had its
beginning in the Methodist Circuit which had
headquarters in Agra. The circuit was composed of
meeting places in Cedar Fork, Cedar Valley and
Germantown. The first meeting in Kensington was in
the Vessey Store building, and later in a frame
school building. In February, 1894, an
agreement was signed by R.K. Steele, Trustee for the
Methodist Episcopal Church, and Geo. Wood for the
Congregational Church. It states that the
Congregational Church building( the old Kensington
Library) was tendered to the Methodist Society to be
used for worship. By 1897 a frame church was built
which later was known as the Kensington Hospital,
now the Martin Stenseng home. Charter for the church
was executed in 1898. In 1917 a new church was built
at a cost of $13,000. (This building is now the home
of the Assembly of God Church.) In 1969 they merged
with the First Christian Church, and now is known as
the United Church of Kensington.
Services for the First St. John Lutheran Church
probably were begun in 1872 or 1873 and the
congregation organized in 1874. Six years later they
erected their first building. Before this time
services were held in District 8's sod school house.
At first, baptisms were performed by laymen. Later,
they church was served by circuit riders. They built
a new church which was dedicated on June 29th, 1926
and it was this building that was moved to
Kensington in 1959.
In May of 1959 the Zion Lutheran church North of
Athol voted to accept the invitation of the First ST
John and decided to become one congregation. This
union has prospered since, with the entire
congregation becoming stronger for it. This church
celebrated their centennial on August 4, 1974. In
1980 a new addition was put on the west side of the
church including a large office area, a conference
room and a bathroom. At the present time, 1987, the
church has 175 baptized members.
The St. John Lutheran Church was organized in 1885.
Services were held in the Grauerholz school house.
There were seven charter members listed at the the
time of organization on February 2, 1885. In 1891,
40 acres were purchased for $650. The first church
structure was built in 1892 for $300. A new and
larger structure was built in 1900 for $2600. It
burned in 1918. The present large, brick building
was built during the years 1918-1928 at a cost of
$30,000. In 1961 the Parish Hall was completed at a
cost of $106,000 and was dedicated in May, 1961. The
St. John Lutheran Church began a year-long
celebration of their centennial in October, 1984
with a Mission Festival. The church supported a
missionary to Japan for a year. February 3, 1985 was
Founder's Day. (The church had been organized on
Feb. 2, 1885) The celebration culminated with
worship celebration on Labor Day weekend, 1985. The
Bishop of the Central District presided over Sunday
services. The Congregation was blessed with the
presence of Ernest Dettmer throughout this year of
celebration. Mr. Dettmer was the second baby
baptized at St John Lutheran Church , on February
22, 1885. Mr. Dettmer is currently the oldest
resident of Kensington at age 102.
The Assembly of God church in Kensington had its
beginning in the fall of 1930. Dick Werner invited
two ladies, Sarah Garrett and Hannah Nelson to come
to Kensington and hold religious meetings. These
women were sisters-in-law of Pastor Anspaught, who
at that time was serving the Pleasant Green Church
North of Agra. the meetings were held in the
building which is now occupied by Christian Car Care
Garage. In 1931 Church was held in the building now
owned by Rust's garage. IN 1933 they moved to a
building which stood on the corner where Ferne
Stephens now lives. In 1938 an old rooming house was
purchased. This building was on a lot one block west
of the First National Bank. It was torn down and the
lumber was used to build the church where they
worshipped until 1976. With some financial
assistance from the community and the good will of
the United Methodist congregation they bought the
United Methodist church building. After some
improvement and beautification to both the exterior
and interior of the building. they are now
worshiping in what is now called "Christ's Church",
Assembly of God. The former church building is now
at Pleasant Green, where it is used as a worship
sanctuary.
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