Christian Church - Fortuna (1903-1933)

Christian Church (1903-1933)

Fortuna

Fortuna Baptist Church 1902-2002

In approximately 1901 the town people were organizing and held a revival and fund raisers to start a local church. These events were held in a local business after working hours.

A quote from "The Methodist Church History". . . "In the summer of 1901 a meeting was held in the William Ferguson Lumber Yard. Rev. E. D. C. Koeth, the minister from the Tipton Methodist Church, conducted the services. There were a number of conversations and plans were made to build a church at Fortuna.

Realizing that he could not hope to have a Catholic Church built here, P. J. Schmidt gave the ground upon with the church was built, $50 in cash and the material at cost to the first denomination building a church at Fortuna.

The church building was started October 1, 1901 and was furnished in the summer of 1902. William Conn of Tipton was the carpenter and many donated money and labor to the building of the church. The Tipton church board had charge of the building, as the Fortuna Church was not organized until later. The official Board at that time was: Mr. Joe Evans, Mr. Jerry Stringer, Mr. W. H. Yontz and Mr. William Ferguson.

Rev. Koeth left in March before the building was completed and the first pastor of the church was Rev. Frank P. Reno.

The church was dedicated the second Sunday in July, 1904. In the Methodist Church as building cannot be dedicated until it is paid for. The Rev. Arthur Hunt, Sr. gave the dedicational message.

When the church was first built the Baptist, Christians and Methodists all had services in the one building. The Baptists organized before the building was completed and held services there until 1908 when they built a church of their own. The Christians organized in 1903 and had services there until they disbanded in the summer of 1933. A Union Sunday School was for held all three groups for a number of years. . . "

If anyone has information on this church, please contact Alan Sparks.

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