Community

           United Methodist Church

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HISTORY OF COMMUNITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH - 1910 TO 1980

GROWTH

By mid-April, 1954, the pressures of the building program and the pastoral demands of the two growing congregations within Community, added to the Wright View charge, led Mr. Morris Gustin and others to recommend to Bishop Werner that Rev. Imhausen be given sole responsibility for Community, and that another pastor be assigned to the Wright View charge. After some deliberation, Bishop Werner agreed to the separation to begin in 1955, with the understanding that Community Methodist would now be on its own and would require no further help from the Dayton District in paying the salary of its pastor or in the upkeep of its parsonage. Mr. Donald Kear, a member of Community Methodist and a licensed lay pastor, agreed to assume the pastoral duties of the Wright View (then renamed to St. Luke) church until it could support a conference-ordained pastor. Mr. Kear would serve three years at St. Luke.

Before the Religious Education building was completed in November, 1954, some members of the congregation began planning for the purchase of an organ for the sanctuary, Together with friends from Grace Methodist Church. a campaign was started to buy an organ in honor of Dr. and Mrs. Harry E. Palmer, both deceased, but very prominent in the early history of the mission at Springfield and Irving Streets and at Eastwood. The dedication of the lovely organ as a memorial to these two outstanding saints of the church was held on May 27, 1956, with Dr. Robert E. Weaver, District Superintendent, leading the dedication service.

In 1955. Morris Gustin, who had been a prominent member of the Eastwood Church since 1932 and had served as Chairperson of the Building Committee for the new church, became Lay Associate pastor of Community Methodist with responsibilities mainly in the department of visitation and evangelism. In spite of his very painful handicap, Morris was tireless in seeking out and encouraging prospects to become members of Community.

For a number of years Mr. Gustin had been a real estate salesman in the East Dayton area, but on his appointment as lay associate pastor, he now devoted full time as a "salesman for Christ and Community Methodist." For his outstanding achievements in evangelism in 1954, he was the subject of an article in Shepherd's Magazine.

As mentioned earlier, only one month after completion of the Religious Education building, growth in attendance had necessitated holding two sessions each for both worship and Church School each on Sunday mornings.   Even so, overcrowding resulted.  In fact, some classes were meeting in entrances and exit ways, contributing to a serious safety hazard. Some worshipers who normally attended the second worship service were urged by the pastor to consider attending the first one to help relieve the congestion.  This helped but did not solve the problem. 


On June 13, 1955, an appeal was made to the congregation to rally behind a $60,000.00 building fund campaign to finance the expansion of the church facilities at the earliest possible moment. Mr. Donald Kear was elected General Chairman for the appeal, Robert Durham as Visitation Chairman, and Morris Gustin in charge of special gifts. The $40,000 loan backed by Grace Methodist on the first Religious Education building was completely paid off by Christmas, 1956. There was a balance due of slightly more than $19,000 to repay the loan backed by the Church Extension office in Philadelphia.