Westminster Presbyterian Church

Westminster Presbyterian Church celebrated 135 years in the Austin area in 1992. These 135 years saw a progression of churches. The little church (right center) was built shortly after the church was founded. It was located at the southwest corner of (presently) First Street and Third Avenue NW (where the old telephone company building stood which has just been torn down). The building (upper center) situated at 8th St. and 4th Ave NE was used for a number of years. Fire destroyed in 1953 the church (left center) which had served the congregation 46 years. The present church is shown at the bottom of this graphic. The layout was created by Van's Printing Company of Austin.

The first Presbyterian worship service in the Austin area was conducted on July 30, 1856, at a location west of Oakland marked now by a stone and bronze monument. Regular Presbyterian worship began in the spring of 1857 when the Reverend Samuel Lowry settled in the Oakland/Moscow area, having come from Indiana. A Presbyterian Church was formally organized in the fall of 1857 at the home of Samuel Lowry. That church was the original "ancestor church" of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Austin. The Reverend Samuel Lowry died in 1880 and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Austin.

Some early Presbyterian ministers in Austin were the Reverend H. A. Mayhew who served from September 1867 to March 1871, the Reverend D. P. Grofscup from November 1 1887 to November 4 1891 and then the Reverend William Henry Hormel from March 1894 to November 1899. Mr. Hormel was called not only because his brothers were living in Austin at that time, but also because he could preach in German and therefore communicate with the large German speaking element who lived on Austin's east side. The church during Mr. Hormel's ministry was located in the building erected about 1890, and still standing at the northwest corner of 4th Avenue and 8th Street NE.

The Reverend Sheldon Jackson organized the Presbyterian Church in the city of Austin on August 20, 1867. Jackson had established headquarters at LaCrescent as a more-or-less self appointed missionary to the developing frontier, and he founded Presbyterian churches all across southern Minnesota before moving west to a new base of operation. The first building of the Presbyterian Church in Austin was on the southeast corner of the present 1st Street and 3rd Avenue NW (it was pictured, with two other churches, in the Austin Daily Herald of Monday, August 19). Two subsequent buildings were erected on the east side. Then Central Presbyterian Church was built in 1906 on the site of the present Austin Drug Store. Our present building is the fifth Presbyterian Church building in Austin.

Some early 20th century ministers who served the Presbyterian Church in Austin were the Reverend W. E. Sloane, from March 1906 to July 1910, the Reverend Carl Franz from February 1916 to October 1918, the Reverend A. G. Patterson from February 1919 to October 1923, and Mr. A. F. Broman who was the acting minister from June 19-25 to September 1927. The Reverend Dr. Reginald Coleman began his ministry in Austin on May 1 1927 and continued it until the day of his death - April 14, 1948 - at the conclusion of a meeting in Central Church of the Women's Presbyterial Society of the Winona Presbytery.

Central Presbyterian Church of Austin, which had been built in 1906, was totally destroyed by fire early in the morning of October 19, 1953. The exact cause of the fire was never determined. At the time of the fire, the congregation was in the process of planning an addition to the church building to accommodate its growing Christian education program. After the fire it was decided to secure property elsewhere in the community where a larger area would be available for development. As plans were being developed for the new church building, the Oakland Presbyterian Church decided to merge with the Austin congregation to form Westminster Church which came into being on January 1, 1955. Bricks from the Central Church were cleaned and sold by members of the Women's Association both as souvenirs and in order to-help raise money for the new building.

Christian Education has always been an important element in the life and program of the Presbyterian Church in Austin. Our present building was arranged initially to house a three-hour Sunday morning experience, which would include both worship and education for persons of all ages.

When the present building of Westminster Church was erected in 1954 and 1955 following the fire at Central Church in October 1953, the congregation assumed a significant mortgage. There were insurance proceeds from Central Church and from the sale of its lot, but the cost of this property and this building far exceeded the insurance from the other church. Special pledges were taken for the building fund, in addition to pledges and support of the annual church budget. A further mortgage was required when the church bought the back half of this property in the fall of 1968.

The mortgages were all paid off and burned at a special ceremony which took place on the back lawn on June 4, 1971, with Mrs. Will Taylor of the congregation being the main speaker (as the oldest member). Payment of the mortgages was made possible by a significant gift from Mrs. John Hormel of Los Angeles. Some mortgage payment funds had been allocated by that time in the church budget. Mrs. Hormel's payment of the entire mortgage made possible the redirecting of those budget funds toward the salary of a Christian Education Director, which was Mrs. Hormel's ultimate purpose in providing the funds to pay off the mortgage.

The Endowment and Trust Fund of Westminster Church originally known as the Memorial Trust Fund, was established at the outset by a legacy from our member Mabel Olson, who with her brother Harry had been a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church in Austin. Mabel Olson died in December 1980. The residue of her estate was willed to Westminster Church for the establishment of a trust fund that would provide perpetual income for the support of the ministry and program of this church. The Olson legacy itself amounted to approximately $65,000. Subsequent legacies and other funds have been added to the endowment, including recently the proceeds from the sale of the church manse in 1989.

Westminster Presbyterian Church has been the sponsoring organization for Boy Scout Troop 109 since the time of the move into the present building (over 30 years ago). Some the early Scoutmasters were John Borgeson, Wilbur Blum, Richard Rud, Ted Sandell, Richard Hayes, and William Holder. Early Committee Chairmen and Institutional Representatives were Fred Fraft, Richard Robinson, Clayton Jones, Leonard Anderson, Lloyd Anderson, George Manning, Robert McLaren Sr., Richard Hayes, Ken Hakes, Ted Sandell, and then later Bob Dymacek, Dan Franklin and Duane Olson. Boy Scout Troop 109 meets every Monday night at 7:00 in the Scout room. Boards of Review and Courts of Honor are held four times a year.

The church has been the sponsor of Cub Pack 108 since 1976 (over 15 years ago) when the Austin school system gave up the sponsoring of Cub Packs in the schools. Den meetings are held in the church Scout room four nights a week from 4-7:00, with the Pack meeting on the 4th Thursday of each month in the Fellowship Hall. Approximately 20 boys are presently involved in our Scout Troop, and over 40 in our Cub groups. It is of special note that Troop 109 has produced 12 Eagle Scouts in recent years. This is an exceptionally high number for a troop of this size. Duane Olson is the present charter Organization Representative for our scout Troop and Cub Pack.

Presbyterian women have played an ever changing always vitally important part in the life of the Presbyterian Church in Austin. At Central Church, the women had two organizations, the Ladies Aid and the Missionary Society. The young women at Central Church organized into what has become the present Westminster Chapter. The work of the women in those days produced significant financial support not only for missionary enterprises but for the local church as well. As one woman of that generation has said, "Without us, the trustees sometimes could not have paid the coal bill or the minister's salary!"

At Westminster Church, women were first organized under a Women's Association, with circles as subsidiary groups. For a time, membership in circles was shuffled every two or three years, but for many years now the various circles have maintained continuing identities. Under the sponsorship of the Women's Association, there have been not only monthly meetings of all of the women of the church as well as monthly circle meetings, but also annual bazaars, rummage sales, a salad luncheon for support of medical missions, and work day which has produced items of use to various local social service agencies. The Women's Association has served large group meetings when called upon and has provided refreshment for fellowship times following funerals. Recently, the women's program changed its name to Presbyterian Women in the Congregation, in keeping with recommendations from the denomination. Presbyterian women from Austin have always maintained relationships with women of other Presbyterian churches in the area, formerly through the women's Presbyterial and Synodical societies.

The present property of Westminster Church had all been the property of Mrs. Marian Jenks, whose father 0. W. Shaw founded the First National Bank of Austin soon after the city came into being. The Shaw/Jenks home was for many years the largest and grandest in Austin. It was built during the 1890's, on what is now the back (Fourth Street) part of our church property. The home faced Skinner's hill and pond, and had a large veranda on its front and south sides. Behind the house was a carriage house/barn with living quarters for the family's chauffeur.

In 1954, following the Central Church fire, Dr. W. S. Grise was directed to enter into conversation with Mrs. Jenks about the possible purchase of the back half of her property as a site for the new Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Jenks was not a member of the Presbyterian Church in Austin but she responded favorably to Dr. Grise's request, and sold that portion of her property to the Presbyterians for $20,500, reserving a life interest in the portion of it nearest to her home. She was 82 years old at the time, but lived for 12 more years, until 1968.

At her death, the house and remaining portion of the lot became the property of her grandnephew, who lived in California. Westminster Church, needing an in-drive from Fourth Street as well as space for a rear parking lot, purchased the rest of the Shaw/Jenks property, including the house, for $50,000. To preserve the house was impractical, and it was taken down in the summer of 1969, but only after nearly all of its "parts" had been sold for use in other buildings. A sketch of the Shaw/Jenks home is to be found on the "History Wall" in our church parlor.

What now remains has unofficially been named "Presbyterian Park." Its trees and green space are a very special gift from Westminster Church to Austin. An article in the current issue of "The Minnesota Volunteer" (publication of the state Department of Natural Resources) adds up the value of every urban tree in Minnesota at $273 per year for its contributions of air conditioning and storm water control, wildlife shelter, and air pollution control. Over the 50 year life of the average urban tree, that adds up to $57,151 per tree. With over 20 trees in Presbyterian Park our church is thus providing a million-dollar gift to our community.

In the spring of 1968, Westminster Church inaugurated what has come to be known as our internship program. Recognizing the need for expanded ministerial staff, but unable to consider a full-time associate minister, we recruited a student (Barry Kiel) who had completed two years of seminary, to become a member of our church staff for one year. The intern was involved in all aspects of ministry, and was particularly responsible for our youth program. Internships were being sought by some seminary students (Robert Morgan had been an intern in two small rural Missouri churches), and the seminaries were ready to help interns and churches come together. It was expected that we would have interns for two or three years, and then seek an associate minister, but the experience of interns proved so delightful, and the joy of sharing in their training was so satisfying, that we continued to have interns on the church staff until 1984.

All but three of the interns were students at McCormick Seminary, and in the course of the years, four McCormick directors of fieldwork made "on-site" visits to Austin. One intern was from the south, from Union Seminary in Richmond. Two came from United Seminary in New Brighten. In the course of our years with interns, we had three women and one clergy couple. Most of our interns have kept in touch with us ever since serving here, and we have been very gratified to see them each develop their respective ministries.

Deacons in a Presbyterian Church are working officers in contrast to elders, who carry a great deal of responsibility and concern for the church but whose work consists largely of working their way through policy decisions. Elders are, in other words, actually governing officers.

Since the work of deacons in Westminster Church has to be done in relationship with other church people and with church programs, the deacons long ago decided that one or at the most two board meetings would be necessary during a year. The deacons meet soon after the Annual Meeting to organize themselves into various working groups, and then meet later during the year to inform one another of how the "work" is going.

In our church, the basic work of deacons has been to provide a ministry from the members to those who are hospitalized and shut in. This has been in addition to the ministry of the ministers, and serves a different sort of purpose. In years gone by, when hospitalization was more frequent and for longer duration, our deacons often made nearly 1000 hospital calls in the course of a year.

Other work done by the deacons of our church includes arranging for greeters at each church door each Sunday, assembling the Westminster Witness for mailing every quarter, preparing bread and wine for all Communion services, washing the trays and glasses and maintaining the Communion silver and linen. Deacons have from time to time been involved in calling on prospective members, and in providing transportation to church on Sundays. The work of the deacons, always quietly done, has through many years significantly enriched all of us who are part of Westminster Church.

Music has always been very important to Presbyterians in Austin. One member's remark is still recalled: "The words are not as important as the music!" At Central Church, the choir loft was across the front of the church above and behind the pulpit. Central Church had a pipe organ, which one minister, Dr. Reginald Coleman, helped to maintain. Westminster Church has had electronic organs, the present Allen organ having been purchased and installed in 1979. Some past organists were Mrs. Vinton Hitchins, Mrs. John Thorsell, Harold Westby, Jr., and Jack Morris. Alice Northwick become the organist in 1968, and Darlene Berhow was principal organist from 1975 to 1990. Anita Kentopp is our present principal organist, with Darlene as associate organist. Jane Gibson has played, and Carolyn Meier plays.

Until 1968, the church department consisted chiefly of an organist and a choir director. In the 1950's, Gene Dunlap served as choir director, and Will Frank of the Central High School music faculty was choir director until 1962. In that year, Marion (Chum) Sandeen become choir director. In 1968, all church music was consolidated under one director and Chum was asked to take that responsibility of Director of Music, which she carried till 1994. Margie Obst was Director of Music till 2005. The music of the church includes not only the Chancel Choir's activities, but several youth choirs and a bell choir. See our program pages for more information.

Presbyterians in the Austin area have celebrated many anniversaries. A 40th anniversary celebration of Central Church took place over a four day period in 1934. The Reverend Henry Hormel came to be the chief speaker. He recalled how the Presbyterians had bought the original Baptist Church and used it for several years as a downtown church building before erecting the tin brick building we know as Central Church. Mr. Hormel had become the Presbyterian minister in Austin in October 1894.

In 1957, the centennial of Presbyterian life and work in the Austin area was celebrated, dating back to the organization of the Moscow/Oakland Church by the Reverend Samuel Lowry in 1857. The speaker at that centennial banquet was the Reverend Luther Powell of Storm Lake, Iowa.

In 1957, the centennial of Presbyterian life in the city of Austin was celebrated, observing the founding of a Presbyterian Church in Austin by the Reverend Sheldon Jackson on August 20. 1867. Dr. Irving West of St. Paul was the speaker at a centennial banquet, and Dr. Arnold Lowe of Westminster Church in Minneapolis was the preacher at worship services on Centennial Sunday.

In 1972, the 125th anniversary of Presbyterian life and work in the Austin area was observed, chiefly by the organization of a special "Anniversary Fund" drive which obtained monies for a new roof and organ for the present church building, as well as securing the church's contribution to the General Assembly's Fifty Million Fund.

In April, 1980, the 25th anniversary of the building of Westminster Church was noted with Mrs. Doris Lightly speaking during worship (she was a member of the Building Committee), and with the congregation enjoying afterward a birthday cake made in the shape of the church building.

May we enjoy many succeeding anniversaries of these important dates!

HISTORY OF WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN AUSTIN MINNESOTA

	Westminster Presbyterian Church celebrated 135 years in the Austin area in 1992. These 135 years saw a progression of churches. The little church (right center) was built shortly after the church was founded. It was located at the southwest corner of (presently) First Street and Third Avenue NW (where the old telephone company building stood which has just been torn down). The building (upper center) situated at 8th St. and 4th Ave NE was used for a number of years. Fire destroyed in 1953 the church (left center) which had served the congregation 46 years. The present church is shown at the bottom of this graphic. The layout was created by Van's Printing Company of Austin. The first Presbyterian worship service in the Austin area was conducted on July 30, 1856, at a location west of Oakland marked now by a stone and bronze monument. Regular Presbyterian worship began in the spring of 1857 when the Reverend Samuel Lowry settled in the Oakland/Moscow area, having come from Indiana. A Presbyterian Church was formally organized in the fall of 1857 at the home of Samuel Lowry. That church was the original "ancestor church" of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Austin. The Reverend Samuel Lowry died in 1880 and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Austin. Some early Presbyterian ministers in Austin were the Reverend H. A. Mayhew who served from September 1867 to March 1871, the Reverend D. P. Grofscup from November 1 1887 to November 4 1891 and then the Reverend William Henry Hormel from March 1894 to November 1899. Mr. Hormel was called not only because his brothers were living in Austin at that time, but also because he could preach in German and therefore communicate with the large German speaking element who lived on Austin's east side. The church during Mr. Hormel's ministry was located in the building erected about 1890, and still standing at the northwest corner of 4th Avenue and 8th Street NE. The Reverend Sheldon Jackson organized the Presbyterian Church in the city of Austin on August 20, 1867. Jackson had established headquarters at LaCrescent as a more-or-less self appointed missionary to the developing frontier, and he founded Presbyterian churches all across southern Minnesota before moving west to a new base of operation. The first building of the Presbyterian Church in Austin was on the southeast corner of the present 1st Street and 3rd Avenue NW (it was pictured, with two other churches, in the Austin Daily Herald of Monday, August 19). Two subsequent buildings were erected on the east side. Then Central Presbyterian Church was built in 1906 on the site of the present Austin Drug Store. Our present building is the fifth Presbyterian Church building in Austin. Some early 20th century ministers who served the Presbyterian Church in Austin were the Reverend W. E. Sloane, from March 1906 to July 1910, the Reverend Carl Franz from February 1916 to October 1918, the Reverend A. G. Patterson from February 1919 to October 1923, and Mr. A. F. Broman who was the acting minister from June 19-25 to September 1927. The Reverend Dr. Reginald Coleman began his ministry in Austin on May 1 1927 and continued it until the day of his death - April 14, 1948 - at the conclusion of a meeting in Central Church of the Women's Presbyterial Society of the Winona Presbytery. Central Presbyterian Church of Austin, which had been built in 1906, was totally destroyed by fire early in the morning of October 19, 1953. The exact cause of the fire was never determined. At the time of the fire, the congregation was in the process of planning an addition to the church building to accommodate its growing Christian education program. After the fire it was decided to secure property elsewhere in the community where a larger area would be available for development. As plans were being developed for the new church building, the Oakland Presbyterian Church decided to merge with the Austin congregation to form Westminster Church which came into being on January 1, 1955. Bricks from the Central Church were cleaned and sold by members of the Women's Association both as souvenirs and in order to-help raise money for the new building. Christian Education has always been an important element in the life and program of the Presbyterian Church in Austin. Our present building was arranged initially to house a three-hour Sunday morning experience, which would include both worship and education for persons of all ages. When the present building of Westminster Church was erected in 1954 and 1955 following the fire at Central Church in October 1953, the congregation assumed a significant mortgage. There were insurance proceeds from Central Church and from the sale of its lot, but the cost of this property and this building far exceeded the insurance from the other church. Special pledges were taken for the building fund, in addition to pledges and support of the annual church budget. A further mortgage was required when the church bought the back half of this property in the fall of 1968. The mortgages were all paid off and burned at a special ceremony which took place on the back lawn on June 4, 1971, with Mrs. Will Taylor of the congregation being the main speaker (as the oldest member). Payment of the mortgages was made possible by a significant gift from Mrs. John Hormel of Los Angeles. Some mortgage payment funds had been allocated by that time in the church budget. Mrs. Hormel's payment of the entire mortgage made possible the redirecting of those budget funds toward the salary of a Christian Education Director, which was Mrs. Hormel's ultimate purpose in providing the funds to pay off the mortgage. The Endowment and Trust Fund of Westminster Church originally known as the Memorial Trust Fund, was established at the outset by a legacy from our member Mabel Olson, who with her brother Harry had been a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church in Austin. Mabel Olson died in December 1980. The residue of her estate was willed to Westminster Church for the establishment of a trust fund that would provide perpetual income for the support of the ministry and program of this church. The Olson legacy itself amounted to approximately $65,000. Subsequent legacies and other funds have been added to the endowment, including recently the proceeds from the sale of the church manse in 1989. Westminster Presbyterian Church has been the sponsoring organization for Boy Scout Troop 109 since the time of the move into the present building (over 30 years ago). Some the early Scoutmasters were John Borgeson, Wilbur Blum, Richard Rud, Ted Sandell, Richard Hayes, and William Holder. Early Committee Chairmen and Institutional Representatives were Fred Fraft, Richard Robinson, Clayton Jones, Leonard Anderson, Lloyd Anderson, George Manning, Robert McLaren Sr., Richard Hayes, Ken Hakes, Ted Sandell, and then later Bob Dymacek, Dan Franklin and Duane Olson. Boy Scout Troop 109 meets every Monday night at 7:00 in the Scout room. Boards of Review and Courts of Honor are held four times a year. The church has been the sponsor of Cub Pack 108 since 1976 (over 15 years ago) when the Austin school system gave up the sponsoring of Cub Packs in the schools. Den meetings are held in the church Scout room four nights a week from 4-7:00, with the Pack meeting on the 4th Thursday of each month in the Fellowship Hall. Approximately 20 boys are presently involved in our Scout Troop, and over 40 in our Cub groups. It is of special note that Troop 109 has produced 12 Eagle Scouts in recent years. This is an exceptionally high number for a troop of this size. Duane Olson is the present charter Organization Representative for our scout Troop and Cub Pack. Presbyterian women have played an ever changing always vitally important part in the life of the Presbyterian Church in Austin. At Central Church, the women had two organizations, the Ladies Aid and the Missionary Society. The young women at Central Church organized into what has become the present Westminster Chapter. The work of the women in those days produced significant financial support not only for missionary enterprises but for the local church as well. As one woman of that generation has said, "Without us, the trustees sometimes could not have paid the coal bill or the minister's salary!" At Westminster Church, women were first organized under a Women's Association, with circles as subsidiary groups. For a time, membership in circles was shuffled every two or three years, but for many years now the various circles have maintained continuing identities. Under the sponsorship of the Women's Association, there have been not only monthly meetings of all of the women of the church as well as monthly circle meetings, but also annual bazaars, rummage sales, a salad luncheon for support of medical missions, and work day which has produced items of use to various local social service agencies. The Women's Association has served large group meetings when called upon and has provided refreshment for fellowship times following funerals. Recently, the women's program changed its name to Presbyterian Women in the Congregation, in keeping with recommendations from the denomination. Presbyterian women from Austin have always maintained relationships with women of other Presbyterian churches in the area, formerly through the women's Presbyterial and Synodical societies. The present property of Westminster Church had all been the property of Mrs. Marian Jenks, whose father 0. W. Shaw founded the First National Bank of Austin soon after the city came into being. The Shaw/Jenks home was for many years the largest and grandest in Austin. It was built during the 1890's, on what is now the back (Fourth Street) part of our church property. The home faced Skinner's hill and pond, and had a large veranda on its front and south sides. Behind the house was a carriage house/barn with living quarters for the family's chauffeur. In 1954, following the Central Church fire, Dr. W. S. Grise was directed to enter into conversation with Mrs. Jenks about the possible purchase of the back half of her property as a site for the new Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Jenks was not a member of the Presbyterian Church in Austin but she responded favorably to Dr. Grise's request, and sold that portion of her property to the Presbyterians for $20,500, reserving a life interest in the portion of it nearest to her home. She was 82 years old at the time, but lived for 12 more years, until 1968. At her death, the house and remaining portion of the lot became the property of her grandnephew, who lived in California. Westminster Church, needing an in-drive from Fourth Street as well as space for a rear parking lot, purchased the rest of the Shaw/Jenks property, including the house, for $50,000. To preserve the house was impractical, and it was taken down in the summer of 1969, but only after nearly all of its "parts" had been sold for use in other buildings. A sketch of the Shaw/Jenks home is to be found on the "History Wall" in our church parlor. What now remains has unofficially been named "Presbyterian Park." Its trees and green space are a very special gift from Westminster Church to Austin. An article in the current issue of "The Minnesota Volunteer" (publication of the state Department of Natural Resources) adds up the value of every urban tree in Minnesota at $273 per year for its contributions of air conditioning and storm water control, wildlife shelter, and air pollution control. Over the 50 year life of the average urban tree, that adds up to $57,151 per tree. With over 20 trees in Presbyterian Park our church is thus providing a million-dollar gift to our community. In the spring of 1968, Westminster Church inaugurated what has come to be known as our internship program. Recognizing the need for expanded ministerial staff, but unable to consider a full-time associate minister, we recruited a student (Barry Kiel) who had completed two years of seminary, to become a member of our church staff for one year. The intern was involved in all aspects of ministry, and was particularly responsible for our youth program. Internships were being sought by some seminary students (Robert Morgan had been an intern in two small rural Missouri churches), and the seminaries were ready to help interns and churches come together. It was expected that we would have interns for two or three years, and then seek an associate minister, but the experience of interns proved so delightful, and the joy of sharing in their training was so satisfying, that we continued to have interns on the church staff until 1984. All but three of the interns were students at McCormick Seminary, and in the course of the years, four McCormick directors of fieldwork made "on-site" visits to Austin. One intern was from the south, from Union Seminary in Richmond. Two came from United Seminary in New Brighten. In the course of our years with interns, we had three women and one clergy couple. Most of our interns have kept in touch with us ever since serving here, and we have been very gratified to see them each develop their respective ministries. Deacons in a Presbyterian Church are working officers in contrast to elders, who carry a great deal of responsibility and concern for the church but whose work consists largely of working their way through policy decisions. Elders are, in other words, actually governing officers. Since the work of deacons in Westminster Church has to be done in relationship with other church people and with church programs, the deacons long ago decided that one or at the most two board meetings would be necessary during a year. The deacons meet soon after the Annual Meeting to organize themselves into various working groups, and then meet later during the year to inform one another of how the "work" is going. In our church, the basic work of deacons has been to provide a ministry from the members to those who are hospitalized and shut in. This has been in addition to the ministry of the ministers, and serves a different sort of purpose. In years gone by, when hospitalization was more frequent and for longer duration, our deacons often made nearly 1000 hospital calls in the course of a year. Other work done by the deacons of our church includes arranging for greeters at each church door each Sunday, assembling the Westminster Witness for mailing every quarter, preparing bread and wine for all Communion services, washing the trays and glasses and maintaining the Communion silver and linen. Deacons have from time to time been involved in calling on prospective members, and in providing transportation to church on Sundays. The work of the deacons, always quietly done, has through many years significantly enriched all of us who are part of Westminster Church. Music has always been very important to Presbyterians in Austin. One member's remark is still recalled: "The words are not as important as the music!" At Central Church, the choir loft was across the front of the church above and behind the pulpit. Central Church had a pipe organ, which one minister, Dr. Reginald Coleman, helped to maintain. Westminster Church has had electronic organs, the present Allen organ having been purchased and installed in 1979. Some past organists were Mrs. Vinton Hitchins, Mrs. John Thorsell, Harold Westby, Jr., and Jack Morris. Alice Northwick become the organist in 1968, and Darlene Berhow was principal organist from 1975 to 1990. Anita Kentopp is our present principal organist, with Darlene as associate organist. Jane Gibson has played, and Carolyn Meier plays. Until 1968, the church department consisted chiefly of an organist and a choir director. In the 1950's, Gene Dunlap served as choir director, and Will Frank of the Central High School music faculty was choir director until 1962. In that year, Marion (Chum) Sandeen become choir director. In 1968, all church music was consolidated under one director and Chum was asked to take that responsibility of Director of Music, which she carried till 1994. Margie Obst was Director of Music till 2005. The music of the church includes not only the Chancel Choir's activities, but several youth choirs and a bell choir. See our program pages for more information. Presbyterians in the Austin area have celebrated many anniversaries. A 40th anniversary celebration of Central Church took place over a four day period in 1934. The Reverend Henry Hormel came to be the chief speaker. He recalled how the Presbyterians had bought the original Baptist Church and used it for several years as a downtown church building before erecting the tin brick building we know as Central Church. Mr. Hormel had become the Presbyterian minister in Austin in October 1894. In 1957, the centennial of Presbyterian life and work in the Austin area was celebrated, dating back to the organization of the Moscow/Oakland Church by the Reverend Samuel Lowry in 1857. The speaker at that centennial banquet was the Reverend Luther Powell of Storm Lake, Iowa. In 1957, the centennial of Presbyterian life in the city of Austin was celebrated, observing the founding of a Presbyterian Church in Austin by the Reverend Sheldon Jackson on August 20. 1867. Dr. Irving West of St. Paul was the speaker at a centennial banquet, and Dr. Arnold Lowe of Westminster Church in Minneapolis was the preacher at worship services on Centennial Sunday. In 1972, the 125th anniversary of Presbyterian life and work in the Austin area was observed, chiefly by the organization of a special "Anniversary Fund" drive which obtained monies for a new roof and organ for the present church building, as well as securing the church's contribution to the General Assembly's Fifty Million Fund. In April, 1980, the 25th anniversary of the building of Westminster Church was noted with Mrs. Doris Lightly speaking during worship (she was a member of the Building Committee), and with the congregation enjoying afterward a birthday cake made in the shape of the church building. May we enjoy many succeeding anniversaries of these important dates!