History of College Park Church

History of College Park Church Avery and Mamie Crocker came from Missouri in a covered wagon in 1904 spreading the Gospel. Mamie was a zealous missionary and generally accepted locally as a “crack-pot!” She introduced the Gospel Evangel, forerunner of the Gospel Trumpet of the Church of God, Anderson, Indiana, to the area and nurtured young Christians in the faith. Violet Stauff was one of the young people she mentored. When Violet planned to marry a young Christian man, Frank Demarest, Mrs. Crocker contacted a Church of God minister, Rev. George T. Neal of Portland, Oregon to perform the wedding ceremony on August 11, 1912. He stayed in the Bay Area for several days, holding meetings in the community school house, but was not well received so he returned to Portland, “thoroughly convinced that here, indeed, must be a very needy field.” In the fall of 1918, Adolphus and Nellie Brandt, both ordained Church of God ministers came to Cooston to look up the Demarest family. Until then, the Brandts had been holding Sunday School and services in the home of Lee and Mary Golder at 2207 Madrona Street, in what was then called Bangor, now a part of North Bend. Soon the Brandts rented a ground-floor room in a building on Virginia Street near the corner of Marion and Virginia. Attendance ranged from 16-25 at that time. The Brandts had a grocery store on the corner of Marion and Virginia Streets which they operated until leaving in the early 1920’s due to illness. Mrs. Gilbert Stamos, daughter of Lee Golder, recalled that a “red-haired” man, Rev. John Van Lydergraf, had held meetings in her father’s home early in 1914. She remembered his preaching and the soundness of his messages. Brandt’s store was eventually sold to Hans and Anna Nelson, who brought baby Violet (McIntosh) home to the living quarters from the hospital in 1926. Mrs. Jarvis West had been encouraged by an elderly brother in Christ to open a work in North Bend. She corresponded with Mrs. Minnie Yates of Marshfield. Mrs. Yates’ brother, and Dr and Mrs. De JanVier also encouraged Sister West to come to North Bend in the fall of 1922. Together, they spent a week visiting around and then opened a Sunday School in the living quarters of the Brandt’s store, with a total of 56 present. About the same time, God began working with a group of people from Idaho. Mrs. Lena Sommers and the Maine family, having returned from visiting Mr. Maine’s brother in Marshfield, had a heavy burden for a work to be established in the Bay Area. The Sommers and the Ira Masters families began praying much about it and in the summer of 1922, the Maines, Masters and Sommers families and Sister Sommers father, C.L. Miller all sold their homes and started for Coos Bay. They came to Marshfield not knowing that Sister West was already holding meetings in North Bend. Because housing was limited in Marshfield, the Sommers and the Masters shared a rental, with the Sommers in the front rooms, the Masters in the back rooms, and later a family from Eugene occupied the upstairs. They began holding cottage prayer meetings in their home. Dr. De JanVier invited them to hold services in his office. Early in 1923, Mrs. Nellie Brandt invited Reverend Ira Masters to assist Sister West with the struggling North Bend congregation. At this time, the fledgling Marshfield group joined the church in North Bend. Reverend Masters and Sister West took turns preaching and the others diligently carried on responsibilities. The work prospered and grew as services were held in the living quarters behind the grocery store which the Brandts owned. Meetings changed locations as there was growth until early in 1923 when the group had opportunity to rent the Bangor Hall, above the grocery store. The church continued to meet there until the new chapel was erected in 1927-1928 on the corner of Marion and 13th streets in North Bend, where it still stands. Others who helped promote the growth of the young church then: Ed and Minnie (Nelson) Elphick and her brother Chris Nelson from Amenia, North Dakota Pete Nelson, another brother from North Dakota Hans Nelson, another brother Their parents and sisters from North Dakota arriving in two Fords in November 1923 Madeline (Hutcheson) Zinn came west in 1923 Bessie Howard arrived in 1924 and married Chris Nelson in 1925 Anna Holt arrived in 1925 and married Hans Nelson by B.J. Franklin at Muscle Beach (Hans and Anna were the parents of Violet Morin McIntosh) The church quickly grew to over 100 people as Sister West, the Sommers, the Masters, Hans Nelsons, and Minnie Elphick, and others really “put their shoulders to the wheel.” God blessed with many strong workers and their sacrifices of time and effort. The chapel site at 13th and Marion Streets was purchased some time in 1925, as the congregation had outgrown its quarters in Bangor Hall. Hans Nelson allowed the new property to be contracted in his name, until a Board of Directors was organized on October 7, 1925. The first Board consisted of Hans Nelson, D.D. Hooker, Elmer C. Sommers, Alfred H. Sommers and C.N. (Chris) Nelson. Free-will offerings soon changed to the first envelope system to finance the church work. In October 1927 the Board submitted to the congregation, for approval, the plans for the chapel. Erick Smith built the chapel; M. Jackson did the plastering. The jobs of painting, oiling the floor and kalsomining (white-washing) was given to Nels Groven. The first Board meeting in the basement of the new chapel was on March 5, 1928. Chapel meetings were begun sometime between March and May in 1928. A Sunday School annex to the west of the chapel was begun in 1946 and completed in 1948. The kitchen was also remodeled. In 1936, 2224 Marion Street residence was purchased from Louis Gardners to be used as a parsonage and was such until it was sold in the 70’s. In 1957 the North Bend Church of God began sponsoring a new work at Reedsport, Oregon. The nucleus of the infant church were the Kenneth Van Tassel family, the Norman Mayfields, and the Hickey family. The congregation continued to meet and grow at 13th and Marion Streets until more growth made it necessary to build again. The current facility, name College Park Church of God, at 2548 Newmark in North Bend was completed in 1964, while Glenn Henrichs was the pastor. At that time the “College Park” area, which was next door to the community college, was mostly undeveloped. It has been remodeled as needed since to enlarge the offices, classrooms, landscaping and general updating of the building. The “old” building has served as a church building for other groups since, and as of 2008 has served as a private residence. In 1967, J.C. and Phyllis Sparks brought their young family to North Bend, where they pastored until 1970. His family continues to minister at the College Park Church. In the mid 1970’s, College Park Day Care Center opened in the church facilities, but was not an official part of the church ministry, though the church did oversee basic operations after Pastor Hood arrived in 1977. The Center served the Bay Area families for over 20 years before closing its doors. During the time Reverend Gary and Diane Hood were at the Church’s in the 1980’s and 1990’s, the church began doing business as College Park Community Church. It was felt that the use of the word “community” was more welcoming to the general public. For nearly 17 years the Hoods led the congregation, which saw the morning service live on our Christian radio station, the development of Lay Pastors, small group ministry, strong youth and women’s ministry, and the advent of worship teams in the services. In 1994, Reverend Scott and Melody McCullough came to College Park, and during their leadership the ministry to children and to men increased. There was much community involvement with other churches in outreach to the lost. Social events assisted bringing new people to salvation using tools such as “Saturday in the Park” and the “Lighthouse Movement.” In 2001, soon after accepting the call as pastor, Reverend Paul Kendall began having serious health issues. God worked miracles in his life and he and his wife, Ruthie, were strong in building relationships in the congregation. Much love, prayer and laughter were part of their legacy. Pastor Kendall resigned in 2004, due to ill health; the church regretfully accepted his resignation. Reverend Ed Richards began preaching during an interim year while the church searched for a pastor to succeed Pastor Kendall. In the summer of 2005, the church called Reverend Richard and Tina LaMar to pastor at College Park, and they are currently leading us into whatever future God has for us. Pastor Rich and the congregation felt it was important to remember the 90 official years of the ministry of the North Bend Church of God, now College Park Community Church. Thus, it was on Sunday, March 15, 2009, that the church celebrated it’s 90th anniversary through a series of events, and dedicated Heritage Hall, as a tribute to all those who have shared in the great ministry of this church over the decades. There have been times of great blessing and times of God really stretching the faith of the faithful at College Park. But God is not done with us yet. He is just beginning the work that He will bring to completion within us. We praise Him for this wonderful heritage. And we pray that all those who come after us will find that we have been faithful in reaching the lost, ministering to those in need, and spreading the Good News of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ wherever we can. To God be all the glory!

Timeline of History and Pastoral Leadership: 1904 Mamie Crocker introduces the Church of God magazine, Gospel Evangel 1912 Violet Stauff and Frank Demarest are married by Rev. George T. Neal of Portland 1918 Adolphus and Nellie Brandt start the Church of God in a home in North Bend 1922 Sister Jarvis West comes to the church and begins a Sunday School program 1922 Sister Lena Sommers and Ira Masters begin a church work in Marshfield 1923 After an invitation, the Marshfield group joins the church in North Bend 1925 Bro. B.J. Franklin 1927 Church Building on 13th and Marions streets is finished 1927 L.E. Neal (brother to George T. Neal of 1912) 1928 Pastor’s salary was raised from $15.00 per week to $20.00 1929 Rev. R. R. Green 1933 Rev. Ira J. Masters (interim until 1935) 1935 Rev. Sawyer 1936 Rev. Coburn of Monroe, Michigan 1937 Sis. Lena Sommers (interim several times from 1936….) 1938 Rev. Mamie Bisconer (interim) 1939 Paul and Catherine Beresford 1940 Church registered as Church of God in 1941 1944 Rev. Mamie Bisconer (interim) 1944 Rev. Oral W. Clemens (Church purchased first organ in 1945; weekly radio broadcast From 1946 until January 1949) 1949 Rev. Harold J. McIntire came in July 1951 Edgar and Inez Busch (Sound proofing nursery; enlarge auditorium by reducing the size of the platform) 1954 Rev. Mamie Bisconer (interim) 1954 Rev. Bransford Lee (came in July: new pews, pulpit furniture; hymnals) 1955 Rev. Noble LaVelle 1957 Church in Reedsport was planted primarily from those in North Bend 1960 Glenn and Ruth Henrichs (pastored during building and move to Newmark site; began prayer groups and Sunday evening services) 1964 Current facility on Newmark is built 1967 Rev. J. C. and Phyllis Sparks 1970 Rev. Jerry and Ardith Flowers 1973 Rev. James and Pauline Underwood 1977 Rev. Gary and Diane Hood 1993 Rev. Arthur Eikamp (interim) Samuel Dunbar and Earl Shaffer, pulpit supply 1994 Rev. Scott and Melody McCullough 2001 Rev. Paul and Ruthie Kendall (interim) 2002 Rev. Paul and Ruthie Kendall 2004 Rev. Ed and Lois Richards (interim) 2005 Rev. Richard and Tina LaMar Information organized by Violet Demarest, Ruth Henrichs, Violet McIntosh, Betty Demarest, and Sue Goslin.