Our History
The beginning of the Congregational Church in Spring Valley, WI must be looked under another name-that of the Methodist church. The first church organization in the village was Methodist; the organization was made in 1875-76, services being held in the school house which was the log building that formerly stood on the bank of the river.
The first preachers who occupied the church were Rev. Hathaway, rev. George N. Foster and his son, Rev. Geo. Foster, Rev. Greer, Rev. Taylor, Rev. Ross and Rev. Jas. Conner. The Spring Valley church was then in the Rock Elm circuit.
In 1890 the old log house had been replaced by a small frame structure. The Methodists planned the erection of a little church of their own and actually built the foundation and gathered together some lumber, under the direction of Rev. Johnson. But the other people in the village, with the members of the Methodist Church, concluded that they should not make the mistake of having too many churches in a small town; so they decided to build one English Protestant church in the village. The question was, which denomination? A vote was with the majority voting for it to be a Congregational church.
Sunday school had been organized, largely by the work of Wm. Curry and J.A. Martin family and was not tied to a denomination and met in the hall.
Rev. Haun, of the State Congregational Society (SCS), came to Spring Valley by invitation and assured the people that the (SCS) would gladly help finance the congregation in Spring Valley. Some believe the expectation of aid is what influenced people to vote for the church to become a Congregational body, but there is not record of any such influence.
A Certificate of Organization was drawn up and signed and the organization was completed. In December of 1892 Rev. Kidder was chosen pastor, at a salary of $700 per annum. He remained pastor for six months. Church services were held in Akers Hall. In January of 1893 a constitution and by-laws were drawn up. On July 19, 1893 the first annual meeting was held.
Meanwhile, the Post mercantile Co. had built a store here, with regularly equipped opera hall overhead, and this was used for church purposes as well as shows and dances.
In 1894 Fredk B Bridgman was called to be pastor and he was the son of missionaries located in Zululand, Africa, sent back home for an education. His sermons crowded the opera house to standing room only at every service, and the mid-week prayer meetings, held in the dressing rooms under the stage, drew as many as the rooms could hold. Bridgman stayed for a year and he and his wife went back to Africa to minister to the natives.
During this time there was a strong Christian Endeavor Society here, the meetings every Sunday evening being largely attended.
In June of 1897, Rev. William H. Short was called to the pastorate. He gave special interest to the erection of a church building. The result of his efforts and the workmanship of carpenter H.J. Hanson is evidenced today by the church building we now occupy. The dedication services of the First Congregational Church of Spring Valley was held May 2, 1899. The cost of the building was just over $2200.
Rev. Short occupied the pulpit for two years and later left the ministry and became secretary of the International Peace Conference with an office in New York.
In 1899 Rev. and Mrs. W. A. Whitcomb came to SV and stayed for four years. It was during their ministry the church purchased the parsonage (which currently houses the church offices across the street from the church).
During the next thirty years we had nine pastors serve in the pulpit.
The 40th anniversary of our church was held Sunday Jan. 8, 1933 during the pastorate of Rev. Ralph D. Austin. The fireplace in the social room of the church was dedicated at the afternoon meeting. Rev. Austin was the promoter of the fireplace project.
In 1942 when the "Big Flood" hit Spring Valley, the Congregational Church was used as the Red Cross aid station. Meals were serves in the church fellowship hall.
On May 10, 1951 the church was damaged by fire and was somewhat remodelled. In the remodel the steeple and bell tower was eliminated.
In 1970 the Congregation voted to join the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference. Our Conference, usually referred to as CCCC, includes over 200 churches and about 700 pastors across the nation. As might be expected from a group that traces its roots to the Pilgrims and Puritans in the early 1600s, there is a strong concentration of member churches and pastors in the New England area.
The Conservative Congregational Christian Conference is a nationwide fellowship of evangelical Christ-centered congregationally governed churches.
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