God's Storehouse  

             a mission outreach program of the

       Weldon United Methodist Church

Pastor: Brian Mark

History

We invite all to worship with us.
Sunday School .......... 9:00 AM
Worship Service........ 10:30 AM 

     If any one thing could be said to be typical of the South Fork of the Kern River, it would be the Methodist Church at Weldon. Sitting beside Highway 178 with its backdrop of the Bartolas country, it has served as a true lighthouse to the spiritual, social and cultural life of this mountain community since 1899." This paragraph is from a chapter entitled, "The Church by the Side of the Road' from the book "The South Fork Country" by the late Bob Powers.

     When the bell rings out on Sunday morning from the steeple of the church by the side of the road, they echo across fields that have belonged to the same families for more than 100 years. Many of the men, women and children who gather to worship today bear the same names as those who attended the church in 1899. These families have supported the church financially and spiritually since its inception, and they have handed it down to their children with the same admonition of reverence and responsibility as will accompany their inheritance of the land. So it follows, that the history of the Weldon Methodist Church and the people who settled the South Fork country, will remain an inseparable legend.

      The background of the present church begins November 12, 1870, when the late Rev. J. L. Bennett organized the Kern River Circuit of the Los Angeles District of California Conference.

      In the 1870s, meetings were held in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church that was located on the south side of Hwy. 178 across from South Fork School. That building burned in the mid 1880s, and services were then held on the second floor of the A. Brown Store at Weldon, in the schoolhouse or in private homes.

      Rev. J. C. Livingston arrived in 1897, and immediately began plans to build three churches in the valley; at Weldon, Lake Isabella and Kernville. Lumber was contracted from Brown's Mill on the Greenhorn, and the flooring, casings, rustic and ceilings were made by Mr. Charles Likely at the same mill.

      Rev. Livingston often preached "Faith without works is dead," and when things looked bleakest, he assured the people, "More prayer will do it!" Slowly the donations of money and labor began to come in and the buildings were begun. Despite the most adverse difficulties, Rev. Livingston never wavered for a moment in his determination. He was a gentle man, tolerant and understanding of his impatient parishioners and confident that the will of God was ever-present. "We will build the churches by faith," he said, "all three of them!" And that is exactly how they were built.......

      Mr. John Nicoll donated the ground on which the Weldon Church stands, and made a request that he be buried in the corner back of the church, and his request was carried out. Mr. C. Hanning borrowed Jim Alexander's freighting outfit and hauled lumber from Kernville as his donation. Dr. Darling helped put up the framework for the Weldon Church and Mr. Likely and Mr. Livingston finished it. Mrs. McCray, who lived across the road from the church, boarded Mr. Livingston and Mr. Darling while they worked on the church. Ed Pettypool also worked many hours in construction, helping install the siding and flooring.

      When they were finishing up on the inside, the structure was blown over with Mr. Likely and Mr. Livingston inside. By means of jackscrews and timbers and community help, the building was put back on its foundation. Maybe that is why there is a bow in the East wall today.

      Even though not finished, the dedication ceremony was held. Enough money was collected to pay the debt on the building. The Weldon Church was the first of the three churches to be paid for in full.

      The year 1900 saw the Weldon Methodist Episcopal Church become a fixture on the landscape of the South Fork Valley. (Remember, it was just a bare building sans, trees, lawn, flowers, fence and not even a drop of water.) There must have been an outhouse out back, don't you imagine? The parishioners had to carry their water with them. This situation was corrected when the three schools gave an entertainment and paid for a hand pump to be installed in the church yard.

      In 1939, Miss Millie Neill, from the Isle of Man, presented the church with a check to build the annex (the overflow room today). It was to be used for Sunday School classes. Before that, the classes were held in the church.

      A parsonage was now needed for a minister. Mr. A. J. Alexander and Oscar Rudnick donated the same amount of land as originally given by John Nicoll where a parsonage could be built. Mr. A. J. Alexander took the matter in hand. He went around and told each family or person how much he expected them to give. Thus, the house was built in 1949 along with the garage and two church school rooms which are now being used by God's Storehouse and the church office.

      Other changes needed to be made. A large wood burning stove was used to heat the church. It had some 15 feet of pipe going up to Heaven through the roof. After 1950, the stove was moved out and a furnace took its place. You can still see, today, where the pipes went up through the ceiling. As things progressed, a building was needed for social affairs in the community. In 1952, the Community Social Center was erected on land donated, again, by A. J. Alexander and Oscar Rudnick. The building was dedicated on February 12, 1953, to Mrs. Ella P. Smith and Mrs. Helen V. Alexander for their years of devoted Christian service to the church. "They tended the unseen temple of a child's immortal soul." A great party was held and the building was consecrated. This building has provided a center for community activities and has substantially drawn the people into closer fellowship.

      Mrs. Bane was instrumental in organizing the women into an effective, hard working W. S. C. S. group. In the next four years, these women earned over $26,000, which they invested in furnishings for the parsonage and several major improvements for the church. The devotion of the women of the church has always been a mainstay. Their faithful service and abiding concern for the total community has enabled the church to widen the circle of its ministry. This holds true today in the year 2004.

      Before his transfer in 1954, Rev. Wall put his woodworking tools to use, and installed a picture window at the front of the sanctuary. It was his personal gift to the congregation, one that would be a silent reminder of God's blessings. For it is most humbling to listen to the word of God, while looking out across these fields at the majestic mountains beyond.

      The face of the Weldon Church has remained much the same through the century. There have been additions, new ceilings, new foundations and copious gallons of paint and varnish have been applied, but the charm of that first building has been wisely preserved.

      Each Sunday, the Weldon United Methodist Church bell rings forth to call the people to worship, and another week begins for the church by the side of the road. And as each day passes, this lighthouse to the South Fork communities stands tall and welcomes all who comes to her doors.

      In the late 1980's the Weldon United Methodist Church opened it's doors to God's Storehouse to become an outreach ministry to the community. God has truly blessed this church, it's people and this ministry.

       Please SignOur Guest Book