07/12/2023
A Rich History and Final Farewell
Many churches have a long history and Ebenezer United Church of Christ in rural Stratford is no exception. In 1881, Rev William. H. Stienecker saw this beautiful area full of trees and the promise of better things. He invited the people of his village in Germany to make the journey to America and find a spot of their own. A congregation was formed by these early settlers of the Reformed faith on September 30, 1883. In the beginning, Ebenezer UCC was known as the “Bible congregation” and later changed its name to Ebenezer Reformed Church. Those early services were held in a private home or at the Balsam school.
On November 8, 1886, the church purchased 40 acres for the sum of $200, and set their sights on building a church. With axe and saw, the early pioneers used timber and boards from the land to build a 1,000 square foot framed church. The cost of the church was $27.56 or about $1.53 per household. The first collection taken at the new church was $11.42. Whoever cleared a half- acre of land was entitled a lot in the cemetery. At the time of the church dedication on November 17,1889, the membership had increased to 54.
During the course of the next several years, many pastors came to serve Ebenezer’s congregation. A parsonage was built in the late 1890’s. There was continual growth and remodeling and care of the buildings including the addition of a stone foundation, bell and steeple. The first English service was held in 1911. It was also around this time that the pastor’s salary was raised from $400 to $800 a year and the practice of supplying the parsonage with food was discontinued.
In the 1920’s, memberships was approximately 220 church members and 80 Sunday School children. During this time many building improvements, ministries and missions were formed.
In 1937, St. Paul’s Evangelical Church in Marshfield was made a part of the Town of Cleveland charge. With the merger of the Evangelical churches, the name became Ebenezer Evangelical and Reformed Church. An educational unit was added in 1957. The church adopted the name of Ebenezer United Church of Christ in March, 1960. From 1969 until 1972 three thousand trees were planted on church property. The wooden cross and plantings were put in the cemetery. Logs were cut in the woods and the lumber was used for a parsonage garage and mission work expanded.
The last large building renovation took place in the 1970’s which provided additional classroom and fellowship space as well as many interior upgrades. The church continued to thrive and serve not only its members and local community but also our global family. The congregation was well known for its ice cream socials and amazing pies served at Stratford Heritage days. Ebenezer separated from St Pauls in 1997 to allow for a dedicated pastor to serve each location. As the years went on, the building aged and deteriorated. The congregation was faced with the decision of investing considerable funds to bring the building up to code or erecting a new church. It took several years of planning, fund raising and prayer, but the congregation eventually moved into their new church on the same property in 2007. Many of the historical artifacts and sentimental items from the old church were incorporated into the new church building including the church bell, pulpit, cross and several of the stained glass windows.
Once the move was complete the congregation was faced with the question, “What do we do with the old church?” On February 5, 2011, the “little white church on the corner,“ was donated to the Edgar fire department for a fire and rescue training drill--providing a final service to the community. The parsonage was eventually sold to a private party in 2021.
Ebenezer UCC, like so many small, rural churches, has weathered its share of ups and downs. As the congregation aged and financial and maintenance demands grew, the members were once again faced with the question, “What do we do with the church?” That brings us to the present. After 140 years, the church will close its doors. The building and land will be sold. This is not however, a story of success or failure. What we human beings view as ending is not what God understands to be an ending. I am certain that our spiritual grandparents, the ones who built this community of faith generations ago, are urging us on and reminding us that the congregation they built lives in us in the way we live out Christ’s ministry.
Please join us for a 140 year celebration service on Sunday, July 16, 2023, at Ebenezer UCC (213055 Cty Rd M, Stratford) at 9:30 AM. Northwest Association pastor, Rev. Michael Jones will officiate. Pot luck will follow the service. The church will provide cake and coffee.
