United Methodist Church (1901-Present)
Fortuna
From Ford's 1936 History of Moniteau County:
This church was built in 1901 and has a membership of about 110 which is made up of members of the Christian and other denominations as well as Methodists. Its Sunday School last year had an enrollment of 135 with an average attendance of 60. Rev. C. C. Vansandt of Tipton is pastor.
From the 1980 History of Moniteau County:
In the summer of 1901, a meeting was held in the William Ferguson Lumber Yard at Fortuna. Rev. Koeth, the minister from the Tipton church, conducted the services. There were a number of conversions and plans were made to build a church at Fortuna.
Realizing that he could not hope to have a Catholic Church built here, P. J. Schmidt gave the ground upon which the church was built, $50 in cash, and the material at cost to the first denomination building a church at Fortuna.
The church building was started October 1, 1901, and was finished in the summer of 1902. William Conn, Tipton, was the carpenter and many donated money and labor to the building of the church. The Tipton Church Board had charge of the building, as the Fortuna church was not organized until later. The official board members at the time were Mr. Joe Evans, Mr. Jerry Stringer, Mr. W. H. Yontz, and Mr. William Ferguson.
Rev. Koeth left before the church building was completed and the first pastor of the church was Rev. Frank P. Reno.
The church was dedicated the second Sunday in July, 1904. (In the Methodist Church, a building cannot be dedicated until it is paid for.) The Rev. Arthur Hunt, Sr., gave the dedicational message.
The charter members were: Mrs. Bartlett, John Roberts, Geneva Tankersley, William Scott, Sarah Scott, Gertie Scott, Bettie Scott, Grover Scott, George T Scott, Mrs. George T. Scott, Minnie McDaniel, Roy Talbert, Ed Porter, and T. E. Owns.
When the church was first built, the Baptists, Christians, and Methodists all held services in the one building. The Baptists organized before the building was completed and held services there until 1908 when they built a church of their own. The Christian church organized in 1903 and had services in the church until they disbanded in the summer of 1933. A Union Sunday School was held for all these groups for a number of years
The first funeral service held in the new church was that of Mrs. Minnie McDaniel Nelson.
The Ladies Aid was organized in 1911 by Mrs. Lula Short and Mrs. O. W. Carter was elected the first president. The group was made up of the women from the Christian and Methodist denominations.
In 1915, a young peoples group called the Christian Endeavor was organized and Elmer C. White was the first president of the group,
Mrs. Rose Rodner was the first Home Department Superintendent and Mrs. O. W. Carter was one of the first members.
Mrs. Nellie Wright was the first Superintendent of the Cradle Roll and Minnie Lee Hays was the first cradle roll member.
The Epworth League was organized by Rev. A. J Rehkop and the first president of the group was Mrs. Elmer Welty,
On June 1, 1954, the Official Board met to discuss the proposed building program. The proposed building was to be 30 by 36 feet and was to be located at the northeast corner of the church. This annex was to be an educational building.
On June 16, 1954, the Quarterly Conference of the Tipton-Fortuna charge, meeting at Tipton, approved the construction of the proposed building: The following persons were named to the building committee: Ralph McDaniel, Chairman, Billie Tom Lawson, Russell Gates, Ralph Ayres, Claud Bridges, Gregory Woods, Glenn Drake, Zora Charles, and Earl Devine, who served as treasurer of the building fund.
On August 15, 1954, Mr. George T. Scott (oldest charter member) turned the first shovel of dirt for the new building. The Rev. Mercer A, Thomas was the minister at the time. A total of $7,614.16 was raised and the debt was paid off on August 2, 1956. The dedication was on October 14, 1956.
On Sunday, November 13, 1977, the congregation celebrated their 75th anniversary. The two surviving charter members, Mrs. Geneva (Tankersley) Thixton and Mr. Grover Scott, were there for the celebration.
Pastors who have served the church are:
Rev. Frank P. Reno Rev. C. C. Vanzant
Rev. A. M. Crippin Rev. William McNeil
Rev. George P. Miller Rev. Ray Brown
Rev. Arthur Hunt, Jr. Rev. Jamie Shaplin
Rev. Albert McCulloch Rev. John T. Ricketts
Rev. J. Allen Webb Rev. George Snapp
Rev. T. H. Parrott Rev. O. E. Patton
Rev. Thomas E. Prall Rev. Mercer A. Thomas
Rev. J. M. Mason Rev. N. Clark Holt
Rev. George B. Swartz Rev. Harry Smith
Rev. J. T. Carnett Rev. Norman Logan
Rev. S. J. Wilton Rev. Joe Lightner
Rev. Henry C. Sharp Rev. Jessie A. Slover
Rev. Ottis Smith Rev. W. Burton Wright
Rev. W, V. Culver Rev. J. Elmer Brunk
Rev. S. C. Tiller Rev Ralph LaForge
Rev. D. O. Yeager Rev. Asher McDaniel
Rev. Aaron J. Rehkop
The present (1980) church officers are:
Chairman of Administrative Board and Council of Ministries- Thomas L. Hutchison
Lay Leader-John Schuster Church Treasurer-Garry Fisher
Church Trustees- Victor Hofstetter. Thomas L. Hutchison, Mrs. Pearl Newkirk, Jerry Strickfaden, Garry Fisher, and Miss Jewell Bridges
Church Organist and Pianist- Mr. and Mrs. David Lawson
Sunday School Superintendent - Monroe Uptergrove
President United Methodist Women - Mrs. Jerry Strickfaden
From the 2000 History of Moniteau County:
In the summer of 1901, a meeting was held in the William Ferguson Lumber Yard at Fortuna. Rev. Koeth, the minister from the Tipton church, conducted the services. There were a number of conversions and plans were made to build a church at Fortuna.
Realizing that he could not hope to have a Catholic Church built here, P. J. Schmidt gave the ground upon which the church was built, $50 in cash, and the material at cost to the first denomination building a church at Fortuna.
The church building was started October 1, 1901, and was finished in the summer of 1902. William Conn, Tipton, was the carpenter and many donated money and labor to the building of the church. The Tipton Church Board had charge of the building, as the Fortuna church was not organized until later. The official board members at the time were Mr. Joe Evans, Mr. Jerry Stringer, Mr. W. H. Yontz, and Mr. William Ferguson.
Rev. Koeth left before the church building was completed and the first pastor of the church was Rev. Frank P. Reno.
The church was dedicated the second Sunday in July, 1904. (In the Methodist Church, a building cannot be dedicated until it is paid for.) The Rev. Arthur Hunt, Sr., gave the dedicational message.
The charter members were: Mrs. Bartlett, John Roberts, Geneva Tankersley, William Scott, Sarah Scott, Gertie Scott, Bettie Scott, Grover Scott, George T Scott, Mrs. George T. Scott, Minnie McDaniel, Roy Talbert, Ed Porter, and T. E. Owns.
When the church was first built, the Baptists, Christians, and Methodists all held services in the one building. The Baptists organized before the building was completed and held services there until 1908 when they built a church of their own. The Christian church organized in 1903 and had services in the church until they disbanded in the summer of 1933. A Union Sunday School was held for all these groups for a number of years
The first funeral service held in the new church was that of Mrs. Minnie McDaniel Nelson.
The Ladies Aid was organized in 1911 by Mrs. Lula Short and Mrs. O. W. Carter was elected the first president. The group was made up of the women from the Christian and Methodist denominations.
In 1915, a young peoples group called the Christian Endeavor was organized and Elmer C. White was the first president of the group,
Mrs. Rose Rodner was the first Home Department Superintendent and Mrs. O. W. Carter was one of the first members.
Mrs. Nellie Wright was the first Superintendent of the Cradle Roll and Minnie Lee Hays was the first cradle roll member.
The Epworth League was organized by Rev. A. J Rehkop and the first president of the group was Mrs. Elmer Welty,
On June 1, 1954, the Official Board met to discuss the proposed building program. The proposed building was to be 30 by 36 feet and was to be located at the northeast corner of the church. This annex was to be an educational building.
On June 16, 1954, the Quarterly Conference of the Tipton-Fortuna charge, meeting at Tipton, approved the construction of the proposed building: The following persons were named to the building committee: Ralph McDaniel, Chairman, Billie Tom Lawson, Russell Gates, Ralph Ayres, Claud Bridges, Gregory Woods, Glenn Drake, Zora Charles, and Earl Devine, who served as treasurer of the building fund. On August 15, 1954, Mr. George T. Scott (oldest charter member) turned the first shovel of dirt for the new building. The dedication was held on October 14, 1956.
In the summer of 1956, a new roof was needed so the shingles were removed in preparation and it started raining. The rain ruined the wallpaper so it was decided to have the walls refinished and to add all new windows, hardwood floors and new woodwork.
On March 3, 1957, a new Hammond organ was dedicated. This organ was a gift of Mr. and Mrs. George T. Scott. Mrs. Alma Eichoff of Versailles presented a recital at the dedication services.
In 1966, a basement was added under the church annex. This was made possible by the generous gift of Mr. and Mrs. George T. Scott.
In 1969, new padded church pews were donated and in 1974, new stained glass windows were installed.
On Sunday, November 13, 1977, the congregation celebrated their 75th anniversary. The two surviving charter members, Mrs. Geneva (Tankersley) Thixton and Mr. Grover Scott, were there for the celebration. Miss Henrietta Schmidt and Miss Beatrice Schmidt were special guests because their father, the late P. J. Schmidt, gave the ground upon which the church was built. Rev. Ralph LaForge conducted the services.
In June 1989, building began on a 24 X 42 foot addition to the east of the educational building. It consisted of an enlarged fellowship hall, three new classrooms and a kitchen. Improvements were also made to the existing structure which included new carpet, furnace, air conditioner, hot water heater and a new roof on the educational building. This new addition was dedicated November 19, 1989. No money was borrowed. The cost was paid by the generous giving of the church members. Rev. Randy Gilmore was pastor at this time.
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