In 1995 our church celebrated its 50th anniversary and compiled some scraps of our history. Emma Jean (DeVries) Herman, a member in the early days of the church, shares her remembrances:
"The first services were conducted by Rev. and Mrs. G. Preston Bishop in 1944 in a rented room of the Mayo Civic Auditorium. It was very expensive, and they were soon able to rent a lodge hall on South Broadway. . . .Since there was no room for Sunday School classes, Brother Bishop took Sunday School books made up like comic books, cut them out and taught a Bible lesson by projecting the pictures from an overhead projector. The children as well as the adults enjoyed them.
"In 1946 the church was able to purchase an old frame white house at 111 Fifth Ave. N.W. Part of it served as a parsonage, and the other side became a one-room church by taking out the partitions. Now we had rooms in the parsonage so the children could be divided into classes.
After purchasing the house, we started a block frame around it. It finally was finished enough so doors were hung and a roof placed on it. Imagine people's surprise when they opened the door of this block building and inside was a complete frame house! . . . .Gradually the inner house was torn down a section at a time as money permitted. As the old house was removed, we would build other rooms to the church.
"It was interesting how we obtained lumber for free to do part of the interior. We had little money (Lloyd and Evelyn Lenn recall that Nazarenes from Minnesota and Northern Iowa helped by giving blood at the Mayo Clinic and donating the money to the church!) but lots of enthusiasm. The Knowlton Department Store on South Broadway had been sold to Daytons, who wanted to remodel it. Bro. Bishop heard about it and asked if we could have the lumber if he tore it out. They said, "yes," but he would have to do it during the night so he wouldn't bother the daytime workers. So that is what he did. To dress up the three large windows in the main auditorium, I was able to buy maroon long drapes for $5 a pair from the Mayo Clinic warehouse. We bought the pews from a Lutheran Church that was getting new ones. It was amazing how the Lord helped us to get things we needed for a low price.
"One or our great miracles was a lady named Jean Schutt, who started coming to our church. She came to camp meeting with us and was sanctified and what a 'ball of fire' she turned into. I never thought she would attract children as she had long hair done up in a bun. But would you believe, she loved kids and one Wednesday night I counted fifteen kids "fall out" of her car for the "Juniors" meeting."
After the Bishops came Rev, and Mrs. Raymond Buckley, followed by Rev. Jim and Velma Christy, Rev. Gordon and Hazel Tink, Rev. Ken and Jennie Wood, Rev. Don and Wendy Cross, and finally our present pastor and his wife, Rev. Pat and Penny Thomas.
While the Tinks were our pastors, we bought the land where our church now meets, sold the old building that had been so creatively transformed, and moved to temporary quarters at the Minnesota Bible College.
"The congregation was eager to move ahead with building plans. . . .On September 6, 1981 a groundbreaking service was held a the present site following the morning worship service. . . . A heavy snow and extremely cold weather arrived before the building was enclosed. Evangelist Willard Stocker came as a regular volunteer, not knowing that it was his final labor for the Lord. He was stricken with a heart attack and passed away suddenly on March 17, 1982. The first service in the completed building was held the last Sunday of May, 1982. General Superintendent Eugene Stowe and District Superintendent Virgil Grover came for the dedication ceremonies in July.
"At the same time were building a new church, we were also building a new congregation. In March, 1981, a group of Cambodian refugees were located by Nancy Clark in the Prow Motel. She started a Bible study there and in 2-3 weeks 15-20 Cambodians were coming to our church. Among them was the Sorng Pol family who had been Christians for many years--a rarity in Cambodia. In about four months, Cambodian attendance increased to about 80 or 90 per Sunday. A worship service in their native language (Khmer) was begun. John Ellison, former C & MA missionary to Cambodians, began coming one weekend a month from Wheaton, IL. The American congregation became very involved with 6-8 couples going into Cambodian homes during the week to help with English, driver training, Bible study, and adjustments to our culture. Early in 1982, a Cambodian preacher and family arrived--Sarasarith and Vanna Chhum . . . . Not knowing that Bibles were available in America, he came 'smuggling' in a boxful from the refugee camp. Except for a brief interval, Pastor Chhum has served our Cambodian congregation since then, first as an interpreter for Pastor Wood, but now as a full-time pastor.
"Under the leadership of Nancy Clark, our church became heavily involved in cross-cultural ministry. Many refugees were resettled in Rochester. Nancy took Cambodians in our church van on mission trips to other cities. She initiated the publishing of materials in basic English and Khmer. Prior to her untimely death with cancer in 1991, she made trips to the Philippines and Thailand, which helped pave the way for the Church of the Nazarene to open a new mission field in Cambodia.
"Our church has taken on a unique cross-cultural personality where people from various ethnic groups feel welcome and make up a large portion of our church family. Like the group around the heavenly throne described by the Apostle John, we have found ourselves worshipping not only with Cambodians, but with Lao, Eritreans, Chinese, Japanese, Kenyans, Ethiopians, Nigerians and others. All worshiping the same Savior who saves, sanctifies, and satisfies.