The story of the First Presbyterian Church of
Bellevue began over 150 years ago, when Bellevue was the first small
trading settlement in the frontier territory of Nebraska. The
population of the time included missionaries, sent from the eastern
United States to bring Christianity to the Native Americans. Among the
missionaries was the Reverend Edmund McKinney, representing the
Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions in Brooklyn, New York.
Reverend McKinney came to Bellevue in 1846 to
establish a mission to the Otoe and Omaha Indians. Among his many
accomplishments was the building of the Mission House (1846-1848). The
Mission House (still standing on Mission Street) was originally built
as a school to serve the Mission, and has served many purposes in its
long history, including bank and City Hall.
On December 26th, 1850, Reverend McKinney and
five others met in the
Mission House, and organized the First Presbyterian Church of Nebraska.
The first few
years were a trial for the new congregation as the hardships of pioneer
life took their
toll. The church was reorganized twice during these difficult years,
and it was with
renewed spirit that, in 1853, the church welcomed as pastor the
Reverend William Hamilton.
Under Reverend Hamilton's guidance the church
enjoyed a period of
growth and prosperity that created a firm foundation for the years to
come. It was during
this time of spiritual renewal that work began on the church's first
permanent home.
Begun in the spring of 1856
and completed in 1858, the small church is
the oldest in the state and has become a historical landmark and a
symbol of Bellevue's
spiritual roots. In the same year the church officially adopted the
name First
Presbyterian Church of Bellevue. The church continued to flourish after
Reverend
Hamilton's departure in 1863, growing in numbers and importance to the
community. Many of
the prominent citizens of early Bellevue served the church in some
capacity, including
Henry T. Clarke, founder of Bellevue College, who served as an elder.
Bellevue College was
organized October 16, 1880, and began instruction September 10, 1883.
For 36 years the
College operated under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church.
As the congregation grew, the
need for larger facilities became evident
and two building projects were completed in the early years following
the turn of the
century. A manse was built in 1900 to house the pastor and in 1904, the
original church
was enlarged 100%, providing additional seating for the congregation as
well as a special
addition for the choir. In preparation for the dedication ceremony for
this new addition
on May 13, 1904, David R. Kerr, President of Bellevue College, wrote an
address that
beautifully preserves and passes along the early history of our church.
Much of the
preceding history was gleaned from this dedication ceremony address.
Just four years later a
tornado, then described as a
"hurricane," blew the magnificent steeple off the church. It was
replaced with a
parapet and restored again many years later after the church was
recognized as a landmark.
The next forty years were relatively uneventful in the life of the
church as the
congregation weathered two world wars and the Great Depression. The
only change in
appearance occurred in 1924 with the addition of a social hall.
In 1950, the entire community
of Bellevue joined the church in a
celebration of the 100th anniversary of First Presbyterian Church. The
celebration
stretched over the entire year, and culminated in October with a
meeting of the Nebraska
Synod in Bellevue. Over one hundred Presbyterian churches from across
the state were
represented in a caravan from Scottsbluff to Bellevue, parading through
downtown Omaha and
meeting at the oldest house of worship in the state.
In the years following World
War II Bellevue became the fastest growing
town in Nebraska and it soon became clear that the aging church at 20th
and Franklin was
inadequate for the present and future needs of the congregation.
Reverend Silas A. Hanke
led the church in the huge undertaking of financing a new church. Funds
were raised
through pledge drives and in 1958, exactly one hundred years after the
completion of the
old church, work began on the new church on Bellevue Boulevard.
The groundbreaking ceremony
took place on May 25th, 1958, and a
Cornerstone Service was held on September 8, 1958. A variety of
historical memorabilia and
a letter from Pastor Hanke to future generations were sealed in the
cornerstone. A copy of
that letter and the list of those items follow this history. The
beautiful new church on
the hill was dedicated on April 26th, 1959. 1960 saw the beginning of
the church's library
and the viewing of the cornerstone contents from the old church. The
old church was sold
in 1961, to be maintained as a historical landmark. The congregation
purchased Rev.
Hanke's home in 1963 for use as a manse. The church's community
outreach expanded in 1967
with the addition of the Welcome School for children from ages three to
five. The school
provides a non-denominational environment for children to learn about
themselves and God's
world around them. Church membership peaked at 854 in 1970; as many as
four Sunday School
classes were held in the Sanctuary at the same time! In the
mid-seventies luminaries
began
to be used for the Christmas Eve Services to announce the birth of
Christ - the Light of
the world. The 1980's saw a refurbishing and repainting as well as the
addition of
restrooms on the upper level. Special services were held in 1983 and
1984 to celebrate the
25th anniversary of the ground-breaking, cornerstone and completion of
the present
building.
1989 was a special year for
the Congregation and Presbyterians
everywhere, for it marked the Bicentennial of the first Presbyterian
General Assembly
Meeting in the U.S. On Sunday, April 7, the Congregation joined in a
"car
parade" with Avery Presbyterian Church, winding their way to Washington
Park for a
short observance in front of the Old Church, capped by a launch of
hundreds of red helium balloons, each with a Biblical
message and the Church's address (replies
were received from as far away as Illinois!). A picnic lunch and
entertainment by Bagpipes
and Scottish dancers followed. On Pentecost Sunday, April 14, the
Sanctuary was awash in
red flowers, banners and worshippers decked out in red! A buffet lunch
followed in
Fellowship Hall. The Bicentennial was celebrated with a huge red and
white birthday cake
following the worship service on April 21!
From 1990 to 1992 our Master
Plan Committee labored to design an
expanded Church Home. These efforts continued in earnest in the spring
of 1992 as a formal
$750,000 Building Campaign was initiated. A special worship service was
held on Saturday,
March 28 to "Celebrate Our journey" with Christ. The Congregation
traced its
Christian Heritage and Presbyterian roots and asked God's guidance for
the building
program. The service was followed by a dinner at the Bellevue Queen
Restaurant,
accompanied by the melodies of the Sarpy Serenaders. Several former
Pastors attended: Dr.
and Mrs. French, Rev. and Mrs. Barrett, Rev. and Mrs. Miller, Gene
Vogel, wife of the late
Rev. William Vogel, and Rev. and Mrs. Barnett. A groundbreaking
ceremony was held on
Sunday, August 9, 1992.
The building program focused
on easy access for the elderly and
handicapped, including the close-access driveway and the elevator
between levels. Larger,
updated nursery and toddler rooms were also added. The front entrance
of the church was
enlarged to provide for a more convenient entry, meeting space and
narthex area. The new
entry area featured twenty-four Biblical verses selected by a committee
of the
Congregation.
The hallmark of the new
construction was the new spire that matched
that of the Old Church on Franklin and the re-hanging of the original
bell! Unfortunately,
the construction period was plagued by a rainy, rainy winter and spring
with numerous roof
leaks, mold and mildew as the old roofs were insulated and recovered,
and new roof added!
The spire was raised into position accompanied by a special service on
August 19, 1993.
In 2003, conversations began
about additional building needs. The widespread sentiment was
that a new, larger fellowship hall and kitchen neede to be built in
order for the congregation to effectively carry out its mission to the
community. Also, a renovation and redecoration of the sanctuary
was desired.
A Building Improvement
Committee was formed by the Session and work began in earnest in 2004
on the planning for what would become a $1.7 million building
program. The congregation pledged over $700,000 toward the cost
of the project in the first of three anticipated three-year campaigns
entitiled, "Continuing the Journey." After many interviews with
church members, architects, and contractors, architectural and
construction services were retained. On March 30, 2005, ground
was broken on the new 14,000 square foot family life center.
On April 9, 2006 (Palm
Sunday), the congregation worshiped for the first time in its renovated
worship space and celebrated the completion of the new kitchen,
fellowship hall, and lower-level classrooms.
These changes have helped
First Presbyterian become an even greater mission outpost to the
Bellevue community, while providing enhanced worship, fellowship, and
educational opportunities for its members.
