142 Years Ago

Over 142 years ago a group of people felt the call of God and began thinking in terms of a family of believers.  Understanding that everyone is called by God to spread his message by living His message and the best way is to live His message in public view.  The best way to show they are living like God wants them to, in public, is to build a place to show, and invite, their neighbors to join them

The result is a House of the Lord on the corner of Davis and Main in Santa Paula.  And now the story.

“Presbyterians Recall Early Church Days in Santa Paula.” That was the headline in the Santa Paula Chronicle in May of 1923 when the church was celebrating its 40th anniversary. From that 1923 article we share some snippets of interest.

Santa Paula in 1886 had a small hotel, hall, store, blacksmith shop, and a saloon, but no church building. There were few houses and the population at most was less than a hundred. Baptist and Methodist churches had both been organized and met one Sunday each month for services in the schoolhouse, which was then located at the corner of Mill and Ventura Streets.

On July 26, 1879, the Union Church with fifteen charter members was organized. They also met one Sunday a month in the schoolhouse.

A Sunday school was held each Sunday, which was a union Sunday school of all the churches. About that time the Methodist church was built, and it was used in turn by the three churches. On May 13, 1883, the Union church disbanded, and the Presbyterian Church was organized with 21 charter members.

The total cost of their church building was $13,500. Although a part of the money had been raised, there remained an indebtedness of about $8,000. At this time, money was very scarce, and the rate of interest was 10%. Because of the burden of the debt, it was voted to move the church to the rear of the lot, sell the frontage on Main Street, where the church stood and apply the money received on the debt. This was done in 1895.

Then came the fire in 1932, but services continued in the Sunday School annex building until the completion of the present stone building which was dedicated on November 5, 1933. The total cost of the building and furnishings was approximately $30,000. Several lots directly north of the church and the parking lot on the other side of Davis Street were purchased at later dates.

Twenty-six pastors, nine associate ministers, four interim ministers, and two commissioned lay ministers have served the congregation since 1883, and 3,579 individuals at one time or another have been active members of the congregation. Currently, nine people have been members 50 years or more. The congregation has given a vital witness in the local community and in the total mission of the church. Services continue to be held weekly in the church building and at the park.

The hope and expectation of the early church as stated and recorded in the minutes of the organization meeting are as relevant today as they were in 1883, “May the Lord bless this church abundantly and make it a blessing to multitudes.”

The Story

In the fall of 1886, the Presbyterian congregation in Santa Paula decided to build a sanctuary at the corner of Main and Davis Streets. The cornerstone for the church was laid in 1887, and the dedicatory service was held in 1889. A stained-glass window that was rescued from the debris of the fire that destroyed the church on June 7, 1932, has been refurbished and will be dedicated during the worship service on Sunday, May 18 at 9:30 am. when the congregation commemorates its 142nd anniversary.