Expressions of Unity in the Body of Christ in Idaho Falls, Part 3
The reality of the unity of the body of Christ is stated in numerous passages in Scripture, such as Ephesians 4:4, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling.” While the unity of the body of Christ is a spiritual reality, Scripture recognizes (and church history amply records) forces that divide the body of Christ in a given location, marring its witness to the nature of God and the gospel. Scripture exhorts believers to be of the same mind,[1] and Jesus commands His followers to love one another. Jesus also prayed that His disciples would be “perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me…” (John 17:23). While the unity Jesus refers to in John 17 is foremost a unity with Him, as He is the head of His body, fellowship with Him implies connections to and working with the members of His body. And to be His witness to a city, in this case Idaho Falls, the more the body of Christ in Idaho Falls displays that unity with its Head and with each other, the better they witness to their Savior and Lord.
The church in Idaho Falls has a rich history of expressions
of unity. These include at least seven
overlapping categories:
1. Meeting together to worship
2. Meeting together to pray
3. Associations of pastors
4. Working together to share the gospel
with the community
5. Working together for the good of the
community
6. Meeting together for training,
conferences and seminars
7. Activities of various cross-denominational Christian groups (youth, women, etc.).
Historical examples of the first three of the above are listed
below, while the others will be detailed in separate blogs.
Meeting together to worship
This category is broad, and includes meetings that consist
entirely of praise and worship, services that include sermons or talks given by
pastors or other speakers, and services that include various combinations of
worship in song, preaching, prayer and giving.
Prior to the formation of any churches in the frontier area
later known as Eagle Rock and then Idaho Falls, circuit riding preachers would
hold worship services at Taylor’s Bridge,[2]
bringing together early settlers who identified with different
denominations.
After a few of the earliest churches had been organized in
the growing community of Eagle Rock in the late 1880’s, and into the 1960’s,
what were called “union” services were held on many occasions in Idaho Falls. Here is a sampling from the hundreds of
references in local newspapers to union services and meetings:
·
In 1885, six nights of union services were held
during one week in June, led by pastors E. B. Bartley of the Baptist Church and
J. P. Morris of the Methodist Church, the only two churches in town at that
time.[3] In 1885 only the Baptist church had a
building.
·
As early as 1894 and as late as 1934 union
services were held which included speakers on the subject of temperance, prohibition
and limiting sales of alcohol.[4]
·
Union services were held to join in significant
events of one of the churches in town, such as celebrating groundbreaking for a
church building or honoring a pastor who was leaving.[5]
·
Union services were held on Thanksgiving Day as
early as 1898[6]
and continued regularly for more than a century.[7]
·
For more than 100 years starting in 1899, union
services were held during Holy Week.[8]
·
Union services for what we would now call youth
groups (then called Young People’s Societies) were held as early as 1900 and
into the 1920’s.[9]
These meetings were later replaced by joint Christian Endeavor Society meetings
and then for a few years by gatherings of Freedom Ministries (a group unique to
Idaho Falls) and most recently by Young Life, which is currently active in
Idaho Falls.
·
Union services have served as baccalaureate
ceremonies. In 1903, nearly 50% of the residents of Idaho Falls filled the
Methodist Church for the baccalaureate service, though there were only four
graduates.[10]
·
In 1905, the pastors of the evangelical churches
in Idaho Falls decided to hold at least one union service every quarter.[11]
·
Union services were held on Memorial Day from
1916 to 1923 and the Idaho Falls Ministerial Association held a service on
Memorial Day in 1952.[12]
·
Seven outdoor Sunday evening union services were
held in the summer of 1916.[13]
Series of summer union services were repeated other years, including
1944, when four services were held on the courthouse steps.[14]
·
Some union services have featured missionary
speakers.[15]
·
Union services were held featuring messages
given by local pastors.[16]
·
For many years union services were held on
Worldwide Communion Sunday.[17]
· On Sunday evening July 3, 1977 there was a interdenominational community church service at the Idaho Falls Civic Auditorium. Marvin Eld, director of the Regional Council of Christian Ministry was the guest speaker and the Solid Rock Our Church Pentecostal Choir sang. The worshippers were challenged to a "Third Century under God."[100]
Joint worship services in more recent years include:
· The Post Register of November 21, 2003 announced the “16th annual 24-hr Prayer & Praise will be from 6 pm Dec. 19 to 6 pm Dec. 20 at 455 W 17th St.” I heard of these worship events for a few years but have not been able to confirm the year that they started or ended.
·
In the 1990’s an annual “Night of Joy” was held
in the Idaho Falls Civic Auditorium in which different church choirs, bands,
singers and musicians performed or led songs of praise and worship.
·
For a few years around 2010, a joint service of
River of Life and Eagle Rock Vineyard churches, and some years other churches,
was held in a city park in May.
·
Intermittently from about 2010 to the present,
several different associations of worship leaders and musicians have led times
of worship for various periods, usually monthly. These
associations include Eastern Idaho Regional Worship Nights, Eastern Idaho
Worship Collective and Community Worship and Prayer Idaho Falls.
Worshipping together as the body of Christ anticipates the
day when believers from all tribes, ethnic groups and languages will worship
before God’s throne and the Lamb of God (Rev. 7:9). Worshipping together as the church in Idaho
Falls is a declaration that Jesus has the right to be King of Idaho Falls, and
that His people are inviting Him to reign in our city as we dwell in Christ.
Meeting together to pray
Matthew’s gospel records Jesus quoting Isaiah 56:7, “My
house shall be called a house of prayer.”[18] Only God knows the full extent of prayers
offered to Him throughout the history of Idaho Falls. What insight we could have into God’s glory
and wisdom and ways if we were not limited by the dimensions of time and space so
that we could eavesdrop on the prayers of the church that moved God to act in Idaho
Falls!
But we do know some of the times that believers in Christ in
Idaho Falls have prayed together. The
following is a summary of a longer document, which includes references for the
events mentioned below.[19]
·
The United Council of Church Women organized
services on the World Day of Prayer as early as 1928, and some years the mayor
of Idaho Falls issued a proclamation on that day calling all people of the city
to attend the prayer service. In 1967,
for example, women from 16 Idaho Falls churches participated in the World Day
of Prayer. The most recent observance of the World Day of Prayer that I’m aware
of was in 1997. Some years there were separate prayer services for children. In
1954, 150 boys and girls from many churches participated in the Children’s
World Day of Prayer service.
·
Some churches in Idaho Falls have held a week of
prayer, often in early January, and some years churches have joined together in
prayer during that week. For example, in 1903, the Methodists and Presbyterians
held joint meetings during their week of prayer.
·
In 1968 and 1969, the Idaho Falls Ministerial
Association and the Regional Council of Christian Ministry cosponsored prayer
meetings each evening from Thursday, January 18 through Thursday January 25,
participating in the Universal Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
·
Various U.S. presidents, Idaho governors and
Idaho Falls mayors have called for days of prayer, and churches in Idaho Falls
have responded, often by holding community prayer meetings. In 1921 a union
prayer service was held in response to the requests of U.S. President Harding and Idaho
Governor Davis to pray for a conference in Washington D.C. on Limitations of
Armaments.[20] A
prayer gathering was held in front of the Bonneville County Courthouse steps
following September 11, 2001 (“9-11”).
Community prayer meetings on the National Day of Prayer have a long
history in Idaho Falls, and include Prayer Breakfasts, noon prayer rallies in
front of the Bonneville County Courthouse and Idaho Falls City Annex and
evening prayer meetings. For more detail
see https://jiif140yrs.blogspot.com/2023/04/national-days-of-prayer-in-idaho-falls.html.
·
An Idaho Falls chapter of the Full Gospel
Business Men's Fellowship met in Idaho Falls from 1973 until
about 2010. While most of their meetings
involved fellowship at a restaurant, having breakfast or dinner with speakers
and testimonies, some consisted mostly of prayer. Numerous FGBMF intercessory prayer meetings
were held in Idaho Falls in the period 2006-2009, focusing on prayer for America.
·
In 1992, 1993 and 1994, Mayor’s Prayer
Breakfasts were held in Idaho Falls.
·
From 1990 to 1994, a number of Concerts of
Prayer were held in Idaho Falls. See https://barnescm2.wixsite.com/jiif/concerts-of-prayer.
·
The Christian Women’s Club Prayer Connection
held monthly prayer coffees in the 1990’s.
·
From 1995 to 1999, the Interfaith Committee of
Idaho Falls organized Pilgrimages of Prayer in which prayer meetings were held
at different locations through the course of a week. The meetings were structured to include a
half hour of prayer followed by a half hour of fellowship.
·
From 1994 through 2005, Americas John-Lewis,
Sheila Olsen and others organized churches, Christian ministries and other
religious groups in a 24-hour prayer chain, called “prayer-a-thons.” The first
year of the prayer-a-thon, Idaho Falls Mayor Linda Milam declared the day it
finished a Day of Prayer, and spoke at a concluding rally at Freeman Park. In many subsequent years, a pot luck dinner
preceded the Prayer-a-thon.
·
In 2001 the Idaho Falls Evangelical Ministerial
Association sponsored a series of prayer meetings in Idaho Falls that included
viewing of videos produced by the Sentinel Group of Lynnwood, Washington. This
videos documented how various communities had been transformed through united prayer.
·
In the 2000’s there was an nondenominational
lunch and prayer time for Idaho Falls High School students that was held from
11:45 to 12:25 at First Baptist Church.
· Some years Idaho Falls high school students participated in “See You at the Pole,” a global student prayer movement in which students gather and pray at a flag pole at their school on a designated day in September.
·
There have been several periods when pastors of
Idaho Falls met to pray. One of the most notable was in 1950, when pastors from
five churches met daily for seven weeks to pray for revival in the city. For a few years in the 1990’s, there was an
annual pastors’ prayer retreat sponsored by the Idaho Falls Evangelical
Ministerial Association.
·
I’ve personally been part of four
interdenominational prayer groups. (1) One met weekly from 5:30 to 6:30 am in the
early 1990’s in an office on the corner of South Boulevard and 17th
Streets. (2) In the mid-1990’s some men,
mostly from Shiloh Foursquare Church, started meeting for prayer after reading
John Dawson’s book, “Taking Our Cities for God.” Sometimes we met at the church, other times we
met for prayer at other churches or schools to focus our prayers on the students
or leaders of those particular places. (3)
Norm Pace was instrumental in started a men’s prayer group which met for
fellowship over lunch and then fellowship with God in prayer at the Community
Church of God in Christ. Different men,
including pastors of several churches, were part of this group in the mid to
late 1990’s. (4) Since November of 2011, there has been a prayer meeting at
noon on Tuesdays, initially in one of the rooms of the City of Refuge, then in
the building next to the City of Refuge that was once the IFRM Thrift Store and
later New Destiny Ministries Hub, then in 2023 at the Look Up Tour office and
then in November 2023 back what is now the Idaho Falls Rescue Mission Community
Center.
·
United prayer meetings have often preceded
evangelistic events in Idaho Falls. In
December 1915 simultaneous daily prayer meetings were held in about a dozen
locations in Idaho Falls, preceding the Taylor Evangelistic meetings the
following month. Daily prayer meetings were
held during and for several weeks after union evangelistic services in March, 1925. On one day, the combined attendance of these prayer meetings was 272 people, meeting simultaneously in 13 locations throughout the city. In 2023, monthly prayer meetings were held
for a year prior to the Look Up Tour with Will Graham, and weekly prayer
meetings in the Look Up Office for ten months.
Jesus told His disciples, “…if two of you agree on earth
about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is
in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there
in their midst” (Matthew 17:18-20). Praying with others from different churches
not only can help us experience a depth or breadth of fellowship beyond what we
know in our local church but can expand our prayers with greater insight into
the needs of our city.
Associations of Pastors
The Idaho Falls Ministerial Association was active in the
city from about 1901 to at least 1977.[21]
According to one article written in 1924,[22]
one of the reasons for its formation was to voice a need for more rigid law
enforcement in the city. But over the
years the IFMA was active in a wide range of activities, including:
·
Bringing in evangelists and evangelist teams to share
the gospel with Idaho Falls: These included Rev. H. Wyse Jones in 1909, Herbert
C Hart and Arthur S Gagann in 1918, [23] the Charles Taylor Company in 1916; Rev. and
Mrs. Elmer P. Loose in 1925[24]
·
Organizing Sunday school conferences: In 1920 a
conference was organized for the benefit of the churches in Bonneville and
several surrounding counties, led by E. M. Keeler of Boise, a national
representative of the International Sunday School Union;[25]
in the 1940’s and into the 1950’s a leadership training courses for all church
workers was held annually;[26]
in 1949 the 5-day conference included 6 courses plus general sessions[27]
·
Holding receptions for school teachers,
principals and trustees of the Idaho Falls public schools[28]
·
Organizing union services on Thanksgiving,
during Holy Week and other times (see https://jiif140yrs.blogspot.com/2023/04/unity-of-body-of-christ-in-idaho-falls.html
for more about union services during Holy Week and https://jiif140yrs.blogspot.com/2023/11/expressions-of-unity-in-body-of-christ.html
for more about union Thanksgiving
services)
·
Leading sessions at a state-wide Home Missions
Conference held in Idaho Falls[29]
·
Sponsoring joint vacation Bible schools: in 1929
the VBS was held from 9 am to noon for 2 weeks and was for children ages 4 to
12[30]
·
Holding a court of honor to give awards to Boy
Scouts in 1930[31]
·
Participating in the annual Idaho Falls cleanup
day[32]
·
In 1932, sponsoring a performance of the
oratorio “The Holy City,” performed by a choir from Pocatello[33];
in 1952 they sponsored the oratorio “The Seven Last Words of Christ," performed
by a community choir[34]
·
In 1937 and perhaps other years, sponsoring programs at the Civilian Conservation Corps near Alpine[35]
·
In 1937 and perhaps other years, working with the
Junior Chamber of Commerce to develop programs to draw people to church on “Loyalty
Days,” a national program endorsed by the US President, the governor of Idaho
and mayor of Idaho Falls.[36]
·
Holding union prayer services: one example was
in September, 1940 when “Congregations of eight Idaho Falls churches were urged
to take part in a Union service of prayer and consecration Oct. 2 in
preparation of the observances Oct 6 of Worldwide Communion Sunday…”[37]
·
Expressing support for, promoting discussion of,
or protesting certain laws, civic programs and social issues:
o
Holding a union meeting in 1918 in which an
address was given by Rev. Willis E. Pettibone of the Baptist Church on ”German
Theology and the War”[38]
o
Publishing a resolution in 1920 deploring all
Sunday amusements and endorsing the mid-week half holiday[39]
o
Sending a letter in 1921 to the Idaho Falls
school board asking that children in the 7th and 8th
grades not be invited to high school dances[40]
o
In 1922, backing the Idaho State Hygiene and
Welfare Campaign which sought to “secure state law to check the stimulation
that is creating criminals through corrupt commercialized amusements, and thus
save our homes and schools and churches”[41]
o
In 1924, asking the Idaho Falls City Council to
take action to close dance halls at midnight on Saturday and not allow them to run
on Sundays[42]
o
In 1938, participating in a meeting called by
the Civic Improvement League to consider “the cause of widespread liquor
violations and gambling in the city of Idaho Falls and the refusal of certain
city and county officials to institute proper proceedings to enforce the law…”[43]
o
In 1940, organizing a “mass meeting” to be held at
the Methodist church for “international religious figure, Christian orator and
prominent author Kirby Page to speak on ‘How to Keep America Out of War’”[44]
o
Also in 1940, supporting two ballot measures,
one giving counties more control over
liquor sales and the other eliminating public advertising of alcoholic
beverages[45]
o
In April 1942, sending a resolution to Idaho’s
Congressmen urging them to investigate servicemen being forced to drink beer
because of a lack of soft drinks[46]
o
In May 1942, protesting to the city mayor a
dance on a Sunday night that drew an estimated crowd of 1,700 people and was in
violation of a law prohibiting Sunday dancing.[47]
Later that same month, 15 members of the Idaho Falls Ministerial Association
and LDS Church representatives met with city and county officials charging that
laws were being “flagrantly violated.”[48]
o
In November 1943, supporting the Idaho Allied
Civic Forces of Bonneville County to remove slot machines and eliminate houses
of prostitution[49]
o
In September 1944, Rev. C. L. Wiseman,
representing the Idaho Falls Ministerial Association, was one of four speakers
at a meeting at the Bonneville court room calling for a grand jury
investigation into “corruption in public office.”[50]
o
In June 1946, circulating petitions in their
member churches in support of three initiatives to restrict gambling and liquor[51]
o
In March 1948, opposing opening grocery stores
on Sunday, both by issuing a statement and in communications with the Idaho
Falls mayor[52]
o
In 1949 and 1950, increased gambling via slot
machines was a big issue in the city and the Idaho Falls Ministerial
Association was heavily involved. In
August 1949 the city council approved licenses for 27 slot machines, bringing
the total to 233. “The slot machine issue has forged into the news since
members of the Idaho Falls Ministerial association pressed for their removal in
a meeting with Mayor R. L. Sutton….”[53]
From a letter to the editor of The Post Register, in early
September, “…After many years of ignoring the slot machines in the city,
conditions became so bad that our ministerial association presented a petition
to our mayor and city council deploring them and asking for the removal of the
slot machines…”[54]
By late September the number of licenses for slot machines had increased to
326, and it was charged that their use resulted in hundreds of families
becoming poverty stricken, increased divorce rates, increased crime, and
legitimate business being curtailed by “at least 50%.” Besides the Ministerial
Association, United Church Women, the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, the Parent
Teachers Association and other groups protested. At a W.C.T.U. banquet, “The Rev. Kenneth
Ebb…representing the Ministerial association, said that all churches in town
were united in seeing the need and in the desire to overcome and diminish
particular evils in our midst...”[55]
Yet in October, new slot machine licenses were approved by the city council,
against the protests of the churches, including the LDS. In the November monthly Ministerial
Association meeting, the group passed a resolution, “That the president of the
Ministerial Association be authorized to write Mayor Thomas L. Sutton reminding
him that the association expects slot machines to be banned from Idaho Falls by
January 1, 1950. Unless that takes
place, as assured by the mayor at a meeting some months ago when association
members called upon the mayor, the association will take necessary steps to
assure a referendum in the community on the subject.”[56]
At the December meeting of the Ministerial Association, it was agreed that a
formal demand for removing slot machines would be made that week to the city
council. That month petitions seeking the ouster of the slot machines were
circulated by the Ministerial Association, LDS stake leaders and other church
organizations, and presented to the council.
However a motion in the city council meeting to ban them at the end of the
year failed because council members and business leaders wanted the revenue from
them.[57]
In January 1950, the Ministerial Association agreed in their monthly meeting to
“fully investigate the alleged open gambling in Idaho Falls.”[58]
In late May 1950, “opposing factions are
scheduled to air the touchy slot machine issue Friday at 10:30 am at the city
building.” The Ministerial Association was invited by slot machine operators to
come to the round table discussion. The
city council in April had passed a law banning the machines effective July 1, 1950,
but business interests pressed them for reconsideration,[59]
and less than a year later the issue was back on the front burner, in large
part because the city council believed slot machine revenue was the best way
to make up a deficit in the city budget. An ordinance
was drafted that gave the city, in addition to a $500 per year per machine
license fee, 45% of the revenue from slot machines.[60]
The Idaho Falls Ministerial Association sent a letter to the mayor and
councilmen urging them to consider other sources of revenue and holding
conferences with civic groups on the matter, that said in part, “…it is our strong
conviction that our economy should not be tied to income derived from a
gambling device which has been frowned upon federally by the law prohibiting
the transfer of machines between the various states…”.[61]
The Association then held a public meeting at the Presbyterian Church to
discuss what actions to take.[62]
In spite of their petition in opposition to the ordinance signed by 1200
citizens and 200-300 anti-slot machine supporters showing up to the next
council meeting, the city council approved the ordinance and in a special
council meeting in late July, approved the first 33 machines.[63] In 1953 the IFMA congratulated Idaho Governor
Len Jordon for his efforts to outlaw slot machines statewide, and also called
on candidates in the city council member election to pledge to “clean out slot
machines and other vices…”[64]
o
In 1951, Ministerial Association secretary Rev.
Clark Wood raised questions at a city council meeting about businesses near
schools selling beer by the drink that led to an ordinance banning such sales
within 300 feet of any school
o
In 1962, the IFMA unanimously adopted a
resolution opposing legalized gambling in any form, noting the association is
“vitally concerned with the moral atmosphere of the community…”.
·
Printing materials to be sent out by the Chamber
of Commerce with information about Idaho Falls churches and church services[65]
·
Sponsoring union services on Memorial Day
·
Conducting religious surveys of city residents in
1940 and 1948,[66] and
of students in 1953[67]
·
Joining with other organizations in a CARE
project in 1949 to send soap to Europe to combat disease among infants, children
and new mothers[68]
· Joining in the nationwide observance on September 30, 1952 of the printing of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible [69]
·
Promoting, sponsoring and producing radio broadcasts[70]
·
Training Sunday school teachers[71]
·
In 1952, holding early morning services during
the summer months at a drive-in theater in Idaho Falls[72]
·
Dedicating new church buildings and celebrating
church anniversaries[73]
·
From 1952 through 1956, holding Sunday evening
worship services at the Palisades Recreation Hall for Swan Valley residents[74]
·
Conducting religious classes for high school
students[75]
·
Sponsoring farewell functions for departing
pastors[76]
·
Raising funds for local, national and
international needs[77]
·
Holding Sunday evening services at the migratory
labor camp in Shelley, which was occupied by Japanese laborers and their
families[78]
·
Signing a pledge to help with the harvest of
potatoes, peas, hay and sugar beets during WWII[79]
·
Leading their churches in participating in
Family Week[80]
·
Urging Idaho Falls residents to participate in a
nationwide Bible reading campaign sponsored by the American Bible Society[81]
·
Sponsoring youth programs, including union youth
services and high school nights at the YMCA[82]
·
Organizing a memorial service for President
Franklin Roosevelt[83]
·
Sponsoring a drama performed at Trinity
Methodist Church and inviting the community[84]
·
Forming an interdenominational youth council[85]
·
Participating in civic committees, such as the
Bonneville County White House Child Conference Committee, which surveyed the
spiritual, recreational, health and educational needed of children in
preparation for a conference to be held in Washington D. C. in 1950[86]
·
Encouraging the churches of Idaho Falls to
make December 3, 1950 a day of prayer,
praying for peace and for God’s guidance of world leaders in regard to atomic
weapons[87]
·
Holding worship services at the Porter Nursing
and Rest Home Sunday afternoons[88]
·
Trading pulpits – In a number of years in the 1950’s,
pastors of the IFMA traded pulpits one Sunday a year.[89]
·
Holding a Reformation Music Festival in 1957[90]
·
Sponsoring the showing of a Billy Graham film in
1970[91]
·
Sponsoring a three-day art, film and drama
festival in 1972 – Over 200 works of art with Christian motifs were displayed,
works of poetry and prose read and local and outside drama and music groups
performed[92]
·
Planning participation in Shut-In Sunday, encouraging
all Christians to demonstrate God’s love by visiting the elderly and bringing them
to church when possible[93]
·
Having fellowship breakfasts, picnics and
dinners for IFMA members and their families.[94]
As can be seen from the above, the Idaho Falls Ministerial
Association involved fellowship with each other plus a wide range of religious
and civic activities and involvement. Their
regular meetings were monthly and new officers were elected annually. Their monthly meetings included devotions or
presentations of a paper or book review by one of the members or an outside pastor.
One snapshot of the group’s activities can be seen in a
report of a meeting in early 1953 in which duties on eight committees were
divided between 13 pastors. Since most committees had 3 members, some pastors
served on two or three committees. The committees were (1) Holy Week Services,
(2) Thanksgiving Services, (3) Old Folks Home Services, (4) Special Worship
Services, (5) Protestant Religious Education, (6) Radio Broadcasts, (7) Social
Action and (8) Publicity.[95]
The Regional Council for Christian Ministry, Inc. (RCCM) was
organized in 1965 by churches in Idaho Falls, Blackfoot and Arco to reinforce
the common bonds of Christianity among its member churches, and to exemplify
Christianity in its communities through programs of education, worship and
social action.[96] Thus the purposes of the IFMA and RCCM had
considerable overlap, and from what reports I’ve found, the two groups worked
closely together in the 1960’s and 1970’s.
Initially each member RCCM church was entitled to three
delegates on the council. Thus while the RCCM was an association of churches
rather than pastors, it brought church leaders together for the sake of
ministry in Idaho Falls and nearby communities.
From 1975 until 2019 they organized community Thanksgiving services,[97]
and periodically held other community worship services and prayer meetings.
Other programs and activities of the RCCM will be detailed in a later blog,
as they fit as much in the categories of working together for the good of the community
and meeting together for training and seminars as in this category.
From 1986[98]
until about 2019 the Evangelical Ministerial Alliance (also known as the
Evangelical Ministerial Association) typically met monthly for encouragement,
accountability, information and cooperation.
Many years they organized a community Good Friday service and a community
worship service on Palm Sunday, which was held some years at Eagle Rock Junior
High School. A few years in the 1990’s
they hosted a community Eastern sunrise service at Freeman Park. They also went on pastors’ prayer retreats
several years in the 1990’s. In 1997 they
would typically have 25 at their monthly meetings.[99]
In 2019 they expanded the group to include pastors from surrounding communities
and changed their name to the Eastern Idaho Pastors Coalition.
In addition to the IFMA, the RCCM, the EMA and the EIPC, I
have heard of other groups of Idaho Falls pastors meeting for various periods
in the last 20 years, including a group of Pentecostal pastors and
different groups of pastors of Spanish- or bilingual-speaking churches in Idaho Falls. I believe these groups met for fairly short
time periods and mainly for fellowship but know nothing more about them.
While only Jesus knows the full extent of the connections within His body in Idaho Falls, the lack of them can do harm to His name, as rumors, misunderstandings and prejudice magnify divisions, or at least the appearance of divisions. The relationships developed in the associations of leaders of Idaho Falls churches mentioned above have thus been a blessing and a witness to Christ. Also, the multitude of things that these groups have done, not in the name of a single church, but as representing all or much of the body of Christ in the city have turned the focus more onto Jesus Himself rather than one smaller part of His body. Also the many union services and projects that have gotten the body of Christ in Idaho Falls interacting and working together have no doubt resulted in countless relationships that testify to Jesus’ name.
[1]
Romans 12:16 & 15:5, Philippians 2:2, I Corinthians 1:10 and II Corinthians
13:11.
[2]
The first bridge crossing the Snake River in the Idaho Falls area was built in
1865 by James Taylor. Circuit riding preachers held services there in the
1860’s and 1870’s. See E. Lovell, Captain Bonneville’s County, 1963, and
Barzilla Clark, Bonneville County in the
Making, 1941.
[3] Idaho Register, June 20, 1885, p. 4.
[4] The Idaho Falls Times, June 21, 1894, p.
5; “The Union Meeting,” The Idaho Falls
Times, September 28, 1899, p. 1; “Famous Dry Orator Comes Sunday Evening,” Idaho Falls Daily Post, June 27, 1918,
p. 1; Dr. Emma Drake, state superintendent of the Women’s Christian Temperance
Union, spoke at a union meeting of all the Idaho Falls churches on June 1, 1921
[Idaho Falls Sunday Post, May 15,
1921, p. 5]; Post Register, October
18, 1934, p. 3 and others.
[5]
One occasion was the ceremony laying the cornerstone of Trinity Methodist
Church on September 9, 1895. Pastors from all four churches in town
participated and Baptist missionary Rebecca Mitchell gave an address; (see The Idaho Falls Times, Sept. 12, 1895,
p.5). Another example was the dedication
of remodeling the Baptist church in 1901 (The
Idaho Falls Times, May 2, 1901, p. 1) and again when the church moved into
a new building (Post Register, Jan.
29, 1934). A third example is from 1917 when the Presbyterian, Methodist and
Christian Churches joined in a union service at the Baptist Church in honor of
Rev. Jewell, who was closing his pastorate with the Baptist congregation (The Idaho Falls Times, May 31, 1917, p.
5).
[6] The Idaho Falls Times, November 24,
1898, p. 4 reported that every chair at the Methodist Church was occupied for
the service; also an offering was taken for the poor of the city and a
committee was formed to continue helping the poor.
[7] The Idaho Falls Times, November 18,
1904, p. 3; The Idaho Falls Times, November 26, 1907, p. 2; The Idaho Falls
Times, December 4, 1911, p. 6; The Idaho Falls Daily Post, November 18, 1918, p.
5; The Times-Register, November 19, 1922, p. 5; and many others, plus personal
participation in services in the 1990’s and 2000’s. Starting in 1975, community
Thanksgiving services were organized by the Regional Council for Christian
Ministry.
[8] The Idaho Falls Times, March 3, 1899, p.
4 contains the earliest reference I could find to these services. For later
ones, see “Unity in the Body of Christ in Idaho Falls – Part 1, Meeting
Together During Holy Week,” https://jiif140yrs.blogspot.com/2023/04/unity-of-body-of-christ-in-idaho-falls.html.
Union services during most or all days of Holy Week were held from 1899 to the late 1950’s. From the 1970’s to the present the RCCM, various churches or other organizations have periodically held community
services during Holy Week or on Resurrection Sunday.
[9] The Idaho Falls Times, January 4, 1900,
p. 2; The young people’s societies union meeting of in January 1906 focused on
the subject. “Home Missions in Our Own City,” The Idaho Falls Times, January
23, 1906, p. 2; Idaho Falls Daily Post, March 30, 1918, p. 3.
[10] The Idaho Falls Times, May 15, 1903
reported that “600 or more” came to the service; the 1900 census showed Idaho
Falls had a population of 1262.
[11] The Idaho Falls Times, May 21, 1905,
p.3.
[12] The Idaho Falls Daily Post, May 17,
1916, p. 6; May 20, 1918, p. 1; May 22, 1919, p. 1; May 26, 1010, p. 1; May 17,
1920, p. 8; May 30, 1021, p. 1; May 25, 1922, p. 3; The Time- Register, August 3, 1923, p. 13; and The Post Register, May 26, 1935, p. 2, May 24, 1936 p. 2, May 20,
1937 p 1; The Post Register, May 8, 1952, p. 2 (The IFMA worked with other
civic organizations organizing Memorial Day services in other years in the 1950’s.).
[13] The Idaho Falls Daily Post, July 1,
1916, p. 1.
[14]
“Outdoor Union Services Slated,” The Post-Register,
July 20, 1944, p. 9. The speaker at the first of these services was Dr. Irving
G. Roddy, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Boise, born in China of
missionary parents, member of the New York Bar Association, trustee of Linfield
College, member of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society and author or
several books; also The Post-Register,
July 3,7, 26 & Aug. 30 1935, and July 28, 1937 p. 3 and others. The final
summer service in 1935 commemorated Labor Day.
[15]
One of the most notable missionaries was Rev. Christy Wilson Sr., a missionary to
Persia in the aftermath of WWI; he spoke at a union service of the Methodist
and Presbyterian churches July 18, 1919 (Idaho
Falls Daily Post, July 11, 1919, p. 1).
[16]
One example is Rev. Williams speaking at the Baptist Church on “Opening the
Book,” to over 400 people from the Baptist, Presbyterian, Salvation Army, Christian and Swedish Mission churches [Idaho
Falls Daily Post, Feb. 21, 1921, p. 3.]. Another example is Rev. J. Elliot
Slimp of the First Christian Church preaching at the Presbyterian Church at a
union meeting of the evangelical churches on July 8, 1923 [Idaho Falls Daily Post, July 6, 1923, p. 6]. Each Sunday evening in
July, 1923 a different pastor spoke at a union service.
[17]
For example, on October 2, 1940, members of ten Idaho Falls churches filled
First Christian Church to capacity for the union service in preparation for
Worldwide Communion Sunday [The Post-Register,
October 3, 1940, p. 3]; These services continued to at least 1953 [The Post-Register, Sept. 9, 1953, p.2]
[18]
Matthew 21:13
[19]
C. M. Barnes, Jesus in Idaho Falls –
Prayer, August 20, 2020. [Available upon request.]
[20] Idaho Falls Daily Post, November 9,
1921, p. 3.
[21]
The earliest reference I have found to the Idaho Falls Ministerial Association
is in a 1901 newspaper. References to
the Idaho Falls Ministerial Association in Idaho Falls newspapers drop off
precipitously after 1954 but continue at a lower rate through 1977, which is
the last year of the currently available newspapers in the online databases that I know of.
[22]
“A Brief History of Idaho Falls Power & Light,” The Times-Register, June 10, 1924, p. 6.
[23] The Idaho Falls Daily Post, March 12,
1918, p. 2
[25] The Idaho Falls Daily Post; Sept. 15,
1920, p. 1.
[26] The Post-Register, January 16, 1942, p.
2 and others.
[27]
“Sunday School Teacher Sessions Near,” The
Post-Register, January 21, 1949, p. 12.
[28] The Idaho Falls Daily Post; Sept. 15,
1920, p. 2; an article in the October 1, 1920, p. 5 reported the receiving line
included pastors of six churches, a talk by the Rev. J. C. Rollins, music that
included a piano solo, vocal solos and duets and refreshments served by Ladies
Aid Societies of various churches. In 1952 the IFMA issued a welcome to all
teachers and school administrators in the city, acknowledging their
contribution to the city and children and noting that many churches set aside
the following Sunday as Teacher Recognition Day (The Post-Register, September
4, 1952, p. 17)
[29] The Idaho Falls Daily Post of Dec 2,
1925, p. 1, in an article entitled, “National Officers Attend Idaho Home
Missions Council Meeting,” noted that there was a large attendance from all
parts of the state and “This morning’s session of the council will be carried
through under the auspices of the Idaho Falls Ministerial Association…”
[30] Times-Register, May 17, 1929, p. 5
[31] The Idaho Falls Post, Feb. 3, 1930, p. 6
& August 12, 1930, p. 2.
[32] The Post-Register, April 25, 1935, p. 3.
[33] The Post Register, March 31, 1932, p.
12.
[34] The Post Register, April 11, 1952, p. 11.
[35] The Post Register, August 31, 1937, p.
16.
[36] The Post Register, September 30, 1937,
p. 16.
[37] The Post-Register, September 23, 1940,
p. 3.
[38] The Idaho Falls Daily Post; June 21,
1918, p. 13.
[39] The Idaho Falls Daily Post; June 15, 1920,
p. 5.
[40] Morning Times-Register, March 23, 1921,
p, 2.
[41] The Idaho Falls Daily Post; Sept. 1, 1922,
p. 4.
[42] Times-Register, Feb. 19, 1924, p. 1
& March 11, 1924, p 2
[43] The Post Register, March 1, 1938, p. 11.
[44] The Post-Register, July 15, 1940, p. 3.
[45] The Post-Register, October 10, 1940, p.
16.
[46] The Post-Register, April 20, 1942, p.6.
[47] The Post-Register, May 18, 1942, p. 1.
[48] The Post-Register, May 29, 1942, p. 1.
[49] The Post- Register, November 30, 1943,
p. 3.
[50] The Post-Register, September 3, 1945, p.
1
[51] The Post-Register, June 28, 1946, p. 1.
[52] The Post-Register, March 8, 1948, p. 2
(and several other articles).
[53] The Post-Register, August 7, 1949, p. 2.
[54] The Post-Register, September 8, 1949, p. 4; at least 16 articles appeared in The Post-Register from August 1949 to December 1949 on the slot machine issue which also mentioned actions of the Idaho Falls Ministerial Association.
[55] The Post-Register,
September 20, 1949, p. 9.
[56] The Post-Register, November 8, 1949, p. 2.
[57]
See articles in The Post-Register, December 6, p. 2; December 8, p. 1, and
December 18, p.1.
[58] The Post-Register, January 17, 1950, p. 2.
[59] The Post-Register, May 24, 1950, p. 9.
[60] The Post-Register, June 8, 1951, p. 1. 25%
of the license fee went to the county and 25% to the state, the rest to the city.
[61] The Post-Register, June 10, 1951, pp. 1
& 9.
[62] The Post-Register, June 12, 1951, pp. 1
& 10.
[63] The Post-Register, July 20, 1951, p. 6
& July 31, p. 1.
[64] The Post-Register, January 7, 1953, p. 1
& February 15, p. 6.
[65] Times-Register, April 3, 1923, p. 4.
[66] The Post-Register,
December 15, 1939, p. 14, January 19, 1940, p. 7 & February 16, p. 1. As of
mid-February 10,254 individuals had been contacted, out of an Idaho Falls
population estimated to be between 13,000 and 15,000, with 95% expressing a
religious preference, the remaining 5% “included a few atheists.” The Post-Register reported on April 4,
1940 that the Ministerial Association found less than 2% of the population
without a religious preference and was working on a program to bring all people
with a preference back into the church of their choice. In 1948, 10,432 Idaho
Falls residents were surveyed of which 68% were affiliated with or preferred
the LDS faith and the remainder divided into 18 categories from 1,006 Methodists
to 1 Amish [The Post-Register, March
14, 1948, p. 1 and other articles].
[67] The Post-Register, October 9, 1953, p. 3. 6000 students in District 91 were given
religious preference cards, and of 4168 returned, 67% showed LDS preference,
26% Protestant, 3% Catholic and 5% no preference. The low Catholic preference was mostly due to
many Catholic students attending Holy Rosary's school.
[68] The Post-Register,
July 6, 1949, p. 4.
[69] The Post-Register,
October 9, 1951, p. 3 & September 11, 1952 p. 17. This included a community
program on September 30, 1950 in the O. E. Bell Junior High School auditorium
with an address by Rev. Paul Funk, president of the Pocatello Ministerial
Association, music by a combined church choir and presentations of new Bibles
to five leading laymen of the city.
[70] In
1940 the Ministerial Association promoted a series of broadcasts by John R.
Mott, President Roosevelt, the queen of the Netherlands and others speaking
about peace [The Post- Register,
March 15, 1940, p. 11]. In 1946 the Ministerial Association sponsored the radio
program “Victorious Living” that was broadcast over KID 5 days a week [The Post-Register, March 3, 1946, p. 7.];
in 1949 the Ministerial Association produced the program “Wings of the Morning,”
that aired at 7 am Monday through Friday on KIFI [The Post Register, February 4, 1949, p. 6.]; in 1951 the IFMA began
airing an evening radio program on KIFI “Let There Be Light” (The Post
Register, December 15, 1951, p. 9 & December 10, 1951, p. 3)
[71]
“Minister to Hold School – Training Course is Offered for Church Teachers,” The Post-Register, October 18, 1940, p.
3; “Churches Join in Sponsoring Training School – Ministers to Conduct Evening
Courses During Two Weeks,” The
Post-Register, November 7, 1940, p. 3; also November 3, 1950, p. 3,
February 14, 1951, p. 4, February 18,
1951 p. 3, October 25, 1951, p. 17,
November 1, 1951, p. 14 and November 13, 1951, p. 7. The classes in late 1951
began with a worship service then two film strips provided by the International
Council of Christian Education shown and then local Sunday school teachers led
discussions of the material.
[72] The Post-Register, June 12, 1952, p. 17,
June 19, p. 19,and July 17, p. 17. The interdenominational
worship services were held at the Motor-Vu Theater from 7:30 to 8:00 am for “tourists,
fishermen and weekend travelers,” and included music, prayer, Scripture reading
and sermonettes given by pastors of the IFMA.
[73]
One example was the ceremony laying of the cornerstone of the Lutheran Church; The Post-Register, Nov. 6, 1940, p. 12;
in April, 1948, the Ministerial Association participated in a 3-day celebration
of the 50th anniversary of the First Lutheran Church [The Post-Register, April 21, 1948, p.
3]. In 1953, the IFMA was involved in the ground breaking ceremony for the
Assembly of God church on Holmes and Garfield [The Post-Register, August 23, 1953, p. 2].
[74]
See numerous Post Register articles about these services, from July 24, 1952 to
September 27, 1956. The services were discontinued
some years in December, January and February because of winter road conditions but
special Christmas services were still held. Sunday school classes were also
organized by the IFMA.
[75] The Post-Register, February 12, 1941,
p.6; The Post Register, March 26, 1941, p. 9; The
Post-Register, April 18, 1941, p. 2.
[76]
An article in The Post-Register,
August 19, 1941, p. 6 reports on the dinner party given in honor of departing
pastors Dwight Richie of the Assembly of God church and Captain Carl Dueill of
the Salvation Army. On April 24, 1945, the Idaho Falls Ministerial Association
held a breakfast to honor three pastors and their wives (Rev. and Mrs. Enoch
Sandeen of First Lutheran Church, Rev & Mrs. Carl Davidson of Trinity
Methodist and Rev. & Mrs. Theo
Louthan of the Church of the Nazarene) [The
Post-Register, April 25, 1945, p. 4].
Then in June 1945 they held a dinner party in honor of Rev. and Mrs.
John Green who were leaving their positions at the Idaho Falls Assembly of God
Church to do evangelistic work in Stockton, California [The Post-Register, June
19, 1945, p. 4]; in 1947 Rev. Chalmer Wiseman of the Baptist Church represented
the Idaho Falls Ministerial association at a reception welcoming the new pastor
of the Methodist church, Rev. Clark Wood [The
Post-Register, August 11, 1947, p. 5]; also members of the Ministerial
association welcomed the new vicar of St. John’s Episcopal church during an
open house reception [The Post-Register,
October 6, 1947, p. 5].
[77]
In 1941, Rev. L. A. Cook, representing the Ministerial Association, was appointed
to the Defense Savings Committee of Bonneville County [The Post-Register, Aug. 31, 1941, p. 7]; later that year the
Ministerial Association was asked to designate October 19 as Community Chest
Sunday [The Post-Register, Oct 14, p.
9]; the Ministerial Association was represented on the County Christmas Seal
drive to raise funds for tuberculosis research [The Post- Register, Nov. 23, 1941, p. 5] and the Ministerial
Association donated to the Goodfellow Fund used for Christmas baskets for the
needy [The Post-Register, Dec. 17,
1941, p. 1 and others]. In 1946, Association pastors supported a campaign led by the mayor
of Idaho Falls to raise money and give food to the world’s hungry, mostly in
Europe [The Post-Register, June 11,
1946, p. 12]; in 1948 the Ministerial Association sponsored a Sunday evening
service, at the request of the Idaho Falls mayor, to raise funds for the
Pacific Northwest Christmas ship, supplying food to hungry in Europe [“Relief
Drive Nears Climax – Sunday Night Union Services to Bring Campaign to Close,” The Post-Register, January 6, 1948, p.
3]; in 1948 the Idaho Falls Ministerial Association supported the YMCA campaign
to increase membership [The Post-Register,
April 25, 1948, p.13]; in 1950 the Ministerial Association was involved in the
Crusade for Freedom that involved prayer, signing petitions and giving money
toward maintaining Radio Free Europe’s programming behind the Iron Curtain
[“Churches Will Observe Crusade for Freedom,” The Post-Register, September 19,
1950, p. 2].
[78] The Post-Register, June 30, 1942, p. 2.
[79] The Post-Register, April 2, 1943, p. 7.
[80] The Post-Register, April 18, 1944, p. 7.
[81] The Post-Register, November 23, 1944, p.
13.
[82] The Post-Register, April 2, p. 7 and April
12, 1946, p. 2.
[83] The Post-Register, April 15, 1945, p. 1.
[84] The Post-Register, September 13, 1946,
p. 6. The drama was entitled, “The Criminal,’ and was directed by its author,
Hayward H. Johnson
[85] The Post-Register, December 8, 1948, p. 3.
[86] The Post-Register, April 30, 1945, p. 12.
[87]
“Special Peace Prayers to Mark All Services,” The Post-Register, December 3, 1950, p. 7.
[88] The Post-Register, January 13, 1953, p. 2,
November 3, 1953, p. 16 & December 1, 1953, p. 7.
[89] The Post-Register, September 27, 1956, p.
17. Churches participating that year included First Presbyterian, Trinity
Methodist, First Baptist, Salvation Army, First Church of the Nazarene, United
Pentecostal, First Christian and Community Church of Ashton.
[90] The Post-Register, October 26, 1957, p. 3.
The festival was held at the Idaho Falls Civic Auditorium with a “massed choir”
and an address by Pastor Richard Goodson of First Lutheran Church on “The
Protestant Faith.”
[91] The Post-Register, May 6, 1970, p. 15.
The film was “For Pete’s Sake.”
[92] The Post-Register, March 22, 1972, p. C-9.
[93] The Post-Register, October 10, 1975, p.
15.
[94]
Some were to honor new or leaving members and their families, others just for
fellowship on a holiday such as Valentine’s Day; see Post Register Dec, 9,
1932, p 12; May 26, 1933, p. 17; December 31, 1937, p. 6 (New Year’s Eve party
for IFMA members and their families); January 31, 1939, p. 5 (dinner fellowship
for IFMA members and their families).
[95] The Post-Register, February 3, 1953, p. 2.
The largest committee was Social Action, which had 5 members and the smallest,
the only one with just one member, was Thanksgiving Service. All the rest had 2
or 3 members.
[96] The Post-Register, Jan. 9, 1970, p. 10.
As of 1970 the constituent churches were First Lutheran Church, Trinity United
Methodist Church, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. St. John’s Episcopal
Church. First Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church plus St. Paul’s
Episcopal Church in Blackfoot and the Community Baptist Church in Arco.
[97] Based
on a Post Register announcement on
November 22, 1996 of the 22nd annual community Thanksgiving worship service. In
2019 the RCCM organized the Interfaith Council which has continued holding
community Thanksgiving services [Rett Nelson,“Interfaith council hosting
Thanksgiving worship service for the community,” East Idaho News, November 16, 2023].
[98] This
date is from an article published in The
Post Register, Dec. 12, 1999, by Rev. David Bass about Ray Vinson, stating that
Ray helped found the Evangelical Ministerial Association in 1986. I remember
seeing a slightly earlier date for its founding but cannot find the source.
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