OUR STORY: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE

Church Facility

Our current facility was dedicated in 1962. The church had been meeting for about nine years in old Army barracks moved from Hammer Field in Fresno, which had been part of a school located on this property at that time. The buildings were purchased from the Sequoia Union Elementary School when their new school was built in its current location. The church's original thinking was to have a brand-new sanctuary as a separate building, connected to all-new classrooms with a covered walkway. This was a lavish idea designed by Lloyd Fletcher, architect and church member. However, the plans as drawn were not going to be attainable at a cost the congregation could afford within their $22,000.00 budget, and this large gap in building costs threatened to result in no new facility at all.

Well, God had His hand in this phase of the church as well.

After much thought and study, and a lot of back and forth between architect Lloyd Fletcher and construction director Nelson Cairns, it was decided to utilize a portion of the old buildings with an additional area for the new sanctuary. This back-and-forth was not an easy process and was often even unfriendly, but the whole thing eventually evolved into our wonderful, welcoming sanctuary — built for His glory.

Reverend Jonathan Blair

We would like to share a bit of history to emphasize God's hand in the shaping of our church.

In 1857, a group of settlers crossed the plains in a covered wagon train of about 100 people. They were led by a man named Reverend Jonathan Blair, a Cumberland Presbyterian minister who was accompanied by his 14-year-old daughter, Nancy. Also a part of this wagon train were members of the Moffett and Pogue families. They settled first in the Willits area of Northern California, but after a few severe winters, the members of the Moffett, Pogue, and Blair families moved south to Tulare County and eventually settled in the Woodlake area, known then as Antelope. In those early days, members of this community attended the church in Antelope, founded and pastored by the same Reverend Blair who had led them across the plains. Eventually they began meeting on Sunday afternoons at the Lemon Cove School House, where Reverend Blair traveled by horse and buggy to conduct services. The Lemon Cove Presbyterian Church was then organized in 1907.

Reverend Blair was a wagon master — not a lawman, a frontiersman, or even a mercenary. He was a Cumberland Presbyterian pastor who brought his congregation westward. His children and grandchildren became founding members of this very church and continue to be a part of it to this day.

God had a plan for a church in Lemon Cove.

Reverend Paul Hoffman

Paul Hoffman served as pastor of our small church from 1962 until 1991. He and his wife, Julie, were the parents of four children: Jim, Steve, David, and Debbie. Paul grew up in this church in the 1930s and '40s while his father, Reverend Fred Hoffman, was pastor here. Although Paul could preach a fine sermon, his real gift was working with youth. There are so many wonderful memories surrounding this man. There were weekly volleyball games and softball games. Driving a church van, he would pick up kids from school and bring them to God's house for activities and teaching. His own home was open on a daily basis for kids to come and go and be welcomed. The manse was a busy, noisy place. He was a strong advocate for youth camp, especially up at Calvin Crest.

His wife, Julie, served as church music director for several years, worked as secretary at Sequoia Union Elementary School, and was known for hand-knitting a Christmas stocking for over 100 children in our area.

The Sunday school classes were full and active. Teachers Sue Ross, Sharon Dudley, and Sally Clark put in hours, days, and years of wonderful teaching, mentoring, and camp counseling — sharing God's word under the pastorship of Reverend Paul Hoffman. And this went on for 30 years!

God showed Himself daily in Paul's work with the youth every time that van door opened or the manse door swung wide. God saw to it that many of us in this community were part of that wonderful era, and we are still here now as alumni of that youth program, following our hearts to take on leadership roles in this very same church.

His glory is shining through us!

Our Change to ECO

In the fall of 2012, First Presbyterian Church of Lemon Cove was in danger of being abandoned. Our pastors, Dan and Kathy Schwan, were retiring, and we had dwindled to 30 members. The church was a member of the San Joaquin Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church USA, and according to some of those Presbytery members, our church was simply too small to continue.

Before Dan and Kathy retired in January 2013, Dan had researched other Presbyterian denominations and recommended that we leave the Presbyterian Church USA and join the Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians (ECO). ECO was just getting organized and looked like a very good fit for our church because it was a denomination dedicated to church renewal. The pressing question was: Where do 30 church members, a church building, and a community in need find enough support to continue? The members decided to elect a search committee, hire Sunday preachers to fill the pulpit, and pray — a lot — for God's help. ECO also sent ambassadors to help with our transition.

On a bright, warm Easter Sunday in 2013, the service was conducted by Ian Hodge, one of our Sunday preachers. He had heard of the vacancy in Lemon Cove from a pastor in Exeter while Ian and his family were staying with his in-laws. By July of that same year, the congregation met with Ian and Mikaela Hodge, and all of the needs of the church were discussed. The Hodges were very well received, and by August, Ian was our new pastor.

In November, the San Joaquin Presbytery granted dismissal to the Lemon Cove Presbyterian Church, and we joined ECO.

Our church could have languished for as long as two years searching for a pastor, as had been the case in the previous three pastor searches. Instead, God stepped in and led us to a bright, young pastor willing to take on the role. God directed us to ECO. God renewed our membership with enthusiasm and the Holy Spirit and continues to renew our congregation. His hand guided everyone to adopt a "work in progress" attitude and brought revival to this small church. There is no better example of God's work in our lives than looking at the next chapter of ministry ahead of us.

How the Holy Spirit Inspired Us

Our time between pastors — although short — was significant in the life of our church. Out of necessity, and guided by the Holy Spirit, the congregation had to take a new and deeper ownership of each person's role in the life of the church, and that continues today. We have all worked together and contributed together to update, refresh, and restore our facilities. Many people have taken on new roles and ministries to serve our congregation and our local community. Though hurdles have been placed before us — God doesn't always make things easy — the members, both old and new, have jumped right in and contributed their God-given talents and knowledge to further God's will in this place.

We are so grateful for the legacy of Reverend Blair, Reverend Hoffman, co-pastors Dan and Kathy Schwan, and our interim preachers. And it was in God's perfect timing that our current pastor, Ian Hodge, along with his wife Mikaela and their family, joined us as we moved to ECO.

God has always been at work in our church!

FUTURE PROMISES

We here at Lemon Cove Community Church have established — and are living proof — that God shows up. We have seen it more than once in the history of our church. He continually shows us that He is listening, that He has plans we can't even begin to imagine, and that He is there for us during all of life's joys and sorrows. We also know that God will continue to show up in our future. As it states in Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them."

Our church's foundation is Jesus Christ. He will always be there for us, no matter what. Let us continue to have faith, let us continue to gather, and He will be in the midst of us. He will show up. We need to praise Him and trust in His love for us.

As a congregation, we are growing and becoming a closer family. As we continue to worship Him and follow His Word, God will continue to make His presence known. We are excited to see what that will look like in the life of our church and in each other.

God showed up… God shows up today… and God will continue to show up tomorrow and always.

"How Great the Father's Love for Us."