| History |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Ronald United Methodist Church |
Early 1900's - Hanson Firth family followed forest trails to Richmond Beach Sunday School.
1906 - Mr. Firth and others met for worship at Little Ronald Schoolhouse.
January 1907 - Congregational Sunday School of Ronald's Station organized with Rev. Dick; Superintendent
Hanson Firth, and Secretary E. R. Fish. From 10 to 30 attended.
October 1908 - Ronald Sunday School became a Union Sunday School. Mr. Charles King suggested that
Seattle City Missionary Carl J. Kallgren visit to consider Methodist church potential.
February 1909 - Rev. Kallgren and Dr. Marlatt received 12 adults and two young people into Ronald
Methodist Church. Adults: Mr. and Mrs. Hanson Firth, C. J. Fish, E. R. Fish, Bernard O. Fish, Bessie Fish,
George Fish, Mrs. Mattie Guyer, W. G. Guyer, E. G. Guyer, Harry E. Gardiner and George Nash. Young
people: Ernest and Edith Firth.
Summer 1909 - Church building begun at corner of 175th and Linden Avenue on land given by Mrs. Herrick.
Cost of materials: $450 to $500. Lumber from Ballard shipped on Interurban line to Ronald Station, hauled by
Fish family team to church site. Twenty-two church men gave 143 days, with some paid employment.
Women raised funds, brought meals to workers. Total cost of project: $1,700.
1909-10 - Rev. Kallgren and retired Seattle ministers served pulpit; George F. Nash, Sunday School
superintendent; Hanson Firth, choir leader and church treasurer; Miss Bessie Fish, organist; Mrs. Ellen
Harshman, president of Ladies Aid. "Meetinghouse" was community center for turkey dinner, oyster suppers,
strawberry festivals and Christmas programs.
1910-11 - Rev. J. T. Wright was paid year's salary of $400. Church membership 26; Sunday School 50.
February 1912 - Ladies Aid began fund-raising for new parsonage. Community building enterprise successful
with no financial difficulties. Original cost of this home for 18 ministers about $800.
1918 - Church membership 23.
1925 - Church membership 55.
1922-23 - Church completely renovated; all debts paid. Rev. K. L. Haga became first minister to serve two
consecutive years. The church bell hung at cost of $165.
1924 - Plans begun for newer, larger church, farther north: 5/6 acre bought for $1800.
1925 - New brick church erected and dedicated at Aurora and 180th, J. U. Cassel, building committee
chairman and Sunday School superintendent. Sunday School enrollment: 195.
1926 - Church property value $10,052. Church membership: 73.
1929 - Rev. William E. Callahan began 5-year pastorate at Ronald.
1930 - Church membership 254; Active roll 132. Indebtedness near $7000.
1933 - Threatened foreclosure. Debt-retiring plan revised to payment on principal of $100 per year.
1934 - Silver Jubilee, with Washelli Quartette, banquet, and Bishop Titus Lowe, Sunday service speaker.
1934-36 - 50 new church members.
1935-36 - First minutes recorded for men's club: Rev. Blaisdell, minister; John D. Henry, club president; Mr.
Doug Bird, secretary. About 10 men attended evening meetings.
1936-37 - Annual budget $2,786, including pastor's salary $1,200. J. W. Cassel and O. J. Fish each advanced
$60 to pay annual mortgage principal and interest payment of $120.
May 1941 - "All or nothing" plan adopted to clear entire church debt, $7,828. Entire amount subscribed in
three weeks. Mortgage burning November 18, 1941.
1941 - Rev. Pierson requested leave from pastoral calling to personally build a new parsonage on the church
grounds. Old parsonage sold for $2,500; women's Society advanced $500: Rev. Pierson built new parsonage.
1945 - Thirty-foot strip of land, Aurora to Linden, purchased for $1,400 to preserve "church in the
wildwood" setting. Used for church wing 1955.
Middle 40's - Choir director appointed; Hammond organ purchased.
1949 - Church members 189; Sunday School 230. Church attendance - one service - about 50. Annual
expenditures: $6,100.
The 50's - Sunday morning coffee time between services initiated. Adult social clubs organized. Nursery
room provided. Ronald Review became regular publication. Education wing built at cost of $75,000; includes
chapel, classrooms, offices, etc. Drives blacktopped; parking areas graded and graveled. The Rev. Darrel E.
Berg was pastor of Ronald Church from June 1951 to June 1960.
June 1959 - Church members 938; Sunday School 857. Church attendance-two Sunday morning
services-about 500. Children's choir of 50 voices. Methodist Men's (breakfast) Club 30-50 attending. Church
annual expenditures: $48,900.
Jan. 16, 1963 - Mortgage for Educational Wing built in 1955 is burned by Building Chairman Ken Slingsby,
John Raynes, Lay Leader; Arlow Kaas, Committee Member; Ernest Firth, Charter Member, and Merritt W.
Faulkner, Minister.
1965-66 - $49,733 budget adopted.
May 1966 - New Methodist Hymnal published and adopted. June 1966 -- Church membership 841; Church
school enrollment 675. Bids advertised for new sanctuary and remodeling.
September 1966 - Congregation voted to give Board of Trustees authority to borrow up to $150,000 to
construct new sanctuary and make other improvements.
November 1966 - Contract for $182,605 plus state tax signed with Western States Construction Company.
December 11, 1966 - Closing services in existing sanctuary; ground breaking by Hewitt Emigh, Chairman,
Building Committee. Removal from existing church of pulpit, Bible, Cross, Candlesticks and Cornerstone
contents.
December 18, 1966 - Worship service at Ronald School.
January-April 1967 - Church membership 899; Average attendance 236. Church School enrollment 477;
average attendance 242.
September 10, 1967 - First service in new sanctuary.
October 8, 1967 - Consecration service with Bishop Everett E. Palmer conducting the service.
November 19, 1967 - Dedication of Memorial and Special Gifts.
January 1968 - Shoreline Community Gathering for Christian Unity at St. Luke's Catholic Church.
March 1968 - Report on building program: Cost: $263,428.84, including 10-year loan from National Board of
Missions $150,000.
June 1968 - Coffee hour honoring Walter Barnum, leaving on Educational Sabbatical, after 19 years Director
of Chancel Choir. Youth Choir completes first full year of singing every Sunday morning. Maryon Troxel,
Director; Mildred Wuestenhoefer, organist.
June 18-23, 1968 - United Methodist Church Annual Conference. Rev. Faulkner reappointed to Ronald
seventh year. Ronald becomes part of new United Methodist Church.
October 1968 - Dedication of Junior Choir robes.
December 1968 - Church Photo Directory started.
January 1969 - Ronald United Methodist Church 1969 budget, on calendar year basis, adopted: $94,256,
including "Extra Mile Outreach Program" $10,000. Shoreline Christian Unity meet at Ronald.
March 1969 - Official Board approved September 1969 opening of day care center at Ronald. Work stepped
up on The Church Bell with Proto Club erecting bell tower and accepting contributions.
April 1969 - Bishop W. Maynard Sparks appoints Rev. M. W. Faulkner Superintendent of the Columbia River
District.
June 1969 - Reception honoring Mildred Wuestenhoefer, long-time organist at Ronald. The Rev. William F.
Andrews appointed pastor to Ronald Church and, with his family, welcomed at a reception in the Fireside
Room.
September 1969 - Ronald United Methodist Day Care Center opens
October 1969 - All-church Planning Conference held.
December 7, 1969 - Christmas Program attendance: 403.