Hastings, Nebraska
Later, meetings were held in the Prsbyterian Church, which later united with the Congegational Church, until their own building was ready in the fall of 1981. The building was erected where the Butler building now stands on Oak Street behind the Harvard Courier office, and the first service was held there in March of 1882 when it was consecrated by Bishop Clarkson of the Diocese of Nebraska. At this meeting five persons were confirmed.
In 1895 the church was moved to its present location. The stained glass windows were a gift of the P. H. Updike family.
Although there have been many ministers who have served the church as supply Vicars, there have been a number of men who were regularly assigned to the church for two years or more. They include the Rev. J. W. Greenwood, the Rev. W. Lucas, the Rev. W. P. Wharton, the Rev. A. H. Tripp, the Rev. T. P. Bate, the Rev. W. H. Moor, the Very Rev. George Tyner, the Rev. B. E. Diggs, the Rev. Robert Reddish, the Rev. Eric B Asboe, and the Rev. Robert Johnson.
During the years the Bishops who have presided are the Rt. Rev. A Clarkson, the Rt. Rev. A. L. Williams, the Rt. Rev. E. V. Shayler and the Rev. H. R. Brinker.
The church building stands on the southeast part of the intersection which for years was called the "church corner" at Beach and Harvard Avenue since four of the community's eight churches were to be found on the four corners of the intersection. The Congregational was on the southwest corner where the August Kloke home now stands, the Christian Church, which is being remodeled for us as the Masonic Lodge Hall, was on the northeast corner, and the Methodist is on the northwest corner.
The families responsible for the organization of the church in the early eighteen eighties were the Alex Swallow's, the William Canfield's, the William Newton's, Dr. and Mrs. John T. Fleming, and the Harry Tickler family.
Since 1948, Saint John's has continued to hold services, the pulpit being supplied by the Rev. Griffin, the Very Rev. Willis Steinberg, the Very Rev. George Peak, the Very Rev. John Bartholomew, and the Very Rev. Richard Martindale, all of Saint Mark's Pro-Cathedral in Hastings.
In 1953 a building improvement program was started which included new flooring, ceiling repairs, new lighting fixtures, new aisle carpeting, and papering.
Families associated witht he church since 1950 have been the John W. Schwenk's, the John E. Schwenk's, Donald and Gerald Eller, Mrs. Harriet Scheer, Robert and Dorothy Kinyoun, Mrs. Lois North, the Floyd Brenneman's, Ted, Freida, Gladys and Gertie Tickler, the John Schaumnburg's, the Robert Whitman's, Don Gerlach, Louise Rosenbaum, the Gene Hansen's, and the Bruce Schwenk's.
In 1970, the two south lots of the church building were sold to Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Sinner for a private residence.
Saint John's Episcopal Church, Harvard
The members of Saint John's Episcopal Church met and organized in May of 1881. Their first services were held in the Starkey Building by the Rev. J. W. Greenwood of Hastings.