MAROA - In the 1850s, churches and schools were among the first entities established in towns, and circuit-riding preachers were not far behind.

R.C. Norton was one of those saddlebag preachers who ministered to the early members of what is now Maroa United Methodist Church, according to the church's historian, Ruth Ann Wilson.

In 1857, the original 11 members met in Robert Belford's home about 6 1/2 miles southeast of Maroa, Wilson said. Norton would travel from Decatur to lead the worship services.

The Maroa church has come a long way since those early days, and it now joins a handful of other churches in the area marking their 150th anniversaries this year.

A Homecoming Day celebration will be held at 10:10 a.m. Sunday in the church. The service will be followed by a potluck dinner, with former pastors as guest speakers.

In honor of the event, Wilson has gathered a lot of history on the church's beginnings.

She said the church members moved their services to the Illinois Central Railroad Depot in Maroa.

"They would alternate having service on Sundays with the Presbyterians," Wilson said.

When a school was built in Maroa in the late 1850s, the Methodists had their services there.

The first church building was constructed in 1867 - a one-room building with a partial partition running down the middle to separate the men and women during worship services.

A new church was built in 1873 on the site of the present parsonage.

Wilson said the Shellabarger grain elevator caught fire and swept through South Walnut Street and down Main Street in Maroa in 1913, destroying the church and other buildings.

Construction on a new brick building had already started and was completed in October 1913.

"Over the years, I think it has been our fellowship and closeness among the church members, caring about each other during hard times and sharing the good times," Wilson said.

The Rev. George Harjes, who is retired and living in Atlanta, Ga., remembers many of those good times. He was senior pastor of the church from 1959 to 1963. He will be one of the speakers at the Homecoming Day celebration.

Harjes was instrumental in getting an education building constructed next to the church.

"We had 250 members and were practically hanging out the windows," he said.

He also recalled that churches across the country were packed with people after World War II.

"Everyone was scared and shook up after President Kennedy lifted the blockade against Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962," he said.

The Rev. David Gaffron, who now resides in Bloomington, is looking forward to returning to his old church.

He was pastor at Maroa United Methodist from 1971 to 1979. He also is one of the two longest-serving ministers at the church.

"It was good years for the church. The church became very mission-oriented and did outreach in the local community, throughout the state and across the country," Gaffron said.

The Rev. John Salzman is enjoying his retirement years in Lake Havasu City, Ariz. He served at the church from 1990 to 1995.

"It was the best five years of my ministry," Salzman said. The church membership grew from 100 to 175 members under his leadership.

"The church was growing, and we seemed to do what we set out to do."

He also can't wait to speak again before the congregation during the Homecoming Day.

All of the former ministers were appointed to serve at Maroa United Methodist by the bishop of the Illinois Great Rivers Conference and later reassigned to other churches.

However, as Harjes jokingly says, "Methodists have been horsing around all our lives, especially going back to the days of the circuit riders who went from community to community."

Sheila Smith can be reached at sheilas@herald-review.com or 421-7963.

History

* The first known church in Decatur was First Methodist Church, which started in 1829. Members first met in homes.

* The first known church in Macon County outside Decatur was the Mount Zion Cumberland Presbyterian Church, established in 1830.

- Source: Decatur Public Library and "Centennial History of Decatur and Macon County" by Mabel E. Richmond n The first known church in Decatur was First Methodist Church, which started in 1829. Members first met in homes.