The “Little Church,” as it has affectionately become known, began its life as part of the Hoxie Groesbeck farm sometime prior to 1900, and it remained there until 1901 when it was moved to the town of Max, and became the first building in Max to be used exclusively as a church.
Prior to 1890, the town of Max was essentially without a church. A Union Sunday School (an organization started by the American Sunday School Union of Philadelphia, which provided non-sectarian worship services) had begun holding services in the Max schoolhouse some years before, but in the Spring of 1890, Rev. Benjamin S. Haywood, an Methodist-Episcopal (M.E.) preacher, organized the M.E. church in Max. Services were held in the Max schoolhouse as well, with the Rev. M. DeBra of Benkelman serving the new church. The reverend was paid a yearly salary of $75. An organ was purchased by the literary society. It is not known what became of the Union Sunday School.
Records from the early formative years of the Max M.E. church were either lost, or simply not kept, but it is known that the church steadily grew, and in 1891 added 12 new members. The church continued to be served by a circuit riding minister who also served other communities in the area. Although these early circuit riders were paid an annual salary, quite often that salary was paid in foodstuffs. In 1896, the Max M.E. church held a revival and an additional 8 members were added to the congregation, and an Epworth League was formed.
In 1901, the growing congregation purchased, moved and remodeled the building that would become its home until 1917. That building is the little church building that you are now standing in.
In 1905, the church was served by circuit minister, Rev. Harry Shepherd, who, unlike most circuit riders, rode a bicycle to visit the congregations he served. He was paid and annual salary of $300. The Max M.E. Church now had a membership of 25 active members, and plans were made to build a parsonage for a resident pastor.
14 acres were purchased for this from Hiram Ostrom for a total of $140. The parsonage was to be built on the land, as well as a “parsonage farm.” The plan was to have the pastor be self-supporting by raising sugar beets. These plans fell through, however, when irrigation to the farm failed. The parsonage home itself still stands to this day, and is located approximately 1 ½ blocks north of the current location of the little church, on the corner of Fourth and Main streets.
In 1906, the Max circuit expired and the Benkelman pastor took charge of serving the Max M.E. Church. Membership dropped to about 20 active members, and over the next few years, the church’s membership continued to decline until even the local newspapers failed to mention church activities. It was a dark time for the church, as one newspaper article stated that although there seemed to be little religion in the Max community, there was still a lot of interest in politics. By 1909, only 12 members remained in the Max M.E. church.
One of the reasons for the decline in church membership was the division of the church. Initially started as a Methodist-Episcopal church, from 1902 through 1909, those members who leaned more toward the Episcopal persuasion had been steadily leaving the church to seek a new spiritual home, while those who leaned more toward the Methodist teachings remained. This was not exclusive to the Max community, and similar divisions occurred in many M.E. churches, for various reasons. The M.E. Churches were eventually combined with other denominations into the United Methodist Church.
As the “Episcopals” left, the M.E. Bishop at the time, Bishop Graves, offered the building to those who remained, and they accepted. The failed parsonage farm was sold to J.W. Kimsey in 1909 for $490, and the little church was purchased for $350, with the remaining monies used for repairs on the building. The Max United Methodist Church was officially born
In 1910, the average church attendance was only about 9 to 12 people. A revival was held and 13 additional names were added to the church roll. The Epworth league was very active and took a strong interest in church activities. A new organ was purchased, as well as some much needed hymnals. The old organ was auctioned off and was purchased by the Updike family. The church was by then being served by Rev. Hageman, who was the first pastor in this area to own an automobile. Although the Max church was unable to meets its expenses, Rev. Hageman felt it was more important to serve the small community, and he continued to do so.
The small town of Max soon erected a brick schoolhouse, and the original frame schoolhouse was moved near the church. Although a railroad depot had also been built, times were tough in Max. A severe drought forced most townsmen to seek work in other places, and a diphtheria epidemic sweeping the area in 1912 caused church services to become irregular at best. In spite of these trials, the church persevered, and managed to raise enough money to purchase new lamps and a new piano for the church.
The Sunday school and Epworth League were strong, and this because of a local boy preparing for the ministry, Frank Gardner, spent much time and effort to make both a big success. Actual church attendance, however, was still lacking, and when Rev. Catlett was asked to come to Max to hold Sunday afternoon services in 1912, those services were practically non-existent. Not one to easily give up, Catlett still road his bicycle from Stratton to Max, and managed to create a re-interest in attending services. Although the church membership was only 23, the church still managed to pay the reverend $150 annually.
By 1914, the Max Church was showing signs of growth, both spiritually and membership-wise. Rev. Catlett held a revival and 38 new members were added to the rolls. Membership continued to grow, and everyone was working. A gospel team was organized, there was renewed interest in having a resident pastor, and the church building itself received a much needed facelift. Interior walls were papered, new carpets were laid, and the outside of the building received a new coat of paint. On October 15, 1915 the Dundy County Sunday School Convention was held in Max with great success.
By 1916, with church membership continuing to grow, talk soon turned toward the need for a new church building. Dent Gallatin, cashier at the new Max State Bank, became the Epworth League sponsor, and along with other church organizations, began raising the funds necessary to undertake construction on a new church building. By the end of 1917, $3,000 dollars had been raised to help this cause, and in October of that year the little church building that had served the community so well over the years, was moved to a rear corner of the church property.
As construction began on the new church building, services were held once again in the old Max school building, which by this time had been converted into the Lodge Hall, as the membership had swelled to almost 100 – too many for the little church to comfortably hold. The little church building remained on the back corner of the church property until it was sold to the nondenominational People’s Church of Max in 1920.
Prior to 1890, the town of Max was essentially without a church. A Union Sunday School (an organization started by the American Sunday School Union of Philadelphia, which provided non-sectarian worship services) had begun holding services in the Max schoolhouse some years before, but in the Spring of 1890, Rev. Benjamin S. Haywood, an Methodist-Episcopal (M.E.) preacher, organized the M.E. church in Max. Services were held in the Max schoolhouse as well, with the Rev. M. DeBra of Benkelman serving the new church. The reverend was paid a yearly salary of $75. An organ was purchased by the literary society. It is not known what became of the Union Sunday School.
Records from the early formative years of the Max M.E. church were either lost, or simply not kept, but it is known that the church steadily grew, and in 1891 added 12 new members. The church continued to be served by a circuit riding minister who also served other communities in the area. Although these early circuit riders were paid an annual salary, quite often that salary was paid in foodstuffs. In 1896, the Max M.E. church held a revival and an additional 8 members were added to the congregation, and an Epworth League was formed.
In 1901, the growing congregation purchased, moved and remodeled the building that would become its home until 1917. That building is the little church building that you are now standing in.
In 1905, the church was served by circuit minister, Rev. Harry Shepherd, who, unlike most circuit riders, rode a bicycle to visit the congregations he served. He was paid and annual salary of $300. The Max M.E. Church now had a membership of 25 active members, and plans were made to build a parsonage for a resident pastor.
14 acres were purchased for this from Hiram Ostrom for a total of $140. The parsonage was to be built on the land, as well as a “parsonage farm.” The plan was to have the pastor be self-supporting by raising sugar beets. These plans fell through, however, when irrigation to the farm failed. The parsonage home itself still stands to this day, and is located approximately 1 ½ blocks north of the current location of the little church, on the corner of Fourth and Main streets.
In 1906, the Max circuit expired and the Benkelman pastor took charge of serving the Max M.E. Church. Membership dropped to about 20 active members, and over the next few years, the church’s membership continued to decline until even the local newspapers failed to mention church activities. It was a dark time for the church, as one newspaper article stated that although there seemed to be little religion in the Max community, there was still a lot of interest in politics. By 1909, only 12 members remained in the Max M.E. church.
One of the reasons for the decline in church membership was the division of the church. Initially started as a Methodist-Episcopal church, from 1902 through 1909, those members who leaned more toward the Episcopal persuasion had been steadily leaving the church to seek a new spiritual home, while those who leaned more toward the Methodist teachings remained. This was not exclusive to the Max community, and similar divisions occurred in many M.E. churches, for various reasons. The M.E. Churches were eventually combined with other denominations into the United Methodist Church.
As the “Episcopals” left, the M.E. Bishop at the time, Bishop Graves, offered the building to those who remained, and they accepted. The failed parsonage farm was sold to J.W. Kimsey in 1909 for $490, and the little church was purchased for $350, with the remaining monies used for repairs on the building. The Max United Methodist Church was officially born
In 1910, the average church attendance was only about 9 to 12 people. A revival was held and 13 additional names were added to the church roll. The Epworth league was very active and took a strong interest in church activities. A new organ was purchased, as well as some much needed hymnals. The old organ was auctioned off and was purchased by the Updike family. The church was by then being served by Rev. Hageman, who was the first pastor in this area to own an automobile. Although the Max church was unable to meets its expenses, Rev. Hageman felt it was more important to serve the small community, and he continued to do so.
The small town of Max soon erected a brick schoolhouse, and the original frame schoolhouse was moved near the church. Although a railroad depot had also been built, times were tough in Max. A severe drought forced most townsmen to seek work in other places, and a diphtheria epidemic sweeping the area in 1912 caused church services to become irregular at best. In spite of these trials, the church persevered, and managed to raise enough money to purchase new lamps and a new piano for the church.
The Sunday school and Epworth League were strong, and this because of a local boy preparing for the ministry, Frank Gardner, spent much time and effort to make both a big success. Actual church attendance, however, was still lacking, and when Rev. Catlett was asked to come to Max to hold Sunday afternoon services in 1912, those services were practically non-existent. Not one to easily give up, Catlett still road his bicycle from Stratton to Max, and managed to create a re-interest in attending services. Although the church membership was only 23, the church still managed to pay the reverend $150 annually.
By 1914, the Max Church was showing signs of growth, both spiritually and membership-wise. Rev. Catlett held a revival and 38 new members were added to the rolls. Membership continued to grow, and everyone was working. A gospel team was organized, there was renewed interest in having a resident pastor, and the church building itself received a much needed facelift. Interior walls were papered, new carpets were laid, and the outside of the building received a new coat of paint. On October 15, 1915 the Dundy County Sunday School Convention was held in Max with great success.
By 1916, with church membership continuing to grow, talk soon turned toward the need for a new church building. Dent Gallatin, cashier at the new Max State Bank, became the Epworth League sponsor, and along with other church organizations, began raising the funds necessary to undertake construction on a new church building. By the end of 1917, $3,000 dollars had been raised to help this cause, and in October of that year the little church building that had served the community so well over the years, was moved to a rear corner of the church property.
As construction began on the new church building, services were held once again in the old Max school building, which by this time had been converted into the Lodge Hall, as the membership had swelled to almost 100 – too many for the little church to comfortably hold. The little church building remained on the back corner of the church property until it was sold to the nondenominational People’s Church of Max in 1920.