Thanks to all the tireless volunteers, friends of the church, as well as members, our 80th Anniversary Celebration was a resounding success.  For weeks prior to the event, volunteers helped with the preparations, "sprucing up" the church grounds by painting, trimming hedges, planting flowers, and spreading mulch. church's craft group made old-fashioned hand fans to give out as souvenirs, and the church was tastefully decorated.

On February 9th and 10th, 2008, Community Church celebrated its' 80th anniversary of being affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, USA.  On Saturday the 9th there was a spaghetti lunch and various contests including a Silent Auction featuring donated items from local businesses and individuals, netting over $800. boards depicting various aspects of the history of the church showed old legal documents, history of construction, archiving of session minutes, a list of pastors from the present to the past, and a celebration of life series. slide show of church photographs from the archives, interspersed with music from the Twenties ran continuously during the sit-down spaghetti dinner that served over 150 people.

Ms. Melanie Tucker, Yalaha, was thrilled she won the free airplane ride; other winners were for: farthest to attend (Mrs. Agatha Alberti from Ottawa, Canada); couple married longest (Joyce and Law Wilson, 57 years); person born closest to the church's anniversary date was  Laurel Ziegler (yes, she told her age!); the planning committee gave the oldest person, Mrs. Muriel Koch, age 91, a stained glass Wise Old Owl Suncatcher. Brothers won an 8-piece pliers and wrench set for displaying an antique automobile closest to the church's anniversary date. and  Julie Fulks took the award for the most unusual tool, household artifact, or memorabilia dated closest to the church's anniversary date; it was a vintage Saturday Evening Post magazine dated May 5, 1928!

The Honorable Ken Green Mayor of the Town of Howey-in-the-Hills, presented a plaque to the Community Church proclaiming February 12, 2008, as 80th Anniversary Day. off Saturday's festivities, Pastor Rev. Ken Folmsbee presented Connie and Les Deatherage, a Lifetime Christian Service Award, and named the church fellowship hall in their honor - Deatherage Hall!  Their children made a surprise appearance for the occasion; son, Jeff Deatherage, from Denver, CO, and daughter, Kathy Woodell, from Cary, NC.

Sunday's special service began with Associate Executive Presbyter Edwin Peterson delivering greetings from the other 76 churches in the Central Florida Presbytery, followed by Rev. Robert Merrill, reflecting on his six years as interim pastor at Community Church. Rev. Ken Folmsbee gave the sermon message of "Planting Trees - Sitting in the Shade" to illustrate the second half of the Celebration's theme: "Reflecting on Our  Past; Envisioning Our Future." Sunday's 11 o'clock traditional worship service, members and friends enjoyed a potluck meal together.

Growth of the Community Church has paralleled that of the Town of Howey from the beginning. 1920, five years before the town was incorporated, early settlers in the area began meeting at different times in homes, an old school building, and a tent city to worship together and share their Christian religion. that time, there were only 17 homes within a three-mile radius. January 1, 1927, 26 people signed a petition requesting Dr. J. F. Shepherd from Eustis, Synodical Executive for the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. to furnish a minister and help in the organization of a community church. a result, the Rev. Alexander Linn, a Sunday School missionary for the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A., took a religious census and encouraged the people to become an organized church. year later, the application came to fruition and the Howey-in-the-Hills Community Church became a reality on February 12, 1928, with 27 charter members, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

Encouraged by town officials and with a generous gift by the Yoder Brothers the congregation built a small church in 1949 at its' present location on land donated by the W. J. Howey Company in the center of "old" Howey, to serve the residents.

 

Les Deatherage states:   "Thank you very much to everyone who worked so diligently to make the 80th anniversary celebration a resounding success.  Your willingness to accept responsibility for the multitude of jobs and devote many precious hours, accomplished what at first appeared impossible.  Many thanks also to those whose donations netted over $800 from the silent auction." 

 

From Les & Connie Deatherage:  "Words are not adequate to express our heartfelt appreciation for this great honor you have given us.  Thank you so much!  We were so surprised and deeply touched also by the proclamation and award plaques.  How wonderful that you invited our daughter and son to share this momentous occasion with us!  We couldn’t believe it when they entered the room.  To God be the glory and may God bless Community Church!"

 

 

*** Photos from the 80th anniversary celebration are being uploaded to Snapfish.com.

  Those who want to view or share photos, please email howeyles@juno.com to gain access to that website. 

 

 

                                      

                                  Gene Hall                   The Fulks Family               Gene Hall          Les and Connie Deatherage          Using fans like

                                                                 in period costume                  M.C.          Dedication of Deatherage Hall         the olden days

 

*Click on these picture for a larger view