The current First Presbyterian Church building is at 308 S. Crawford. Submitted photo.
The First Presbyterian Church is celebrating 165 years in the Fort Scott community.
“A special worship service will be held Sunday, November 17 at 10:30 a.m. at the church, with a celebration fellowship in the parlor afterward,” said Pastor Sarah Gengler.
Pastor Sarah Gengler. Submitted photo.
“Through the years, First Presbyterian has been blessed with 11 installed pastors, as well as two installed associate pastors,” Gengler said.
The current congregation members were deeply committed to continuing worship and ministry outreach while searching for a new pastor recently, according to information provided by Gengler. Twenty-three different members volunteered at least once, to preach a sermon during their Sunday morning worship. On February 1, 2024, the congregation gratefully welcomed their newest pastor, Rev. Sarah Gengler. Rev. Gengler has been in ministry for 10 years and moved here from Minnesota.
Currently, there are 134 members and worship service is 10:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings.
Pastor Gengler provided some of the outreaches of the church:
“First Presbyterian Church volunteers to cook and serve a meal for the Feeding Families Program at the Methodist church on the 4th Wednesday of every month.
There are two different adult Faith Formation classes beginning at 9:15 and 9:30 a.m. As well as “Waffles and Jesus” in the Zimmerman Hall dining room at 9:15 a.m., where a hot breakfast is prepared by church volunteers, and then class is held for children grades Kindergarten through 9th.
“The church co-hosts Vacation Bible School each summer with First United Methodist Church
“We hold a friendly competition between us and First United Methodist Church each year to see who can raise the most pounds of food for the Beacon Food Pantry.
“The Presbyterian Women’s organization directs a long-ago gift known as the Hack Memorial Fund, which helps those with the greatest need in Fort Scott. Included in the scope of this ministry are assistance with utilities, rent, and some medical and dental needs, all requests are received and recommended through the Beacon, Bourbon County’s food pantry.”
“The church remains active in the community,” she said. “Members are hosting two special showings of The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever at Fort Scott Cinema. Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tell them First Presbyterian sent you!”
“The church will be holding a community-wide service of remembrance called Blue Christmas on Sunday, Dec. 8,” she said. “People are invited to join us at 2 p.m. for a time devoted to remembering those we love, and whose loss is felt more deeply this time of year.”
History of the church, provided by Pastor Gengler:
In the summer of 1859, a church-planting Presbyterian missionary, the Reverend Alexander Taylor Rankin of Buffalo, New York, was sent to Kansas by the Presbyterian General Assembly, according to information provided by Gengler. He officially organized the First Presbyterian Church on November 17th, 1859, with three members. In the first few years after its inception members met in each other’s homes for worship. Reverend George C. Irvin became the first installed pastor in 1865. The foundation for the first church was laid in 1864, where the present-day Cheney-Witt Carriage House now stands at the southeast corner of Third and Main. The church building was completed in 1865.
The first building of the First Presbyterian Church was at Third and Main Street. Submitted photo.
In 1888 the second church was constructed on the current property at 308 S. Crawford St., to accommodate the growing congregation.
By early 1920’s the congregation again recognized that it needed more space. The 1888 building was razed and the third church was built, laying its corner stone in 1924. The 100-year-old building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.
The second building of the First Presbyterian Church was located at the current site, 308 S. Crawford. Submitted photo.
The First Presbyterian Church has participated in many different ministries over the years, including youth groups, sewing groups, Presbyterian Women, the Methodists’ Feeding Families program, the Beacon Food Pantry, Sunday Serve events where congregation members completed service projects in the community, and Vacation Bible School, according to information provided by Gengler.
Come enjoy a wonderful evening for a great cause. All proceeds benefit the Foster Care Christmas Program formerly sponsored by the Rotary Club of Fort Scott.
November 16th
Doors open at 7pm | Music starts at 7:30pm
Green Lantern Speakeasy
110 South Main St.
$25
Cash Bar
Dessert included with ticket.
Purchase tickets by calling 620-418-6209 or stop in at 110 South Main / Cohn’s Cafe Tuesday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. to purchase tickets in person. Cash Credit Card or Venmo.
A group of award-winning teachers will visit Fort Scott in December, with two local teachers bringing attention to innovative ideas the local school district has in place.
“These Kansas educators are quite accomplished and the event is about sharing information and ideas for better education,” according to Jackson Tough, City of Fort Scott Public Relations and Tourism Director.
“Fort Scott was chosen as a location to tour because of Fort Scott teachers Sara Jackman and Amy Harper,” he said.
Amy Harper and Sara Jackman. Submitted photo.
Jackman was chosen District Teacher of the Year last year and 2024 is her service year. Harper was selected in 2023 and last year was her service year.
“Fort Scott is one district that participates in the program, not many in our area do,” Jackman said. “A school district committee votes on the yearly winner. Once chosen, you compete at the state level for Kansas Teacher of the Year. That was held in Topeka in April. Starting in September the nominees are put into groups that tour each other’s schools looking for innovative ideas that we can use in our districts. We also work on bringing attention to the positive things going on in our district”
The goal is to learn from each other and share best practices from award-winning teachers to implement in schools.
Teachers will be visiting each of the Fort Scott schools.
“The group will be meeting with teachers and learning about some of our programs including Computer Aided Manufacturing, CAM, taught by Dr. Laubenstein, Tiger Times taught by Erica Clark, Tiger Threads taught by Morgan Sage and our art, welding, and automotive programs taught by Chris Griffeths, Michael Casner, and Ryan Miller respectively,” she said.
“The teachers will also tour Fort Scott’s Historic Downtown District, the Fort Scott National Historic Site, and have lunch,” Tough said. “A breakfast will be prepared by the new Kitchen Collective and snacks prepared by the Fort Scott High School FACS class.”
The visiting educators will be in Fort Scott on December 3 from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
The teachers, all of whom won their respective district teacher of the year awards:
Michelle Weltz is a high school English teacher from Spring Hill
Jason Werner is a second-grade teacher from Turner School District in KCK
Catherine Leake is a sixth-grade math teacher from Nickerson
Michelle Ernst is a high school English teacher from Nickerson High School
Karen Withers is a middle school social studies teacher from the Shawnee Heights district
Mallory Koger is a second-grade teacher in the Santa Fe Trail district, and
Kelsey Mann is a preschool teacher from Junction City
For more information please contact Sara Jackman at USD 234, [email protected].
Click here to see all the FUN classes at The Artificers, classes for ALL ages!
BINGO hosted by the American Legion Post 25 every 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month unless it falls on a holiday. Doors open at 6pm and Bingo starts at 7pm at Memorial Hall. (Taking the month of August off for BINGO & will start again in September)
11/8 ~ Week 10: FSHS Tiger Football takes on the Tonganoxie Chieftains. KSHSAA Regional Round Admission Prices Adults: (No Passes Accepted) Students: $8 K-12: $6
ALL USD234 STUDENTS ADMITTED FREE –
(must go to the designated gate)
Gates open at 5pm Kick off at 7 pm.
If you can’t make it you can listen on 103.9 or click the link below to watch the live stream!
City Hall Commission Room – 123 S. Main Street, Fort Scott, KS 66701
November 12, 2024 – 5:30 P.M.
Call to Order
Roll Call
Tim VanHoecke, Matthew Wells, Dyllon Olson, Kathryn Salsbury, Tracy Dancer
III. Pledge of Allegiance
Invocation
Approval of Agenda
Public Comment – Sign up required before the beginning of the meeting on register at the entrance of the Commission Room. Public Comments are for any topic not on the agenda and limited to five (5) minutes per person, at the Commission’s discretion.
VII. Unfinished Business
Request to Pay – Project No. 24-414 – Horton St. & 6th Street Improvements – Heck & Wicker, Inc. – Application for Payment No. 4 – $402,686.80 – Tabled from Nov. 5, 2024.
Consideration of Bids for WWTP Maintenance and Installation Services – S. Flater Removed from November 5, 2024, agenda.
The Annual KEY Warehouse Sale is just around the corner – November 23-30. Find great deals on discounted workwear and outerwear for the whole family!
The sale is at the same location as last year, 2400 S. Main, Suite 200, Fort Scott (previously Shoe Sensation) in the shopping center next to T-Mobile.
They are closed Sunday (November 24) and on Thanksgiving (November 28).
Gear up and grab a deal at the KEY Warehouse Sale November 23-30 at 2400 S Main, Suite 200 in Fort Scott.
