Sycamore UCC 1897
On February 8, 1897, the Tiffin Classis appointed Rev. J. A. Peters, President of Heidelberg College; Rev. J. B. Shumaker; and Rev. J. M. Schick to be a committee of three to organize a Reformed Church in Sycamore, Ohio. This action was in response to a petition signed by members of the Reformed Church then living in and near the Sycamore community. The appointed committee held the first service in the Alma Opera House on March 26, 1897. The following day, the new church's constitution was adopted followed by the ordination and installation of officers on March 28, 1897. The new congregation of 47 members' elected two elders, William F. Boomershine and George A. Klahr, and two deacons, Levi Freiman and Henry Hauck.
Various ministers of the Tiffin area served as interim ministers for the regularly held service in the opera house. On March 15, 1899, Rev. E. D. Wettach was called by the congregation to become the regular minister. He served for one year and was then replaced by Rv. A. C. Shuman. It was during his pastorate that both the church and the parsonage were built.
The parsonage was constructed in 1902, and solicitation of funds for the church building began after its completion. Ground was broken for the new church on September 4, 1905. The cornerstone was laid on October 29, 1905, by Rev. Shuman. Dr. C.E. Miller, president of Heidelberg College provided the address.
The $13,000 church building was dedicated on November 25, 1906. The dedication ceremony was read by Rev. Shuman, and Dr. Schick provided the dedicatory sermon. By the time of the dedication, the congregation had reached a membership of 205.
During the 10 years between 1907 and 1917, several pastors served the church: Rev. E.E. Young, Rev. J.D. Neff, and Rev. B.E. Reemsnyder. The congregation had grown to 250 members. It was also during these years that two serious misfortunes vefell the church. The first was the community bank failure in August 1913 in which not only many of the members, but also the church lost considerable funds. In addition, the church lost prestige due to the involvement of a leading member in this action. At this time, due to bank peculiarities, a $7,400 note had to be paid. The second misfortune was the loss of the church building through a fire on Sunday morning, February 6, 1916. The cause of the fire was not determined, but it left only a few walls of the church standing. The congregation, with a small debt from the 1913 misfortunes, immediately began plans to rebuild and appointed O.J. Niebel, H.P. Engler, D.A. Hottenstein, A. L. Prouse, and E.J. Adams to the Plans Committee, and G.L. Staum, P.O. Babcock, William Ohl, H.H. Balliet, and William Ludwig to the Building Committee. They chose William Unger of Bucyrus as architect, Badger and Ennis of Sycamore as masons, and D.A> Hottenstein of Sycamore as carpenter and steel worker. Services meanwhile were continued in other churches, school houses, Alma Theater Building, and, by late fall, in the church basement.
The new building took the general lines of the first building with some updating and additions. The rebuilding cost was approximately $16,000, all of which was provided or pledged by the closing service on rededication, Sunday, February 25, 1917--just a few weeks more than one year from the time of the fire. This benevolence was an indication of the vitality and vigor of the congregation.
Rev. J.P. Stahl: June 1, 1917-April 1, 1919
Rev. J.B. Swartz: April 2, 1919-January 3, 1922
Rev. J.W. Huffman: May 4, 1922-June 5, 1927
Rev R.A. Miller: June 1927-May 1928
Rev. C.F. Brouse October 14, 1928-May 14, 1954
The Evangelical and the Reformed Churches merged in 1934. In 1936, the donated bell from the church in Mexico, Ohio, was installed in the tower.
In 1957, through merging with the Congregational Christian Church, the name of the church was changed to United Church of Christ.
Rev. R. Philip Shober: February 1, 1955-August 1962
Rev. R. P. Merkle: September 1963-August 1, 1967
Rev. Ralph L. Rebman: September 15, 1968-September 1974
Rev. William Chidester: September 1975-February 1986
Rev. Dennis Crosson: January 1987-January 1989
Rev. Lon McSherley: December 1989- 1998
Rev. Diane Thomas: May 2001-July 2007
Rev. Robin LaBolt: June 2009-2016
Rev Karen Fraser Moore and Rev Paul Fraser: June 2017-2019
Rev. Dr. Matthew Zuehlke May 2019-June 2021
Rev. Darrin Harvey January 2021
On February 8, 1897, the Tiffin Classis appointed Rev. J. A. Peters, President of Heidelberg College; Rev. J. B. Shumaker; and Rev. J. M. Schick to be a committee of three to organize a Reformed Church in Sycamore, Ohio. This action was in response to a petition signed by members of the Reformed Church then living in and near the Sycamore community. The appointed committee held the first service in the Alma Opera House on March 26, 1897. The following day, the new church's constitution was adopted followed by the ordination and installation of officers on March 28, 1897. The new congregation of 47 members' elected two elders, William F. Boomershine and George A. Klahr, and two deacons, Levi Freiman and Henry Hauck.
Various ministers of the Tiffin area served as interim ministers for the regularly held service in the opera house. On March 15, 1899, Rev. E. D. Wettach was called by the congregation to become the regular minister. He served for one year and was then replaced by Rv. A. C. Shuman. It was during his pastorate that both the church and the parsonage were built.
The parsonage was constructed in 1902, and solicitation of funds for the church building began after its completion. Ground was broken for the new church on September 4, 1905. The cornerstone was laid on October 29, 1905, by Rev. Shuman. Dr. C.E. Miller, president of Heidelberg College provided the address.
The $13,000 church building was dedicated on November 25, 1906. The dedication ceremony was read by Rev. Shuman, and Dr. Schick provided the dedicatory sermon. By the time of the dedication, the congregation had reached a membership of 205.
During the 10 years between 1907 and 1917, several pastors served the church: Rev. E.E. Young, Rev. J.D. Neff, and Rev. B.E. Reemsnyder. The congregation had grown to 250 members. It was also during these years that two serious misfortunes vefell the church. The first was the community bank failure in August 1913 in which not only many of the members, but also the church lost considerable funds. In addition, the church lost prestige due to the involvement of a leading member in this action. At this time, due to bank peculiarities, a $7,400 note had to be paid. The second misfortune was the loss of the church building through a fire on Sunday morning, February 6, 1916. The cause of the fire was not determined, but it left only a few walls of the church standing. The congregation, with a small debt from the 1913 misfortunes, immediately began plans to rebuild and appointed O.J. Niebel, H.P. Engler, D.A. Hottenstein, A. L. Prouse, and E.J. Adams to the Plans Committee, and G.L. Staum, P.O. Babcock, William Ohl, H.H. Balliet, and William Ludwig to the Building Committee. They chose William Unger of Bucyrus as architect, Badger and Ennis of Sycamore as masons, and D.A> Hottenstein of Sycamore as carpenter and steel worker. Services meanwhile were continued in other churches, school houses, Alma Theater Building, and, by late fall, in the church basement.
The new building took the general lines of the first building with some updating and additions. The rebuilding cost was approximately $16,000, all of which was provided or pledged by the closing service on rededication, Sunday, February 25, 1917--just a few weeks more than one year from the time of the fire. This benevolence was an indication of the vitality and vigor of the congregation.
Rev. J.P. Stahl: June 1, 1917-April 1, 1919
Rev. J.B. Swartz: April 2, 1919-January 3, 1922
Rev. J.W. Huffman: May 4, 1922-June 5, 1927
Rev R.A. Miller: June 1927-May 1928
Rev. C.F. Brouse October 14, 1928-May 14, 1954
The Evangelical and the Reformed Churches merged in 1934. In 1936, the donated bell from the church in Mexico, Ohio, was installed in the tower.
In 1957, through merging with the Congregational Christian Church, the name of the church was changed to United Church of Christ.
Rev. R. Philip Shober: February 1, 1955-August 1962
Rev. R. P. Merkle: September 1963-August 1, 1967
Rev. Ralph L. Rebman: September 15, 1968-September 1974
Rev. William Chidester: September 1975-February 1986
Rev. Dennis Crosson: January 1987-January 1989
Rev. Lon McSherley: December 1989- 1998
Rev. Diane Thomas: May 2001-July 2007
Rev. Robin LaBolt: June 2009-2016
Rev Karen Fraser Moore and Rev Paul Fraser: June 2017-2019
Rev. Dr. Matthew Zuehlke May 2019-June 2021
Rev. Darrin Harvey January 2021
