VI. The New Parsonage
During the pastorate of Rev. George C. Wayman a house at 926 S Haines Ave., Alliance was bought for the parsonage of the Bethel-Maximo charge. A new alignment of churches became possible in 1952 and Rev. James V. Ingram became full time pastor of the Bethel Church.
For Bethel to have parsonage in Alliance did not make sense. All telephone calls between the church people and the parsonage were toll calls. The debt on the church building was paid, so the Consistory began thinking about a parsonage near the church.
Kenneth and Wilhelmina Zellers, for a consideration of $1.00 gave the church land west of the parking lot. The 180’ x 151.5’ plot was .626 of an acre. The deed for this land is dated Nov. 16, 1957, recorded Nov. 21, 1957. (Vol.1000, p. 345)
A brick ranch style parsonage was built on this plot. The parsonage has a study, 3 bedrooms, a bath, a living-dining room, a kitchen, a utility room with a half bath, and a double car garage all under one roof.
The cost of the parsonage was $27,000.00 plus many hours of donated labor. On Mar. 17 1958, $18,000.00 was borrowed form First National bank to finance the construction.
The Haines Ave. property was sold May 29, 1958 to Leo & Betty J Grove for $9,500.00. When costs were deducted, the Consistory received $8,816.06 which was used to help pay for the new parsonage.
Rev. Richard Borngen was pastor when the parsonage was finished. He and his family moved into the beautiful new parsonage the spring of 1958.
