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| Illinois church working on another century on LaPrairie |
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SPARLAND, Ill. — The LaPrairie United Presbyterian Church was begun with three Scottish families. The church body was founded in 1844. The congregation continued to grow and to hold services whenever they could.
In October 1863 they held their first services in a new church building with about 60 members. Their membership still continued to grow, and they built a newer house of worship that was dedicated on Dec. 20, 1907.
The Rev. Paul F. Sharpe, who came to the church in 1936, used the phrase “the little white church on the prairie.”
In the late 1950s, the congregation decided to incorporate the church, and on Jan. 13, 1960, incorporation was finalized with the name “The LaPrairie United Presbyterian Church at Sparland, Illinois.”
Rev. Marshall Simpson came to the congregation in 1965. On June 28, 1970, there was a worship service for the merger of the LaPrairie United Methodist Church and the LaPrairie United Presbyterian Church into one. Simpson was the “Leader of the Flock” during this merger, which combined these two churches so that the community could grow in faith and fellowship.
In 2005 there was an addition constructed on the north side of the church to include an elevator, two handicapped-accessible restrooms, a new office and storage area. Members of the congregation pulled together with hard work and financial pledges for this addition.
The 100th anniversary of the LaPrairie United Presbyterian Church, with the new addition, was Sept. 16, 2007.
The church has stood and evolved through a century of worship. This “little white church on the prairie” has been a landmark for the county and all its neighbors. The church has survived because of the strong faith and dedication of its members throughout the years. |
| 12/23/2009 |
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