ESTABLISHMENT OF CHURCHES

The first sermon was preached in Pomona by Rev. L. Ricksecker in May 1870. The Methodist church was organized in 1871 by Rev. William Wilkins with 35 members. The first services were held in the stone school house. They built the first church building on the corner of East A and Fourth Streets in 1879 or 1880. This was a frame building which cost $600. It was located across the street from the school building. Later it was moved downtown when the new one was built in 1894. The old one was used by the W.C.T.U. and later bought by Swayze and used as a town hall. At times the graduation exercises were held in this building. It burned on November 11, 1922. At that time, it was located across the alley from Langley's grocery store.

The Methodist parsonage was erected in 1897. the trustees of the first church were: J. W. Lee, J. Miller, S. McNeal, E. A. Mott, J. Stevens, and F. F. Walker. This church was a missionary church on the Centropolis circuit. Mrs. Reuben Burtner was the first president of the Ladies Aid. The first regular pastor was J. W. Clock who lived in the parsonage at Centropolis in 1876. Rev. Werter R. Davis, the first President of Baker University, was the first resident pastor. He served five years from 1888 to 1893. Owing to a church ruling that no pastor could hold one charge more than five years, he was removed to Vinland in April of 1893. He died there in June of 1893. Rev. L. A. Markham took his place, and he died August 27, 1893, because of grief over the death of his life long friend, Rev. Davis. It has been said that Rev. Davis died of a broken heart because he had to leave his Pomona charge. The first pastor appointed to the Pomona Methodist church was the Rev. T. E. Sisson who was appointed at conference in May 1884. Zula Pasley, daughter of Dr. B. H. Pasley, organized an Epworth League in 1897.

The second building for the Methodist church was erected on the site of the old construction in 1894, during the pastorate of Rev. Werter R. Davis. The lots for that building were purchased by the women of the church for $200. Mrs. J. F. Vigor and Mrs. E. A. Mott were particularly active in raising funds. The completed building cost $3,000 and was dedicated by Bishop Bowman on December 16, 1894. The building remained in use until it burned in May of 1949.

Townspeople set to work immediately to rebuild this church. The present structure is of buff brick facing and strictly modern. The basement serves for Sunday school and provides a kitchen and serving room. this room is used by many in the community. Many Junior-Senior and Alumni banquets have been held there. The cornerstone was laid October 9, 1950. Rev. Richard Roper was the pastor; W. O. Cain, Chairman of the Board of Trustees; Ralph Hunt, Superintendent of the church school; Wilda Rodgers, President of W.S.C.S.; and Richard Cain, President of the Youth Fellowship. The building committee consisted of: N. V. Hudelson, chairman and D. T. Pierce, E. R. Brown, Irvin Horst, Ed Neeley, W. W. Clevenger, Ralph Hunt, Leslie Hunter, and W. O. Cain. At the laying of the cornerstone, Dr. Nelson P. Horn, President of Baker University gave the address.

The United Presbyterian church was organized in 1873 by Rev. L. Newcomb with 9 members. They also held their first services in the old Newcomb building until their church was built in 1879 at the cost of $1,000. It was a frame building 50 by 50 feet square, located ont he corner of Fourth and East A Streets. They built a parsonage in 1896.

The 1883 description of Pomona said that besides the Methodists and Presbyterians, the Baptists had a church organization but no building. It listed quite a few Congregationalists but no organization.

The Assembly of God Church in Pomona was pioneered by the Rev. and Mrs. Charles Hersey and Mrs. Hannah Nelson in September 1939. They began holding services in the former Presbyterian church building which was purchased by the new congregation on November 18, 1940. This church was set in order with the Kansas District Council of the Assemblies of God on November 22, 1950. Disaster struck in February 1951 when the church building burned to the ground. A new brick one was begun shortly after under the direction of Rev. R. L. Parker. This new edifice greatly benefited the congregation and the town and is in use at the present time.