Our purpose as an independent nondenominational church body is to teach the Word of God, to minister to and develop the Spiritual life of believers, and to share Christ with the lost both at home and on foreign fields.
The Old Country Church
There’s a song the Stanley Brothers sang and the first lyric of the song is “There's a place dear to me where I'm longing to be with my friends at the old country church”. That’s how we want our church family to feel. We strive for that old country church style of worship and want to make you feel like you are at home with your family and friends.
Singing of the Hymns
For the most part, our church has a preference of singing hymns. There are reasons why: first, hymns have been sung by the giants of the faith who have gone on before us. The fact that we can join with generations of the past and be reminded that the Church is much larger than our own congregation, farther reaching than our town or state or country, and much older than the oldest saint living today is something we should not take lightly. In fact, it should give us a desire to sing the songs that our families have sung together for two-thousand years.
Second, the content of hymns is almost always theologically rich. It doesn't necessarily mean every hymn recounts the Gospel in its entirety. But the theology in hymns is typically a way to engage our hearts and if you listen to the words of the hymns, it can make your love for the Lord even stronger.
Our Story
History of Creston Methodist Church Dates Back to 1838
The history of the Creston Methodist church refers back to the early religious life at Cedar Lake.
The Cedar Lake Sunday School and Baptist church had been transferred in 1849 from the east Cedar Lake school house to Tinkerville, then to the Stillson school; the first elders or pastors being: 1838, N. Warriner, then W.T. Bly, A. Hastings, T. Hunt, U. McCay, Brayton, Hitchcock, Whitehead and Steadman.
In 1875, the Creston Methodist church was built by these members: carpenter and masonry work being done by William Palmer, Reuben Wood and James Vinnedge; first board of trustees being A.H. Carstens, Obadiah Taylor III, Amos P. Thompson, Samuel A. Love, Sr., and Robert Garrison. In 1878, the first Methodist minister to preach in the new church was Rev. F.D. Baker. Other ministers have been: 1870, J.J. Hines; 1873, B.H. Beall; 1876, S.E. Beck; 1879 to 1938, Reuben Sanders, A.W. Smith, A.E. Houseman, A.A. Dunlavy, Alfred Knoll, A.G. Porter, John G. Law, J.D. Evans, William Crapp, E.T. George, Demetrius Tilletson, E.W. Jones, J.W. Wilson, E.P. Bennett, Dunning Idle, Rev. Freemain, Charles A. Brown, M.F. Stright, R.H. Collins, Rev. Kirby, Henry G. Ross, D.A. Rogers, Rev. Weaver, Rev. Cunningham, Rev. Mourve, Rev. and Mrs. Fanebust; 1938, J.H. Vaughn, then Kendall Sands, Quentin Hand, William Ischie, Henry Braun, and Paul Reisen.
The church was first put on the Lowell circuit in about 1894. When the Methodist Episcopal Church Conference made it a part of the Creston-Griffith charge. Afterward, it was transferred to the Roselawn-Creston charge. Most of the time student pastors from Evanston served the church. Then for almost 30 years the Conference seemed to have dropped the Creston church from its list, sending neither ministers, inquiries or service of any kind to Creston. During this period, the church was kept going by different denominations, and their ministers were preaching here. The Moody Bible Institute also sent ministers here.
In 1938, at the request of the members, Rev. J.H. Vaughn was sent to Creston. Afterwards, Creston had a part-time minister, Rev. Paul Reisen of Lowell.
History timeline of the church
1875 The church was erected (Cedar Lake Union Sunday School) by: the Carsten, Taylor and Thompson families. The first pastor was Rev. J.J. Thompson.
1877 The deed to the church was recorded by Obadiah Taylor III
1878 The first Methodist minister was F.D. Baker
1893 The name was changed from Cedar Lake Union Sunday School to the Creston Methodist Episcopal Sunday School.
1894 The church was put on the Lowell Circuit
1938 Rev. J.H. Vaughn was sent to Creston to preach
1947 The Women’s Society of Christian Service was organized
1950 The church’s interior was repaired and the outside repaired and painted
1956 The church was again remodeled and a basement was added. It was raised and moved back North 15 feet to make room for the new vestibule and rest rooms.
1960 The bell tower of the church was removed and set up in a flower planter by Ernie Burnham
1968 Ernie Burnham received his certificate from Merrillville to preach as a Methodist lay speaker and continued to preach in this church and other churches until 1975
1973 The Methodist Episcopal Church was closed
1976 The church building was bought from the Methodist Episcopal Church. The church’s name was changed to Faith Bible Church with the first service being held on January 4, 1976. The church enjoyed 17 different speakers from January 11, 1976-November 7, 1976.
1976 December 30, 1976 Rev. Peter DeCastri became the first part-time pastor, stayed until Easter Sunday, April 15, 1979
1980 Installation of first full time pastor, Rev. William Greenhood (March 16, 1980). He resigned in October 1981.
1981 Pastor George Ahlgrim became the interim pastor in October 1981 and remained in that capacity until October 1988
1988 Pastor Henry Vosburgh filled the pulpit as the second full time pastor on October 9, 1988. He resigned May 26, 1991
1991 Pastor Mark Miklos filled the pulpit as an interim part time pastor for 6-8 months.
1994 Pastor Bill Kortokrax became the part time pastor. (May) He is the current pastor.
1996 The church building was gutted and remodeled
