Stafford Reformed Presbyterian Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Covenanter Church
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Streetside view of the church
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 Location in Kansas
Location in the United States
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| Location | 113 N. Green Ave., Stafford, Kansas |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1913 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 05000544 |
| Added to NRHP | June 8, 2005 |
The Stafford Reformed Presbyterian Church, also called the Covenanter Church, is an old church building in Stafford, Kansas, United States. It was built in 1913 and shows off a style called Gothic Revival architecture. This building replaced an older church that was taken down because it was in bad shape.
The church was part of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) from 1911 to 1961. Because of its cool design, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 8, 2005. Today, a local business, Henderson House Inn and Retreat Center, owns the church. They use it as part of their meeting and event space.
Contents
Building the Church: A Look Inside
The Covenanter Church was built using both wood frames and concrete. When it was first finished, the church was about 30 feet wide and 42 feet long. It also had a basement underneath.
The church group needed help from their main church organization to pay for the building. The construction cost around $6,000, which was a lot of money back then. The church was officially opened and dedicated on January 13, 1914.
The Church's Story: From Start to Finish
The Stafford Reformed Presbyterian Church officially started on January 19, 1911. A leader named R. A. Boyd helped a lot to get it going. Mr. Boyd had been a minister for another church in Stafford since 1900.
He later decided to join the Reformed Presbyterian Church. Many people from his old church joined him in the RPCNA. In 1911, the RPCNA only had about 105 churches in the whole United States. So, a new church starting in rural Kansas and growing quickly was a big deal.
Growth and Challenges
The church grew quite a bit at first. Its highest number of members was 80 people in 1924. However, the church faced tough times later on. In 1935, they struggled during the Dust Bowl, a time when there were many dust storms.
After 1943, the church started to lose members almost every year. There were also times when the church didn't have a pastor. By early 1961, only nine members were left, and their last pastor had left the year before.
Closing and New Purpose
The Stafford Reformed Presbyterian Church officially closed on November 9, 1961. The building was sold for $1,500 in late 1960 or early 1961. After that, another church, the Bible Missionary Church, used the building for a while.
In 2001, the Henderson House Bed and Breakfast bought the church. Today, it is part of their conference center, still standing strong in Stafford, Kansas.
Images for kids
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Streetside view of the church
