Sleepy Eye church gets new life

Christ Jesus Church gets new home in former Union

Congregational church

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- It's only fitting on Easter Sunday that the Apostolic Assembly of Christ Jesus Church holds its first service in its own building, that of the former Union Congregational United Church of Christ.

Union Congregational sold its church building Wednesday to the Christ Jesus Church in Sleepy Eye which had been holding services for years in the Sleepy Eye Senior Citizens Center a block to the west.

The Apostolic Assembly of Christ Jesus Church began in downtown Sleepy Eye in December 1992 in the former Steinke-Seidl lumber yard building --a.k.a. The Center -- south of Meyer's Bar.

The Hispanic church will hold its first service in its new home at 1 p.m. Sunday following a noon baptism at the Best Western Inn of Seven Gables.

Churchgoers that enjoy a variety of music should be happy. The church's repertoire includes Fred Hammond-type Black Gospel, traditional and contemporary songs in English and Spanish and rock. Some of their favorites include "Just to be Close to You," "Those That Wait Upon the Lord," and "Dance Like David Danced."

The church's assortment of musical instruments includes Conga drums, a full drum set, electronic keyboard, sound board and electric guitar and bass guitar.

Pastor Hector Verdun plays a big part in the music. He was a professional musician in Argentina and plays a multitude of instruments.

Anybody that was ever near the Sleepy Eye Senior Citizens Center when the Christ Jesus Church was performing music can attest to its ability to do so.

Karen Stephens, a 38-year member of the Union Congregational Women's Federation and Sunday School teacher, expressed good feelings about selling the church building and land. The church is well-known for its 20 stained glass windows.

"We're happy," Stephens said. "Sunday signifies a new beginning for the church building. Our old church dissolved but a new one lives."

Former Union Congregational members have dispersed to various churches after celebrating their final service on Dec. 29, 2002.

Union Congregational celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1973. Its roots stretch back to 1867 when several families moved from Canada to Home Township, in and around Sleepy Eye.

With no organized religious society for miles around, the Methodists held occasional services near Golden Gate and Fort Ridgely. Congregationalists John Liddell, Hugh McBain and Jason Kennedy began to form an organized church in Sleepy Eye in 1869 by writing a letter to party in Mankato that was thought to be in sympathy with their church views.

After some debate over where to build a church, a missionary brought about the organization of a Congregational Church on May 25, 1873. A small, wood frame church was built where Leon Sellner now lives a couple blocks northwest of downtown Sleepy Eye. An addition with Gothic windows was added in 1881.

A much larger, brick church building with a 40x40 sanctuary and many stained glass windows including the "Good Shepherd" was erected in 1902 at a cost of $14,000.

An electrical fire destroyed a small amount of the church on a Wednesday night in 1989. Sleepy Eye fire fighters used their new ladder truck and hose from their new fire station across the street from the church to help save it from burning down.