FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

The Ladies Aid was organized in 1907.  It was for all the ladies of the church.  They made bibs and lap robes for the area nursing homes. They supported some children through Save the Children organization. They served funeral dinners for the church, as well as raising money for things that was needed for the church. One interesting note was when the parsonage was bought in the 1920’s the Ladies Aid assumed the indebtedness of it and paid off the principal and interest over a period of years.

 

Some of the ways the group earned money were, election day lunches, serving farm sales, Christmas bazaars and dinners, serving banquets for the school and community. They also served the Lion’s Club suppers which were twice a month. They quilted quilts for people and did bake sales. They put a cookbook together to sell. They were an active group of ladies.

 

In the early 60’s the ladies started the Bargain Shop during the summers. They had the shop in the north side of Brown’s grocery store which is now the coffee shop. Once in a while they would have a bake sale and bring garden items to share, along with selling items from the Bargain Shop.  At the end of the summer they would share what they had left with individuals or with various places that they knew had a need. The rest was shared with the Goodwill that sent a truck down from Denver four times a year to gather items.

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Because of the changing times and more ladies working outside the home, the ladies decided to do things differently. In 1983 the ladies rented the north side of the Matson Building which was the IOOF Hall, now the Flagler Historical Building and started running the Bargain Shop all year long.  There were times they would have the shop open one or two days each week during a month. Clothes and items that weren’t used here were given to other places where the ladies knew the items were needed.  In 1988 the Bargain Shop moved to the building south of the bank which was the Farr’s Clothing Store that the bank had purchased.  

 

When the bank decided to add onto their facility they tore down the store, and the Bargain Shop moved to the Herzog building across the street in 1993. The ladies still felt the Bargain Shop met a need in the community as it gave a place for people to bring items to recycle for other people that might have a use for them. It still was an outreach to others. The Bargain Shop continued to be in the Herzog building for 25 years until it sold in 2016. The new owner wasn’t going to move in until the summer of 2018 so much thought was given to where the store could be relocated. The Historical Society was approached, and after much effort and work by several members of the church, we made another move back where we started. We opened the Bargain Shop in June, 2018 at that location. We are pleased we are still able to meet the needs of others in our community and surrounding communities. We still share our overflow with others.  Thank you to all of you who have shared with us. Together we do make a difference.

 

The Ladies Aid is still all the ladies in our church working together doing the Lord’s work.  Whether it is teaching Sunday School, helping with the youth group, making coffee and bringing goodies for the fellowship time after church, helping with the funeral dinners, singing in the choir, doing Bible Studies, serving on a committee or board, working at the Bargain Shop, putting the bags together for the children at worship time, helping with bountiful bundles, helping with the Emmaus Walk, meeting together and praying together. We are all coming together to share our love for the Lord with others.