Our History
Connections. Whether it’s to John Calvin, the 16th-century Reformed theologian associated with the beginning of the Reformed tradition that inspired Prebyterianism, or to early residents of Brookings who were seeking a church home, making connections has always been an important part of the identity of First Presbyterian Church.
Presbyterians are part of a confessional church shaped by the creeds, catechisms, and confessions of the historical church, always affirming that “in life and death, we belong to God.” Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures, and the necessity of grace through faith in Christ. We believe that “nothing in life or death can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.” We seek to live in light of our chief and highest end, which, in the words of the Westminster Confession of Faith, is "to glorify God and enjoy him forever.”
A 50th anniversary history booklet written for our church by committee chairman Paul Dutcher, then editor and publisher of the Brookings Weekly Register, claimed that “it will be impossible to measure the years of service of this church by its number. . . . This can be better done by the rich memories that are in the hearts of the men and women and children that have come under its influence.”
Our congregation was started by just 13 people who began meeting in the Olds and Fishback Hall in downtown Brookings on January 15, 1882. On August 26 of that year, the small group incorporated in a Presbyterian, representative form of church government, led by teaching and ruling elders.
A Ladies’ Aid Society organized soon after, on December 12, 1882. The women started raising money immediately through social teas, suppers, a warm sugar social, a strawberry and ice cream social, and a lawn party until they had raised over $700. For $90 they bought the lot next to the one given by the railroad, and pledged the rest to help finance a church building that the church elders determined was “not to exceed $2,200.” Three years later they had a new church building. On October 10, 1886 is the building was dedicated, free of debt, “with the ladies assuming a goodly share.”
Financing by the Ladies Aid continued by giving over $1,200 to build a manse, complete with a well and a pump. They kept it in repair and paid the taxes along with other expenses that were incurred. Of the $148 raised in 1895, $100 went to pay the pastor.
In 1900, it was determined that a larger, more permanent structure, not to exceed $10,000, was in order. A week collecting pledges brought over $7,600 to the cause with the Ladies Aid Society giving $1,000. The ladies of the church pledged another $1,000 at the dedication to help cancel the remaining debt on the nearly $14,000 structure. During the church dedication, a former pastor cautioned his hearers “not to build for themselves alone, but to lay the foundation for others to erect a spiritual structure with Jesus Christ, the chief corner stone.” The pastor then admonished the congregation that it should be “a temple not made with [human] hands, but eternal [ones] in the heavens.”
Brookings Mayor Mathews told a thousand people gathered for the 1901 dedication that “the undertaking was not only a credit to the congregation, but to the city as well." He said “it represented the progress of the church and municipality and when completed would be an honor to any city of whatever size or importance.” By the next Monday evening, more than 3,100 people had “availed themselves of the opportunity to see the new church.”
From its very beginning, the importance of First Presbyterian Church comes through its people: its women’s and men’s groups; its choir, organists, and musicians; its Sunday school and youth groups; its children and older members; its pastors and lay leaders.
Throughout the history of First Presbyterian Church of Brookings, South Dakota connections have been made. Whether it was supporting the church through assessing women 10 cents a member to belong to the Ladies Aid Society, or publishing a cookbook in 1894 described as being filled with “good and tried recipes and who shall say but these have added reputation to the City of Brookings for its many fine cooks.”
The church has remained a solid foundation of memories through the meals it serves and the fellowship enjoyed of what is good and true in the community.Connections with longstanding business enterprises and government in the community showed member names like Fishback and Cheever and Kendall and Cole. And connections with South Dakota State University, the state’s land-grant institution, remained constant with names like Brown and Caldwell and Crothers and Shephard, and Solberg and Young.
But it is the everyday members of the congregation that strike memories of the greatest connections to the church community. These are the people who weathered the issues and pastors and fellow members while continuing to glorify God and enjoy him forever.
Presbyterians are part of a confessional church shaped by the creeds, catechisms, and confessions of the historical church, always affirming that “in life and death, we belong to God.” Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures, and the necessity of grace through faith in Christ. We believe that “nothing in life or death can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.” We seek to live in light of our chief and highest end, which, in the words of the Westminster Confession of Faith, is "to glorify God and enjoy him forever.”
A 50th anniversary history booklet written for our church by committee chairman Paul Dutcher, then editor and publisher of the Brookings Weekly Register, claimed that “it will be impossible to measure the years of service of this church by its number. . . . This can be better done by the rich memories that are in the hearts of the men and women and children that have come under its influence.”
Our congregation was started by just 13 people who began meeting in the Olds and Fishback Hall in downtown Brookings on January 15, 1882. On August 26 of that year, the small group incorporated in a Presbyterian, representative form of church government, led by teaching and ruling elders.
A Ladies’ Aid Society organized soon after, on December 12, 1882. The women started raising money immediately through social teas, suppers, a warm sugar social, a strawberry and ice cream social, and a lawn party until they had raised over $700. For $90 they bought the lot next to the one given by the railroad, and pledged the rest to help finance a church building that the church elders determined was “not to exceed $2,200.” Three years later they had a new church building. On October 10, 1886 is the building was dedicated, free of debt, “with the ladies assuming a goodly share.”
Financing by the Ladies Aid continued by giving over $1,200 to build a manse, complete with a well and a pump. They kept it in repair and paid the taxes along with other expenses that were incurred. Of the $148 raised in 1895, $100 went to pay the pastor.
In 1900, it was determined that a larger, more permanent structure, not to exceed $10,000, was in order. A week collecting pledges brought over $7,600 to the cause with the Ladies Aid Society giving $1,000. The ladies of the church pledged another $1,000 at the dedication to help cancel the remaining debt on the nearly $14,000 structure. During the church dedication, a former pastor cautioned his hearers “not to build for themselves alone, but to lay the foundation for others to erect a spiritual structure with Jesus Christ, the chief corner stone.” The pastor then admonished the congregation that it should be “a temple not made with [human] hands, but eternal [ones] in the heavens.”
Brookings Mayor Mathews told a thousand people gathered for the 1901 dedication that “the undertaking was not only a credit to the congregation, but to the city as well." He said “it represented the progress of the church and municipality and when completed would be an honor to any city of whatever size or importance.” By the next Monday evening, more than 3,100 people had “availed themselves of the opportunity to see the new church.”
From its very beginning, the importance of First Presbyterian Church comes through its people: its women’s and men’s groups; its choir, organists, and musicians; its Sunday school and youth groups; its children and older members; its pastors and lay leaders.
Throughout the history of First Presbyterian Church of Brookings, South Dakota connections have been made. Whether it was supporting the church through assessing women 10 cents a member to belong to the Ladies Aid Society, or publishing a cookbook in 1894 described as being filled with “good and tried recipes and who shall say but these have added reputation to the City of Brookings for its many fine cooks.”
The church has remained a solid foundation of memories through the meals it serves and the fellowship enjoyed of what is good and true in the community.Connections with longstanding business enterprises and government in the community showed member names like Fishback and Cheever and Kendall and Cole. And connections with South Dakota State University, the state’s land-grant institution, remained constant with names like Brown and Caldwell and Crothers and Shephard, and Solberg and Young.
But it is the everyday members of the congregation that strike memories of the greatest connections to the church community. These are the people who weathered the issues and pastors and fellow members while continuing to glorify God and enjoy him forever.