Grace and Truth Gospel Chapel, KS

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Earliest Brethren

Grant Exclusives

In an exclusives assembly address list for 1879, there is a meeting listed for Abilene with no contact information or location. By 1884, the Grant division had taken place, and it is presumed that some of the brethren became affiliated with that, and others eventually formed the TW-Lowe group.

Tunbridge-Wells Exclusives

From about 1894 thru 1973 there was an exclusive brethren family in Dickinson County, Kansas, Judson & Laura M. Bowker Alden. Judson was born around 1835 in New York, and employed as a carpenter by 1870 in Rockford, Illinois, and married Helen "Hattie" Hazard, who was was born in Rockford in 1850. They relocated to the Dickinson county area by the 1890's, and presumed to have setup an exclusive brethren table in their home which was located initially in Manchester from 1894 thru 1904, then there was an exclusive brethren split in 1908/1909 in which the Alden's were included in affiliating with the Tunbridge-Wells brethren (which is the largest exclusive brethren group in the United States today). The Alden's relocated to Talmage from 1908-1923, and Mrs. Alden continued as correspondent thru at least 1933, along with their daughter Grace Alden who continued as a contact for the TW brethren thru 1973 in Abilene.

Others

In 1865, Thomas Elwood Broadfoot (b. 1842 Huron County, Ontario, Canada - d. 1927 Wichita, KS) married Charlotte Ritchie (b. 1842 ON - d. 1925 Wichita, KS) in Prescott, Ontario, her parents were born in Scotland. Thomas was a son of James Broadfoot (b. 1803 Scot.) and Janet Broadfoot (b. 1817 Scot.), and the family relocated to Kansas somewhere between 1865 and 1879, as in the latter year, William Martin recalled in an evangelistic letter (reprinted in May 1967 Words in Season) to his younger brother Dr. A.E. Martin visiting Thomas near Abilene, Kansas and being given tracts and books including C.H. Mackintosh's "Notes on Exodus" that resulted in him being led to Christ.

In 1884, Thomas' brother Alexander "Sandy" Broadfoot (b. 1850 Canada - d. 1916 Atlantic, IA) obtained his medical degree in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and settled in Enterprise, Kansas to setup his practice. It is presently unknown when they were introduced to the Brethren, but eventually Sandy became a popular itinerant preacher throughout the Midwest.

Their sister, Catherine (b. 1838 ON - d. 1929 Carlton, KS) married John Robson (b. 1833 England - d. 1880 Carlton, KS), and these were the parents of Robert Alexander Robson, who would be among the founders of Grace and Truth.

Also in 1884, Christopher Frederick Schwarz emigrated to nearby Solomon, Kansas, and is remembered as having been involved with this assembly still in the 1930's.

On Oct. 25, 1894, it was reported in the Abilene Weekly Reflector that "Rev. Broadfoot of Iowa will hold a series of meeting at Mt. Pleasant beginning Tuesday evening." Mt. Pleasant is an Ev. Presbyterian church west of Grace & Truth.

In August of 1903, Harry Ironside ministered at the Grant exclusive assembly in Manchester, returning to the Bonaccord assembly in 1919 for a conference.

From the Topeka State Journal, Sept. 14, 1914: "Abilene Preacher Egged: Saloon Rowdies at Breckenridge, Minn., Insult Kansas Minister on Street": "While Rev. F.H. Nicholson of Abilene, a preacher of the Plymouth Brethren denomination, was speaking in the street here, eggs were hurled at him from a saloon in front of which he was standing. A crowd of more than a hundred present at the time, was not slow in showing that their sympathies were with the speaker rather than the rowdies. Rev. Nicholson has been preaching for about fourteen years and is well known in Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri and Iowa."

1910's

From 1910 thru 1917, the aforementioned Alexander "Sandy" Broadfoot, commuted from Iowa to Kansas to visit and hold Gospel meetings in schoolhouses including the Bonaccord schoolhouse, and many were saved. Robert Alexander Robson, of Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian, left to assist George McBoyle, Frank H. Nicholson and others to construct an assembly that met for a time in the large home of Alexander McBoyle, known as the Bonaccord Assembly.   It was notable that as early as the 1880's, Alex's farm had electric lights and running water.  Eventually the McBoyles donated land at what is now at the corner of Deer & 1400 where they built the Grace & Truth Gospel Hall, thru an indenture between Mary Jane A. McBoyle Deardorff and the original trustees, Grant Engle, Daniel W. Emig and John D. Emig.

Other early families included Roggendorff, Miller, and Jury. It is also believed that George Gruen may have been among the early saints also, who had relocated from the St. Louis area of Illinois to farm, who was involved with exclusive assemblies in the Highland, Illinois area. It is remembered that when George first came to Abilene, he settled with an established Grant exclusive meeting in the area, which may have been among those who eventually started Grace & Truth.  It has been also recollected that in the early days of the Gospel Hall, the men and women were required to sit in separate areas during meetings.  

1918

On Oct. 10, 1918, the Abilene Weekly Reflector chronicled on the front page:

"There will be a conference of prayer and study of the word of God and preaching of the gospel in the Gospel Hall, two miles east of Bonaccord store, eight south and four miles west of Abilene, beginning Wednesday evening, Oct. 16, 1918, and continuing over the following Lord's Day. Hours for the meetings as follows: 11:00 a.m. bible study, 3:30 address, 9:00 preaching of the gospel. All are cordially invited."

The building was constructed by Noah Brubaker Martin (b. 1873 Chambersburg, [[Pennsylvania|PA - d. 1932 Abilene, KS), whose sister Barbara Brubaker Martin (b. 1869 Chambersburg, PA) married Harry Shelly Engle, Doug Engle's great-grandfather. Noah was a son of Elias Hershey Martin (b. 1835 Lancaster Co., PA - d. 1908 Abilene, KS) & Fanny Brubaker Martin (b. 1834 Elizabethtown, PA - d. 1907 Abilene, KS). Elias relocated from Elizabethtown to Chambersburg in 1868, then in 1881 to Abilene, and was a pastor in the River Brethren, his memorial was at Zion BIC in Abilene. In 1930, Noah and his 2nd wife Susie were residing in Ontario, San Bernardino, CA.

  • Noah B. Martin
    • 1st wife (1899 @ Abilene, KS): Alice Rebecca Burkholder Martin (b. 1875 Quincy or Welsh Run, Franklin PA - d. 1918 Abilene, KS), daughter of Jacob W. Burkholder (b. 1840 Franklin Co., PA - d. 1904 Dickinson Co., KS), noted in his obit as "one of Dickinson's most prominent farmers", & Ella V. Powder Burkholder (b. 1849).
  • 2nd wife: Susie Ann Witter Martin (b. 1885 Enterprise, KS - d. 1956 Abilene, KS, daughter of John Jacob Witter (b. 1840 Baden Co., Germany - d. 1918 Abilene, KS) & Mary Ann Eisenhower Witter (b. 1849 Elizabethville, PA - d. 1893 Abilene, KS). Mary Ann was a sister of David Jacob Eisenhower (b. 1863 Elizabethville, PA - d. 1942 Abilene, KS), father of Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (b. 1890 Denison, TX - d. 1969 Washington D.C.), 34th president of the U.S.

1919

As noted earlier, Harry Ironside gave ministry in 1903 at the assembly in nearby Manchester. In the Abilene Daily Reflector, 10-15-1919, it gives the following advertisement for Meeting at Bonaccord from "Committee": "Haigh Lowry (Minnesota), Mrs. G.A. Branadt (Barnum, MN), Mr. Cress (Nashua, IA) and Scott Alton (Illinois), have already arrived for the usual annual meetings to be held in Gospel Hall, Bonaccord. Among others expected to be present are Mr. A.E. Booth, and Mr. Greenman, and Mr. Pearson from Canada, Mr. Ironside, Oakland, Calif., Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, Missionaries to the Walapi and Hopi Indians, Valentine, Arizona, and Mr. Elliott, Chicago, Ill.

These meetings commence Wednesday evening of this week and continue over Sunday as follows: Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 11:30 a.m., 3:30 and 8:30 p.m., Sunday at 3:30 and 8 p.m. All are cordially invited to be with us as we hope these meetings will be helpful and will be of special interest to Bible students and particularly to those interested in prophetic subjects."

1920's

1920

Conference

On Oct. 6, 1920, in the Ab. Daily Reflector, there were advertised Gospel Meetings: "There will be a general meeting for prayer, study of the word of God and preaching of the Gospel in the Gospel Hall two miles east of Bonaccord store and twelve miles southwest of Abilene, commencing Wednesday evening, Oct. 13, 1920, and continuing over the following Lord's Day. Hours for meetings: 10 a.m. Bible study; 2:30 p.m. addresses; 8 p.m. preaching of the gospel. All are cordially invited."

Then, on Oct. 21, 1920, in the Ab. Weekly Reflector, it was reported: "Misses Mabel Stockford and Carrie Schwartzel of Detroit, Michigan, and Miss Dorothea Schlueter of Rock Island, Illinois, are guests of Miss Mable (sic) Robson, having stopped on their way home from California to attend the conference at the Gospel Hall." Miss Mabel Robson married this editor's grandfather, Grant Engle, in 1921, which is when he left the River Brethren denom that his (and my) ancestry brought from Switzerland to Lancaster Co., PA in the 1750's.

  • Mabel C. Stockford Schermerhorn (1899-1990 Detroit, MI).
    • Husband: Charles Schermerhorn. Children:
      • Carol Jean Schermerhorn Young (b. 1927 Detroit, MI). Husband: Carl Lincoln Young (b. 1919 Detroit, MI - d. 2002 Westland, MI), son of John Henry Young (b. 1880 N.Y. - d. 1955 Detroit, MI) & Louise Ludwig Young (b. 1881 Casco, St. Clair, MI - d. 1954 Detroit, MI). Memorials for Carl suggested to Upper Peninsula Bible Camp.
      • Doris Maxine Margaret Schermerhorn Zentz (b. 1928 - d. 2013 Livonia, MI). Husband: Frank Earl Zentz (b. 1919 Council Bluffs, IA - d. 1970 Livonia, MI), son of Jesse Earl Zentz (b. 1894 Red Lodge, MT - d. 1960 San Diego, CA) & Sadie M. Rank Folsom-Zentz-Dickson (b. 1901 Kirkman, IA - d. 1998 NE).
  • Carrie C. Schwartzel (b. 1896 Detroit, MI - d. 1987 Macomb, MI), daughter of Gottlieb "George" Christopher Schwartzel (b. 1862 Kloding, Denmark, emig. 1883; d. 1931 Highland Park, MI) & Anna Maria Schweim Schwartzel (b. 1867 Rise Sogn, Denmark). George was infant baptized into the Church of Denmark. Carrie never married.
  • Dorothea Ruth Schlueter Twomey (b. 1887 Davenport, IA - d. 1967 Moline, Rock Island, IL), daughter of Claus D. Schlueter (b. 1860 Hamburg, Germany - d. 1926 Rock Island, IL) & Mathilda Lucy Hartz Schlueter (b. 1859 Germany - d. 1920 Rock Island, IL).
    • Husband: Harry Cornelius Twomey (b. 1883 Marengo, IA - d. 1967 Rock Island, IL), son of Cornelius John Twomey (b. 1858 Richmond, Madison, KY - d. 1938 Rock Island, IL) & Elizabeth Jane Burns Twomey (b. 1861 Williamstown, Oswego, N.Y. - d. 1933 Rock Island, IL). The senior Cornelius was employed by the Rock Island railroad for 49 years. Harry was employed as a locomotive engineer by the same railroad, retiring in 1947, and was in fellowship with the South Park Presbyterian Church in Rock Island at the time of his death.

1921

Conference

The AWR advertised on Sept. 29, 1921 of gospel meetings: "Gospel meetings for the study of the Word of God, prayer and preaching will be held at Gospel hall, 2 miles east of Bonaccord store, commencing Wed. evening, Oct. 12 and continuing at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. over Sunday, Oct. 16. All are invited."

1922

Conference

The Abilene Daily Reflector advertised the annual conference on Oct. 17, 1922: "A Bible conference for prayer, study of the Word of God, and preaching of the gospel will be held at Gospel Hall, 2 miles east of Bonaccord store and 12 miles southwest of Abilene, beginning Wednesday evening, Oct. 18 and continuing over the following Lord's Day. Mr. and Mrs. A.M. Scott of Alton, Minn., guests of Mr. and Mrs. J.A. Deardorff; R.H. Hall of Dunkirk, N.Y., J.H. Fleming of Minneapolis, MN, and J.H. Elliott of Chicago, are here to attend the gathering."

McBoyle Memorial

In the Feb. 18, 1922 issue of the Abilene Daily Reflector, the headline was "Alexander McBoyle Dies": "Alexander McBoyle, aged 76, died suddenly Friday evening at his home in Garfield township. He is survived by his wife, four daughters and two sons. Mr. McBoyle has been a resident of this community for nearly 40 years and was highly esteemed by all who knew him. Funeral services will be at 2 o'clock from the home and at 2:30 from Gospel hall Monday afternoon. Burial in Mt. Pleasant cemetery."

The obituary was printed in the Abilene Weekly Chronicel on Feb. 22, 1922:

"Mr. Alexander McBoyle was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in the year 1845, and died Feb. 17, 1922, aged 76 years, 4 months and 18 days at his home in Garfield township. He came to Kansas in the year of 1870. Seven years later he returned to Scotland and married Elizabeth Mather Kindness. To this union were born 8 children, two dying in infancy, the wife and six children surviving him. Those are:

  • Mrs. J.A. Deardorff
  • Mrs. F.H. Nicholson
  • Mrs. Alexia Carter
  • Arrole
  • George
  • Mrs. M.E. Boller - Junction City

He was converted to Christ and died in that faith. He often remarked that christianity was not a religion merely, but the faith of Christ. 'Only one life twill soon be past. What's done for Jesus alone will last.' The funeral took place on Monday Feb. 20th. The service at the house was brief. Scripture reading, prayer and a hymn. Then we repaired to the Gospel Hall one mile south of the McBoyle farm, where a large company gathered to pay their last respects to a time honored friend and child of God. Burial in the Mt. Pleasant cemetery. E.H. Van Loon of Nashua, Iowa addressed the people, taking for his text 'Five Blesseds in the Scripture'."

1927

For a time in 1927, there was advertised an upcoming open brethren assembly, in the Faithful Words (OB) assembly address book (pub. in St. Louis) of that year, with John A. Deardorff as the contact.


1930's

By 1934, the meeting at 12 miles SW of Abilene was rebranded as Grace and Truth Gospel Hall, and the contact was Frank H. Nicholson, who was also the contact for the Elm Springs Bible Hall, also active that year. Robert Alexander Robson also served in leadership at Grace and Truth.

In Light and Liberty in 1935, an annual conference was reported at the Gospel Hall beginning on a Thursday evening on Oct. 24th and continuing thru that Lord's Day. In 1936, John Walden had a series of tent meetings south of Abilene, KS. The attendance averaged over 100 nightly for the entire campaign, with good interest. It is debated as to when Grace & Truth changed names from Hall to Chapel, somewhere between the 1930's and 1950's.

Elm Springs Bible Hall

A gospel outreach of Grace & Truth south of Carlton, and east of Roxbury in the mid to late 1920's by Frank Nicholson resulted in home Bible studies, and eventually a group of believers meeting in the Elm Springs schoolhouse, which became known as Elm Springs Bible Hall. Others who assisted from Grace & Truth included Robert Robson and Dan Emig. In 1937, a plot of ground a mile south of the schoolhouse was donated, and lumber from Carlton was used to build a meeting place on the property which would become , constructed by Daniel Cornelius Wedel (b. 1885 McPherson, KS - d. 1950 Logan, KS). Daniel's daughter Edna (b. 1920) would later marry Menno Dyck who would serve as an elder at Grace & Truth.

Visiting itinerants at Elm Springs would include Ed Bucheneau, John Walden (founder of a children's home in Colorado), Harry Ironside (Moody pastor and author), George MacKenzie, Tom Carroll, Walter Wilson (founder of Calvary Bible College), Leonard Lindsted, Tom McCullagh, O.E. McGee, and Richard Burson (founder of Kansas Bible Camp & Hutchinson Gospel Chapel in the mid-1940's).

Newbern Split

In 1934, several families left the Gospel Hall to rent a space at the old Newbern Brethren in Christ church building down the road, and setup an exclusive table that met for nearly ten years, and was known as the Newbern Assembly. The families included:

  • Benjamin F. Jury (1870-1947)
  • George & Elizabeth Roggendorff
    • Jonathan Roggendorff
  • George Gruen and family
  • Carl Botz and his wife May
  • Linneas Engle (b. 1862 PA)

In obituaries for Carl & May (Jury) Botz, Christopher (b. 1869 Germany - d. 1946) & Mary Katherine Grimm Schwarz (b. 1872 NY - d. 1959), Fred & Anna (Jury) Peak, and Arrol William Taylor McBoyle (b. 1884 Abilene, KS), they were each noted as involved with a "Plymouth Brethren church" as a church different from Grace & Truth, and may have been part of this split. Fred & Anna (Jury) Peak may have had a connection to the forementioned Judson Alden family thru the Botz line. It is unknown how long this meeting lasted.

First Baptist Church of Abilene

Around 1938, Tim Gruen married Lola Mae Cormack and left the Newbern Assembly, KS for an American Baptist church in Abilene known as First Baptist Church, where they raised their children. Their son T. Lee and his first wife Libby later returned to the assemblies in the late 1970's, to Grace and Truth to raise their own children. Benjamin Jury's son Paul Gruen also left the Newbern assembly for First Baptist of Abilene, as did George Francis McBoyle earlier in 1916.

1940's

In 1942, Jay Walden of Minneapolis was in the army at nearby Fort Riley. He fellowshipped at Grace and Truth and was a great help in the assembly. Other men who came to the Chapel from their military bases were Ed Kellner, Toby Brocker, Marvin Studnicka (d. 2023), and David Silver, and at one point in the 1950's, the area assemblies started basketball teams.

Aug: L&L: George Gray, 2714 E. 36th St., KCMO: “Spent several weeks recently in KS ministering at Abilene, Elm Springs, and Kanorado. Saints are cheered by these visits and encouraged in their efforts to preserve a testimony to the Precious Name.”

Orville Robson initiated his position as a correspondent before 1947, which he served thru 1969.

1950's

In 1951, Kenneth Engle and his wife Mary Lou Leonard Engle received commendation from Grace & Truth, as well as from Austin Gospel Hall in Chicago to the Philippines where they would serve thru 1975.

In 1959, Kevin Dyer (originally from Tasmania, Australia) and his wife Eloise Engle Dyer were commended to the Lord's work with the initiating of Literature Crusades, which would become International Teams, a short-term missions initiative based in the Chicago area.

1960's

In the mid-1960's, George Easter, an accountant attending Grace & Truth, started an assembly in his home in Salina, which in the 1970's would purchase a former Jehovah's Witness building that would incorporate as Sunset Bible Chapel, which continues today, and along with Grace & Truth, has commended a number of overseas and home workers, including Jim Gillette of Ireland Outreach. In 1965, the trustees of Grace and Truth were Grant Engle, George Easter, and Orville W. Robson.

1970's

In 1970, D.W. Robson was serving as correspondent, then Orville Robson served as such 1971-1974. In the early 1970's, T. Lee Gruen and his wife Libby Cormack Gruen were living in Iowa City where Dr. Gruen was finishing his doctorate, and they lost their first three children (triplets), and neighbors ministered to them during this difficult time, leading Libby to Christ, and they were in fellowship with their small home assembly, followed by another small assembly when Dr. Gruen was teaching in St. Joseph, Missouri before relocating back to their hometown of Abilene in 1976, where they became involved with the Chapel.

In the early 1970's, Jerry Lahr, a nearby farmer was led to Christ thru an inter-denominational evangelistic outreach, and he and his wife Sandy started around 1977 at Grace & Truth. Also, Ken King, a local businessman, and his wife Judy came around 1978.

Elm Springs Bible Hall closed around 1977, with many of its regulars having relocated to Salina to Sunset Bible Chapel and elsewhere. The building was eventually razed, and only a cemetery remains.

Orville and Lois Robson were among the earliest volunteers in the 1970's with Hospice visitation in Dickinson County. Ken King, who was in fellowship with the Chapel from the late 1970's thru the late 1980's, including serving as an elder and Sunday School teacher, later served 2007-2020+ with a robust (20+ volunteers) hospice program in the area, along with many others from area churches.

In 1979, Grace & Truth hosted a DVBS with the help of Sandy Lahr, Libby Gruen and Mary Lou Engle, for twenty-six children from the area.

1980's

Elders included T. Lee Gruen, Ken King, Menno Dyck, Jerry Lahr, and Keith Engle and their families. Kenneth Ercil Engle also shared in the preaching. Others included Earl & Alberta Blair, Edward & Edith Unruh, and Ken & Nettie Moore. In the early 1980's, men of the Chapel visited the neighborhood and invited the Don Lenhart family who remained until 1988 when they relocated to Wichita where they were in fellowship a few years with South Emporia Bible Chapel. Menno & Edna Dyck left for a short time in the mid-1980's to assist with the early days of Community Bible Church in Abilene, returning soon afterwards, where Menno served as an elder until his death. In the late 1980's, T. Lee Gruen and Ken King felt the Lord's leading their families to assist with Community Bible, where they've remained ever since, with T. Lee assisting with various Bible studies, and Ken serving as an elder and as a missions chair. Throughout the years of Grace & Truth, they supported a Navajo Immanuel Mission in Teec Nos Pos, Arizona.

1990's

Gummel family

Grace and Truth has always had an interest in military outreach, with nearby Fort Riley, and there have been a number of soldiers who were stationed there who were in fellowship for brief periods there. Joe Gummel, and his wife Jan were in fellowship in the early 1990's with their infant son Daniel, and Joe shared in some of the Bible teaching. He was introduced to the Brethren while stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base near Goldsboro, North Carolina in 1981, and in a squadron bible study had inquired about finding a spiritual mentor, and was directed to a Brethren itinerant there named John Milton Mills. Joe subsequently joined Goldsboro Bible Chapel where he remained until relocating to Miami, Florida where he was in fellowship with Bible Truth Chapel, when he married his wife Jan, from Indiana.

Joe then transferred to London, England, and they were in fellowship in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire at Bethany Gospel Hall and were also befriended by folk from York Street Hall, Peterhead, Scotland. Then they were stationed in Germany, and the nearest assembly they could find was in Belgium, which they attended occasionally, which contained a fair amount of Polish believers, so the services were translated from English to French to Polish. They also were in more regular involvement with a local Missionary Southern Baptist church. They relocated to Fort Riley in the 1990's, and sought fellowship at Grace & Truth, where they have fond memories of being invited home for Sunday dinners from various families in the assembly including Robson's, Lahr's, Engle's, etc.

Eventually they relocated to Dayton, Ohio where they were in fellowship with the Believers Assembly, which may now be Dayton Bible Chapel before moving to Springfield, Ohio and he became a lay elder at Southgate Baptist Church where he continues to serve into the 2020's.

2000's

Revolution

In 2000, Doug Engle graduated from Emmaus Bible College with a B.S. in Biblical Studies where had studied from 1995, and was raised at Grace & Truth. He moved back to Abilene, and started a mobile car wash business, followed by seasons in tree trimming, etc. He lived in Abilene from 2000-2003, before relocating to Hutchinson 2004-2016, followed by a move to Manhattan 2016-2020+. He started meeting with an old friend, and new believer, a peer named Kevin Haight, who was in fellowship with Emmanuel Church in Abilene, with permission of the elders at Grace & Truth on Monday evenings in late 2000.

Others followed from various area churches from Salina, Canton and Abilene, until the fellowship group numbered more than thirty young people on Monday nights for the four purposes of Acts 2:42 as a lay supplement for equipping them in their local churches. The group served over eighty young people over the course of its three years, with various itinerant Bible teachers from assemblies and other types of churches. It met at the Chapel for the first year or two, before relocating into Abilene where it met thru the end of 2003 at the Abilene Brethren in Christ Church, then a local park, then finally in the home of Doug Engle at the corner of 7th & Cedar.

Revelation

In the Fall of 2002, Mark Stanger offered to do a week-long evening series on the seven churches of Revelation. He was serving as an elder at Garland Bible Chapel in Dallas, Texas. His wife Lynette was the eldest daughter of long-time Grace & Truth elder and farmer Keith Engle (1929-2012) who spent nearly his entire life at Grace & Truth. This was an era when the Chapel was aging and at its lowest in numbers, and the public was invited via advertisement in the Abilene newspaper. The series was extremely well attended, with many area visitors, and it remembered that Menno Dyck attended every night, who was in failing health and would be promoted to Glory later that year.

From that series, the Marshall Greene family was introduced to the Chapel with several young children, which gave the assembly a needed renewal. Additionally, in July of 2003, Mark and Lynette Stanger relocated to Abilene to assist, where they remained until the Chapel's closing in 2010 with a widely attended farewell celebration. The pews were purchased by Kansas Bible Camp, and the library archived by Doug Engle, and the chapel building was converted into a place of residence for nearby young people.

Also See

Sources

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