ABOUT US
We are an intergenerational church family, committed to loving one another and growing deeper in our Christian journey. Whether you have been a Christian for a long time or if this is your first time in
church, you are welcome here.

Our Community Presbyterian Church in Lawton, IA (pop. 1,000) is located in northwest Iowa near the borders of Nebraska and South Dakota.  Lawton is seven miles east of Sioux City, IA (pop. 85,000) on east-west, four-lane highway 20.  Interstate highway 29 goes through Sioux City.  Omaha, NE is ninety miles south on I-29 and Sioux Falls, SD is ninety miles north on I-29.  Airline service is available in Sioux City.  Sioux City has two major medical centers and a cancer center, one community college and two four-year private colleges.  Sioux City's Orpheum Theater and Tyson Events Center bring headline entertainment to Siouxland and sportsfans enjoy minor league baseball and arena football.  Siouxland golf courses have been rated "Best Value" in the nation recently by a major golf publication. Our high school is in Lawton and elementary in Bronson. These are top rated, growing schools.

Long-term History

Today's congregation is a continuing record of people from many backgrounds joined together for worship, learning about the grace of God and sharing God's love. Research of church and community records reveals a succession of churches and congregations joined into Community Presbyterian Church.  The grassroots of the country churches are now growing in a suburban environment.

The first church services were held in the rural schoolhouses.  The Church of God or Winebenerians are believed to be the first denomination locally organized.  Several families trace their religious heritage to worship services held in the Eberly Schoolhouse four miles west of Lawton.
In 1887 sixteen local residents petitioned the Presbytery of Fort Dodge... "for guidance in establishing and maintaining the means of grace and the preaching of the gospel."  Several different denominations were represented in the petitioners willing to be communicant transfers to a developing church.  Thirty-five friends also joined the request asking the Presbytery to "establish a church in their midst."

The Presbytery assigned Mr. W. E. Finley to preach in this aread. At Banner School, one and a half miles northwest of where Lawton was later located, Westminister Presbyterian Church was formally organized on August 7, 1887. Through the generosity of the widow of James Kellogg, a plot of ground was given on the northeast corner of the intersection of what is now K49 and 130th Street.  She provided a church building, furnished it and gave it to the congregation.

July 21, 1882, is the original charter date of the Ursinus Reformed Church.  The initial membership was "four males and four females in all."  In 1887 it was reactivated and fifteen people were added to the initial charter roll.  Worship services were conducted at Friendship School located three miles southeast of Lawton in Floyd Township, section 11. In 1896 the Ursinus congregation arranged to purchase the schoolhouse for $100.  The school district retained the desks, leaving the committee in charge of renovation.  Members of the Presbyterian and Ursinus congregations celebrated the new chapel with an ice cream and cake social.

In 1901 the railroad was extended to Sioux City, and the town of Lawton was established.  Both Westminister and Ursinus churches realized the importance of a church to the community and bought lots in Lawton.  The white frame Presbyterian Church was built and dedicated July 27, 1902, on the lot of what is now the northwest corner of of Maple and Pine streets.  The Reformed congregation built on the corner lot across the street east.  Their first worship service was held March 22, 1903.  The rural Westminister Church reverted to the donating family and was recycled into constructing new buildings on their farm.  The rural Ursinus Chapel was offered for public bids.  It was purchased by the school district, moved into Lawton and converted back to educational use again.

Rev. Charlotte Woods of Morrison, IL, was visiting relatives, the Peterson and Law families, at the time Westminister was being constructed in 1902.  Her church had a new building and had no further use for their old bell.  She arranged for that bell to be sent to Lawton for the cost of transportation.
A higher proportion of silver than usual in the casing gives it an unique clear ring.  This bell was moved to the present location and continues to announce the call to worship each Sunday. On March 15, 1916, the decision was made to remodel the Presbyterian Church building.  A basement was added, and the north end of the sanctuary was extended.  Now there were twelve steps to the upper level.  A two-level major addition was added in 1952 to accommodate the fast-growing Sunday School.

The time came when it was apparent that the two churches, so similar in structure and faith, should unite.  With the support of Rev. Lynn, 1922-26, the Reformed and Presbyterian churches united as Lawton Community Church.  Both buildings were utilized; in 1939 the Reformed building was sold to Bethel Lutheran Church.  Ministers were chosen from either denomination until 1941.  Members of the Lawton Church participated in regional and national affairs in both denominations until the nationwide reorganization of the Reformed Church in 1941. The Lawton Community Church has been under the cared of the Presbyterians since that time.

In 1962 the church was reincorporated as Community Presbyterian Church U. S. A.  On June 24, 1962, the congregation voted to buy six lots on both sides of East Birch Street from Julius Bunning for $4,800.  A new manse was built on the south side.  Groundbreaking for the new church was August 10, 1969; they dedicated the building October 25, 1970, and the mortgage was burned April 7, 1978. In 1971 the Presbyterian Church building on Maple was sold to John and Barbara Goodwin for $5,000.  It now houses apartments.

It is significant that the beginning of the second century of our Lawton Church and the reunion of the United Presbyterian Church U.S.A. and the Presbyterian Church U.S. coincide.  Five people from our congregation attended the awesome reunion service in Atlanta, GA in 1983.
In 2000 Elliot Creek Presbyterian Church, Bronson, and the Lawton church voted to form a larger parish.  They share a pastor; each congregation maintains its own building, worship service and programs.

A benediction of grace is found in Ephesians 3:20-21:  "Now to him who by the power of work within us is able to accomplish far more than all that we can ask or imagine, to Him be glory in the church and in Jesus Christ to all generations, forever and ever.  Amen."
This we pray, knowing that the church is people, not a building.  Each of us, doing what we can, where we are, with what we have - sharing our unique gifts as enriched by God's Holy Spirit, enables us to be a community that serves each other and people throughout the world.