History

A long heritage of faith



When the first Apostolic believers arrived in the area in 1863, the community of Cissna Park did not exist. Rather, the area was known as the East Lynn community, located approximately 10 miles south east of current day Cissna Park. Other families arrived in 1865 with the first resident minister, Heinrich Ziegenhorn, moved to the area in 1875 from Fairbury, where recently he had been placed in the ministry. Prior to this time, the small congregation had been served by ministers from surrounding Apostolic Christian churches.

As was typical in many of our infant congregations, the first church services were held in the homes of believers. Until 1879, these services were spoken exclusively in the German language which was consistent with the national Apostolic Christian Church practice. It is believed that the first English sermon was spoken by brother Fred Lauks. Just two years later, Bro. John Adam Eisenmann moved to the Cissna Park area from Tremont and purchased property near current day Fountain Creek, halfway between Cissna Park and East Lynn. Bro. Eisenmann had been ordained elder in Germany prior to his immigration to the United States and he became the first resident Shepherd of the Cissna Park congregation. That same year, 1881, as the congregation had outgrown the capacity of their homes, the Bethel church was purchased, dismantled, and moved to the Eisenmann farmstead to become the first Apostolic Christian Church building in the Cissna Park area. This structure was placed alongside a creek that served as a baptismal site. Close by, on higher ground to avoid flooding, a cemetery was begun and used for 10 years. As a result of the exposure to the elements, many of these stones and become severely deteriorated by 1954. Today, a large cement stone inscribed with the names of twenty-nine bodies buried there, marks the location of the cemetery.

The village of Cissna Park began to take shape in the 1880’s. Land was available for $30 - $40 an acre and regular train service began to bring people and businesses into the area. With these conditions, a growing congregation, and local spiritual leadership, more Apostolic families found reason to move to the Cissna Park area. Unfortunately, tragedy struck in 1888 when Bro. Eisenmann passed from time to eternity at the age of 56. However, a year later Bro. John Adam Reeb emigrated from Alsace-Lorraine and became Cissna Park’s second resident Elder.

By approximately 1890, the congregation had grown to 50 families. Rather than enlarge the existing facility, the decision was made to move the structure 4 miles North-West. This location is across the road from the present-day church. At the same time, a new assembly room was added, doubling the size of the building. With an in-gathering of 81 souls in 1893, the building was again in need of expansion. The edifice was doubled in 1894 with the assembly room expanded to seat between 400 and 500 people.

Just 10 years after Bro. Reeb’s installation is elder, the hand of death struck and the congregation was left shepherdless. It was not until six years later that Bro. Eugene Shladenhauffen was ordained as Cissna Park’s third resident Elder. He served the congregation for 20 years, until 1926.

By 1910, with an increasing number of brethren in living in the village of Cissna Park, support was given for the construction of a town church. At first it was only used for Wednesday evening services but in 1920, with the influx of believers into town, services were held in both churches. Meanwhile, the Cissna Park congregation continued to experience phenomenal growth. Between October 1911 and October 1912, 101 souls were baptized. However, in 1932, the ministry and approximately 10% of the congregation chose to depart. This was a national division. With the church size diminished, it was determined that services would be discontinued in town and in 1938 that building was dismantled and moved to La Crosse, IN.

Cissna Park’s fourth resident elder, Bro. John Laubscher, was ordained in 1940 but he died suddenly in 1942. Again, the Cissna Park congregation was left without local leadership. It was not until 1945 that brother Phil Aeschleman was ordained. Under his tenure, plans were made for the construction of a new church edifice. Construction of the current facility was completed in 1949. On October 16, dedication services were held with over 1100 people present.

In 1956, the church membership reached its peak at 460 members. Some 11 years after the retirement of brother Aeschleman from eldership, Bro. Ezra Feller and Bro. Emanuel Gudeman were ordained as resident co-elders of the congregation. Unfortunately, in 1969, Emanuel Gudeman and approximately 20% of the congregation chose to leave the Apostolic Christian fellowship. Bro. Ezra Feller continued to serve the congregation until his retirement in 1981. During his tenure, several major projects were completed on the church building, including the addition of a vestibule in 1972. The mantle of leadership was then passed to Bro Steve Rinkenberger and he served the Cissna Park congregation until his untimely death in 1989. During his tenure, in 1983, a fellowship hall was constructed adjacent to the church and has provided a comfortable edifice for many hours of fellowship. A carport was added to the east side of the church building in 1995. From 1989 to 2003, Elder brothers Arthur Bahler (Fairbury), Dave Wiegand (Champaign), and Alfred Bahler (Wolcott), served as Cissna Park congregation as non-resident elders.

Local leadership for the Cissna Park congregation was again established in 2003 when Bro. Tom Stock was ordained as Elder. Unfortunately, in 2012, a national division of the Apostolic Christian Church of America led to approximately 15% of the Cissna Park membership leaving the congregation. This included many children. In 2014, to better accommodate the reduced size of the congregation, the church upstairs was remodeled, reducing the size of the assembly room and increasing the size of the back hall. Following the completion of this project, the downstairs was remodeled in 2016, reconfiguring the Sunday School, kitchen, and dining room. After 18 years of faithful service, in 2021, Bro. Tom Stock retired as elder and Bro. Bruce Frank was ordained.