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 NE Ancestree Vol 2, no. 2, page 81 - Fall 1979
Submitted by Mrs. Ruth A. HICKS, Lincoln, NE
Source "The Church at Bethany, A History of the Bethany Christian Church 1889-1964" by Jesse O. Stein, Lancaster Co. NE. Location. extract THE CHURCH AT BETHANY

November 1889 the students and faculty of the NE. Christian University (later Cotner University) and many residents of Bethany, NE. met at DEMAREST home, 6819 Aylesworth for a worship. Dr. William Prince AYLESWORTH, the acting chancellor of the university was the pastor. 

A student, William OESCHGER came forward to be the first convert of the church (He would later be chancellor of Cotner). 2 Jan 1890: Church moved into a dormitory; upon completion of the college chapel later that year, the church moved into the college chapel & would be there for 18 years. Oct 1908: A new church built and dedicated. 

It served until building burned on 20 Nov 1928. Work on replacement began late the following year. 22 March 1931: dedication of the Bethany Christian Church. John H. BOOTH and former Pastor H. O. PRITCHARD were speakers.

Charter Members 
Dr. & Mrs. William P. AYLSWORTH    
Mrs. M. BUSH  
Mr. & Mrs. L. Penn BUSH            
J. H. BICHNELL  
Mr. & Mrs. CHAMBERLIN             
Mr. & Mrs. E. F. GANN  
Mr. & Mrs. M. A. GOODRICH          
Ross GOODRICH  
Mr. &  Mrs. E. B. KNIGHT & Family  
Mr. & Mrs. B. F. KNIGHT  
Mr. & Mrs. I? W. KNIGHT            
Mr. & Mrs. W. B. KNIGHT  
Mr. & Mrs. T. J. OLIVER            
William OESCHGER  
Mr. & Mrs. S. L. WRIGHT            
Mr. & Mrs. F. F. YOUNG  

Ministers of the Church 
William P. AYLSWORTH 1889-1890     
Dr. David R. DUGAN 1891-1894  
Andrew D. HARMON 1895-1896         
L. P. BUSH 1897-1898  
A. K. WRIGHT 1898-1901             
William SUMPTER 1901-1903  
J. W. HILTON 1903-1907             
H. O. PRITCHARD 1907-1913  
C. R. NEAL? 1914-1918              
Charles F. STEVENS 1918-1924  
Fred R. NICHOLS? 1925-1926         
J. HI_NEY? O'NE_RON? 1928-1929  
Hugh LOMAX 1930-1938               
Dr. Paul BECKER 1939-1949  
W. Howard HALVERSON? 1950-1957     
Carl A. BURKHARDT, Jr. 1958-  

Associate Ministers 
A. Lee CROKER? 1959-1964           
William K. HASENYAGER? 1964-  

Ministers Ordained by Bethany Christian Church
1895
John D. AUSTON       
Charles E. FINC_? 

1895  
Penn L. _USH 
1893   R. W. ABBER_Y             
J. H. MCSPARRAN    

1896  
W. T. FISHER 
J. H? BIRCKELL            
William OESCHGER         
George RIT__E_ 
A. _. HAR_ON             
R. A. SCHELL 

1898  J. W. HILT 

1900   H? J. KENNEDY     

1912  Augustus BROKAW   

1921  
E/ D/ RAGE__N 

1901   
C. _. SWANDER             
William CARRY            
Jack LEONARD 

1902   
Harvey M. JOHNSON  

1913  
Earl GRIGGS  

1922  
Yandel EA_S 
C. A. SIAS?               
Clarence LEMMON         
 S. R. BRADLEY 

1905   
Stephen EPLER             
Rodney MCOUARY?

1906   
Kenneth ROLAND 

1907   
George C. AYDELOTT        
Ross WILLIAMS  

1914  
Harry G. HILL     

  

1923  
Dr. N. _. _ARE 
Hugh LOMAX                
B. E. OGDEN              
Lois N. _ARE 

1924  
George BELL 
Dr. C. D. DRUMMOND       
 Tod V. HUBBELL           
Frank G. H. COOK 

1925  
Lawrence BERRY 
Mrs. Ed CLUTTER  

1915  
Ernest BRIGGS            
William G. MOSELEY 
W. A. DOBSON           
Alden L. HILL            
Fay H. STEVENSON 
Mary DOBSON            
Peter B. COPE      
1926  Everett BRADLEY 
1908  H. C. ARMSTRONG 

Fall 1979- 81 
NE Ancestree Vol 2
no. 2, pg 82 Fall 1979
The Church at Bethany cont'd. 

1916  
L.A. BRUMBAUGH           
Nellie CHRISTY 
Edward KECKLEY         
J. W. FUNK               
Ray BORGAARD 
E. H. LONGMAN          
Frank ANDBRON            
Dilliard G. LESSLEY 
Clay LONGMAN           
Lee WOODWARD             
James H. TILSLEY 

1909  
Floyd BASH   

1918  
Rob Ray HARDIN     

1927 
 R. C. CROUSE 
Ford ELLIS             
Arleta B. KENNEDY        
Leslie R. SMITH 
Ray E. HUNT            
Glenn MCRAE              
Virgil A. SLY 
B. F. LIVELY 

1919  
Ira D. CRE_DSON          
Mrs. Virgil A. SLY 
E. O. SWEANEY          
Leroy HELBVIG   

1928  
William LEE 
Bert WILSON            
Kenneth L. POTEE         
Gerald SIAS 

1910  
O. R? LOOMIS           
Church H. SMILEY         
Kenneth SEELEY 
T. C. PERRY  

1920  
Burton A. DAVIES         
Vance THOMAS 

1911  
John ALBER             
Charles HANNAN           
Ralph TIESTSORT 
A. C. RITCHEY          
Charles R. HOWARD        
Mary E. WHITE 
Frank A. WOTSEN        
Delbert HUGHES 

1929  
Otis MCOLLARY 
Homer YOUNG            
Paul D. KENNEDY 

Unknown Dates of Ordination
C. W. COOPER                 
Mrs. HANNAN              
S. E. SNAPP
Fred HAGIN                   
Dan SCHELL               
H. G. WILKINSON
Rose B. WILKINSON            
Bessie YOUNG