The Widows's Offering

By: Sam Emmerson, FUMCA Historical Committee

The Gospels of Mark and Luke both write about the Widow’s gift to God. Jesus was sitting outside the temple treasury watching people depositing money into the offering box. Jesus saw the rich people depositing large amounts, but then along comes a widow with two small coins in her hand. The widow put her two small coins into the box and Jesus called out to the disciples and pointed out her action. “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty put in everything, all she had to live on”

Fast forward to the early years of our church. We grew from our first meeting place at Schultz Lumber company to a wooden structure on Division Street and Center. As our church congregation continued to grow, the original wooden structure built in 1885, was moved and Rev. Ed Wallace helped raise funds to build the first brick sanctuary in 1907. The church was located on the northeast corner of Center and Division. The new building had electric lights and beautiful stained-glass windows.

Tragedy struck in 1918 when an electrical fire destroyed the church. The congregation had to meet on the second floor of the Gruber building in downtown Arlington. Plans were made for a new building costing $25,000. The congregation was so distraught over the loss of the last building that fund raising and donations were non-existent. Rev. Alonzo Monk became our next minister and from the pulpit he pleaded for donations with little success.

Sitting in church was Mrs. Tucker, who only had two church dresses, a white linen she wore in the summer and a dark serge for the winter. Every Sunday she wore her prize possession, a gold pin that was given to her by her mother and father. After hearing Rev. Monk’s plea and no response, Mrs. Tucker got out of the pew and walked to the front of the congregation and removed the gold pin she was wearing and placed it on the alter and walked back to the pew. After a moment of silence, men started holding their hands up and yelling out amounts of money they would give. In just a few minutes $25,000 was raised. After the building was completed the following year, Rev Monk retuned the gold pin back to Mrs. Tucker. What sacrifice can you make to help our church grow?

The first brick sanctuary, built in 1907, which was destroyed by fire in 1918.

The new sanctuary that was built after the 1918 fire