This text was obtained via automated optical character recognition.
It has not been edited and may therefore contain several errors.


55
discussed. Eventually, it would be adopted.
The following year would find things going fairly smoothly. A budget of $39,800 had been ascribed to, and the last of the "loaned" benches had been returned to the Ocean Springs church. In addition, Kay Covode would ascend to the Diaconate.
On February 15th, Guston and Marian Rapp transferred to the church from Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Gus was a retired chemist and professor at a prestigous midwestern university (Loyola); they would immediately begin to make their presences felt, not merely with their wry humor, but with delightful and insightful intelligence, as well. Although his body might be bound to a wheelchair, Gus's mind and spirit soared!
Shortly thereafter, on May 11th, Pastor Foy announced that he desired to terminate his relationship with the church effective June 7, 1981. He would be the first short-termer. More healing was obviously in order; however, it would be slow in coming. Withal, a pulpit committee was then elected from the congregation, consisting of Jim Johnston, Charles Maumas, Kay Covode, George Schroeder and Christal Schaefer. They immediately began their search for a replacement.
It was with sadness that it was announced after this that Elder Bob Cuendet had died. However, an informal agreement with Chaplain Rice to preach on a sustaining basis three Sundays a month was a cheerful note. As was the acceptance into the church on December 6,	1981 of Billy and
David Cox. Also just before the end of the year, at a congregational meeting, another budget for the next year of an equal amount as the previous one ($39, 800 ) was agreed upon and Tom Hitchcock and John Cavode were elected Elders, with Paul Smith and Kay Coleman being elected Deacons. Fred Fisher and Marge Hitchcock were also elected to the pulpit nominating committee.
The next year saw the irrepressible Vonnie Bodenschatz being elected a Deacon. Further, the Reverend William Warner Ford was called to be the pastor at a congregational meeting held on March 28, 1982. On December 12,	1982, Marian Englehorn
was accepted into the church.
In 1983, the congregation elected to have


First Presbyterian Church History-of-the-First-Presbyterian-Church-59
© 2008 - 2024
Hancock County Historical Society
All rights reserved