The First 50 Years - Rev. Steen

THE REVEREND ROBERT S. STEEN

In April, 1933, following the death of Dr. Jaquess, the Session invited the Reverend Robert S. Steen, of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and lately from service in the Second Presbyterian Church of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, to serve us as Stated Supply. He had occupied the pulpit on Sunday, April 2. Apparently the finances of the church were such that it was thought inadvisable at the time to "call" a minister, who would have to be put on salary. Dr. Jaquess had received about one hundred dollars a month while he served, and it was agreed that Mr. Steen should receive "not less" than that amount, and would begin his duties as soon as possible after May 1, 1933. Mr. Steen accepted the proposal, and was present at a meeting of Session on May 7.

The question of money, or the lack of it, continued to confound the officers of the church. The Session had requested the Trustees to turn over to it for benevolent uses 12 1/2 per cent of both pledges and loose collection. This was agreed to, but so straightened were the finances that the amount was reduced to 10 percent, and later, at the request of the Trustees, further reduced to 5 percent.

During this period of financial distress which continued for almost a decade, several organized groups of the church were most generous in meeting the situation. The Women's Auxiliary, in an earlier emergency, had assumed a note at a Northville bank for furniture and furnishings for the church, and they now assumed other definite obligations of indebtedness. The Men's Club and the Homebuilders assumed some of the financial burden, and specific projects which required attention were underwritten by these groups, as well as by the Mothers Class. In 1941 the Christian Endeavor, anxious to do its share, bought a new pulpit for the sanctuary.

Having served so satisfactorily as Stated Supply since his arrival in early May, by unanimous congregational action taken the following October 22, a formal call was extended to Mr. Steen to become our permanent pastor. The call was prosecuted, Presbytery approved, and his formal installation service was held on December 12, 1933, followed by a reception three days later. Our pastor had recently taken unto himself a lovely bride, and the reception was in their honor. At the same gathering the second mortgage on the church property was burned.

In the meantime there were steady accretions to the church, by letter and through the communicant classes. Plans were made to observe the twentieth anniversary of the church on May 17, 1934. It seems incredible, but so difficult were the times that at a meeting of Session held in November of 1934, it voted to ask the Trustees to increase the pastor's salary to "at least $150 per month", which was but little more than was paid our minister upon the founding of the church 20 years earlier.

Mr. Steen served the church longer than any other of its pastors. Despite the very unfavorable economic climate at the time he took over the pastorate, conditions began to improve. The growth in membership, in spiritual effort, even in finances , attested to a vigorous leadership, both in the pastorate and in the laymen. The church made every effort to carry its load in the affairs of both the Presbyterian church at large and in the community. It actively participated in the Weekday Religious Education Program, which gained for the City of Royal Oak national recognition. It united with the other churches of the community in joint meetings and services. The war effort received splendid support in all its varied programs, both from the church as an institution and from the individual members. It was not unusual to find in the minutes of Session a report as to the death of one of the sons of the church in his country's defense, and such tragedies deeply affected the entire membership.

During the war period Mr. Steen edited a monthly communication, called "The Church Bell", which went to every young man or woman from our church in service. In 1944 it was reported to Session that 144 young people from our one church were in military service. On January 31, of the same year, the church purchased the equivalent of one $25 War Bond for each boy from the church in the armed forces, at a total cost of $3,500. It was an indication that the congregation in its way was supporting the war effort, too.

The membership of the church steadily increased, even though many names were transferred to the reserve roll. The church law requires that the names of any members who have moved away or have lost contact with the church for a period of two years shall be placed on a separate list known as the Reserve Roll. Upon information received from the pastor, the Session takes such action periodically.

The church plant was getting too small and committees were hard at work trying to find a solution to the overcrowding of both the Church School and the worship services. Holding two services on Easter Sunday was begun, then two services for Palm Sunday and at last it was decided that the only practical solution was to have two identical Sunday services every week to accommodate the membership. Not only did the Reverend Mr. Steen give outstanding leadership to the program of the church, but he had an unusual group of laymen and women to add to that leadership, a situation to which Mr. Steen alluded on many occasions. There were a half-dozen men in the church who could adequately fill the pulpit on a Sunday morning, if need be, and sometimes they did, when the pastor was away or on vacation.

Other departments of the church organization came in for special attention. The Church School was growing and accommodations were inadequate. The question of the subject matter to be studied in the school came in for serious discussion in Session meetings.

Early in the pastorate of the Reverend Mr. Steen, a weekly church bulletin was issued largely through the efforts of Elder J. C. Austin, who assumed the responsibility of raising the costs of the bulletin for the next several years. The minutes of Session record on more than one occasion the appreciation of the church for this fine service over many years.

It was also during this pastorate that some of the young people of the congregation looked to the Christian ministry as their life work, and Paul K. Heberlein, William A. Bowen, Beth Chapman and Dora Christiansen were all accepted under care of Presbytery.

In 1935 a pleasant custom was inaugurated by the Session, which continued for many years. The retiring elders, toward the end of their years of service, would entertain the rest of the Session at a dinner in one of their homes. It came to be a meeting of fine fellowship.

Cooperation with the other churches of the community was on a high level. In the summer of 1936 we carried on a Daily Vacation Bible School in conjunction with our closest neighbor, St. John's Episcopal Church. We participated in a School of Religion, sponsored by several churches of the community. When a local minister of a sister denomination accepted a call to a church in New York State, the Session adopted a formal resolution of commendation and forwarded it to the officials of the church to which he was going. We joined with the other churches in holding summer union vesper services at Cass Field, and in evangelistic programs.

One of the outstanding programs of the Royal Oak churches during this period, and one which gained national attention and approbation, as previously stated, was the School of Weekday Religious Instruction, whereby public school pupils could take religious instruction in organized classes within their respective schools as part of the school program. Our church was always strong in its support of this program, both as to finances and lay leadership, and we were at all times represented on the board by most able representatives.

The University of Life Movement appeared on the scene at this time, and our church gave active support to the program, which was designed to attract high school and college students, and young adults to its membership.

During the month of May, 1939, the twenty-fifth anniversary of the church was observed with appropriate services, in all the church groups. A commemorative banquet, attended by 200 persons, was addressed by all of our former pastors--the Reverends H. H. Blocher, J. E. Webber, and R. H. Rolofson. An additional interesting event of the anniversary observance was the meeting held by the Women's Auxiliary, at which the wives of two of our former ministers, Mrs. J. E. Webber and Mrs. R. H. Rolofson, spoke of their experiences since leaving Royal Oak. Seven ladies who were charter members of the church, were also in attendance. The observance was closed on May 21, with the Reverend Mr. Steen delivering the anniversary sermon. A copy of the program is shown in Fig. 16.

Fig. 16

By 1939 the membership of the Sunday School, which name was officially changed the following year to Church School, had grown to such size that it appeared hardly fair to ask a volunteer to act as general superintendent. At the annual meeting of 1940 the church membership was reported to be 601. At the previous annual meeting, because of the steady growth, the membership of both the Session and the Board of Deasonesses had been increased to twelve members. Investigation was started to see what might be done to obtain a paid superintendent of the Church School. The Reverend Mr. Ogle, a retired minister and member of the church, was secured to handle this assignment, at a very nominal figure.

An interesting commentary of the current integration problem appears in the record of the Session meeting of July 2, 1940. It involved an "all Presbyterian" picnic at Bob-Lo, at which members from the negro Presbyterian churches in Detroit probably would be in attendance. A strong resolution was introduced at Session meeting which, among other things, declared that "we recognize the insurmountable barrier to intimate social intercourse (with the negro); that we recognize the equality before Christ of every other race with our own; that we pledge ourselves as Christians to do all in our power to secure equal rights and privileges for all races. "

While today, in 1964, this wou1d present probably no difficulty at all, 24 years ago it was a different matter. Vigorous debate on the resolution took place in our Session meeting. The Resolution was tabled, with each elder to receive a copy of it so it could be studied and again considered at a subsequent meeting of Session. At the next meeting there was a "full and free discussion", with the result that a considerably watered-down resolution was adopted, in which we go on record as assuring the all-Presbyterian picnic group of our "whole-hearted cooperation next year."

At the annual meeting of 1941 the church membership was reported as 633. In the meantime large numbers of former members were placed on the reserve roll. Receipts for the year approximated $12,000. It was during this year that we purchased our first manse, a residence on Pleasant Street, adjoining the church property. By 1942 the membership totaled 718, with the Church School increasing proportionately. Quite appropriately, therefore, we find the Session deliberating the employment of a full-time director of religious education. A second mortgage on the church property had been retired, largely through the efforts of a committee headed by Elder J. C. Austin. A mortgage-burning ceremony was planned for May 21, 1943 and it was to be combined with a program commemorating the tenth anniversary of the Reverend Mr. Steen's pastorate. We illustrate the program as it appears in an attractive folder prepared for t h e occasion. (Fig. 17)

Fig. 17

The financial condition of the church was steadily improving. The employment of a paid soloist for the church was suggested. New robes for the choir were ordered, made of a "maroon colored milk cloth and an egg shell silk stole." Pledges for the year reached a new high--$15,000.

The Reverend Mr. Steen was informed in the spring of 1943 that he had been nominated to receive the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity from his alma mater, Waynesburg College, and the congregation joined in extending its felicitations on this well-deserved honor to its minister. Formal recognition was made in a resolution adopted by the Session, as follows:

"The Session desires to place on record its appreciation of the honor bestowed on the minister by his Alma Mater, an honor reflected in some measure upon the congregation. The Elders extend to him their hearty congratulations, believing that this honor comes as the fitting and well deserved crown upon ten years of faithful and unremitting labor in the Royal Oak Pastorate, in a ministry notable for the high quality of the preaching and the faithful spirit in which the pastoral duties have been performed."

The committee of Session which had been appointed to secure the services of a director of religious education, after considering several candidates, recommended the employment of Miss Sophia Munstedt for that position, and Miss Munstedt entered upon her duties the 1st of August, 1943. During the short period of time she served the church, she accomplished much for our young people, and gave convincing proof of the great good that would come to a congregation where its youth would be under the leadership of a woman of her high character and ability. Unfortunately ill health caused her to resign her position less than one year after she began her work with us. In that short time she had convinced the Session that a full-time director of religious education was indispensable, the membership of the church by that time having reached 829.

With the employment of Miss Munstedt, a new era began in the church. Not only was a full-time person necessary to work with the youth of the church, but the growing congregation was placing too heavy a burden on the minister. Should we obtain another director of religious education or should we secure an assistant minister, who could serve the youth and could also aid the minister in his many pastoral duties? The question was finally resolved with the decision to obtain an assistant minister, and a committee was duly appointed to make such a selection. The seminaries of our denomination were contacted and other sources examined.

The committee was ready to present its report and a special congregational meeting was called for September 10, 1944 to receive the report. The Reverend Jesse R. Houk, then serving the Yellow Creek Presbyterian Church at Wellesville, Ohio, had been interviewed and was interested in the position of associate pastor of our church. He was a graduate of Geneva College and McCormick Theological Seminary, and had served pastorates in both Wisconsin and Pennsylvania before going to the Yellow Creek Presbyterian Church. He was well equipped to take care of the educational activities of the church and also assist the minister. There was considerable debate as to whether we were ready for an associate minister, or whether we should continue with a director of religious education. The divergence of opinion resulted not so much as to the qualifications of the candidate, but as to the actual position which we wished to fill. After a secret ballot, resulting in a vote of 70 percent to 30 percent in favor of accepting the committee's recommendation to employ the Reverend Mr. Houk, there was further discussion and finally unanimity seemed to prevail. By a voice vote the recommendation of the committee was unanimously adopted. The call was prosecuted through Presbytery and a reception for Mr. and Mrs. Houk was made a part of the annual Harvest Home Dinner observance late in October.

As with his predecessor, Mr. Houk made splendid progress with our young people's work. The Church School and the youth groups responded enthusiastically to his leadership. Participation noticeably increased and attendance was growing. But as with his predecessor, Mr. Houk, too, was to remain with us for but a short time. Just as his work was beginning to show definite results, he received a call to a church in Ohio and asked to be released to accept the call. His term of service with us lasted for just about one year.

In the meantime the growth of the congregation made necessary a careful appraisal of the adequacy of our church plant. As early as 1921 the Board of Church Extension was considering a new church in the northeast section of Roya1 Oak, to be known as the Oak Ridge Presbyterian Church. Somewhat alarmed at this possibility, our Session adopted a resolution requesting the Board to postpone action for one year.

As early as 1944 questions arose as to just what should be the goal of our church as to ultimate size, and one elder inquired at a Session meeting as to what we were "striving for, a church of two or three thousand or a smaller group, a community church, that would justify another Presbyterian Church in the northeast section of Royal Oak." Having in mind that our present membership is close to 3,000, it is significant that in 1944 the answer of the Session to the query of one of its members was, that "our present church should not grow beyond the community type of church." Just what size such a church should be was not stated.

In the following March, 1945, Miss Gertrude M. Bechtel, daughter of a Presbyterian minister (the first pastor of Kirk-in-the-Hills) , began her duties with us as director of religious education. Miss Bechtel had seen wartime service in Alaska and this fact added to her attraction to the young people of the congregation. After serving effectively for less than two years, she tendered her resignation, effective as of February, 1947.

Although a committee was appointed to secure a successor to Miss Bechtel even before she left, it was not until late that same year that the committee was ready to recommend a new director. The Reverend Hugh I. Schuster was the nominee, and at a special joint meeting of the Session and Trustees, it was decided to extend a call to the Reverend Mr. Schuster as assistant minister, with the specific duties of having charge of the various youth programs. At the annual meeting of 1948 the church membership was reported to be 1 142, so it was quite apparent that additional assistance was needed for the pastor.

A graduate of Park College and McCormick Theological Seminary, the Reverend Mr. Schuster had served both the Fort Street Presbyterian Church of Detroit, and the First Presbyterian Church of Kalamazoo as assistant minister. If he were to accept the call to our church he desired to be called an associate pastor and not as assistant pastor, a distinction of importance in the organization of our denomination, as will appear later. Finally, in February of 1948, congregational action was taken and a call was extended to Mr. Schuster, which was accepted by him. He was installed as associate minister at a meeting held April 4, 1948, and the installation service was followed by a reception for Mr. and Mrs. Schuster.

In view of the fact that there did not seem to be sufficient funds in sight with which to construct a new sanctuary, it was decided to construct a building which would be temporary in nature and yet suitable to meet the immediate needs of the Church School. It is rather interesting to note that this "temporary building", over fifteen years later, is still in full use, even though during the interval we have constructed a new sanctuary and a large educational building, such has been the growth of the congregation and Church School.

This temporary building was constructed at the rear of the church property at such a point as not to interfere with future permanent construction. In honor of the Reverend Jerome E. Webber, the Session voted to name this new building "Webber Hall", an action concurred in by the Board of Trustees, as previously mentioned. This honor to our former minister also met with general approbation within the church membership. At the dedication service held after the worship services on May 16, 1948, the two children of the Reverend and Mrs. Webber, now young adults, were present and responded briefly to the dedicatory remarks made by Elder J. C. Austin.

It was in the closing years of Mr. Steen's pastorate with us that the Weekday School of Religion, which had been carried on so successfully by the public schools of Royal Oak in cooperation with the several churches of the community, was dealt a severe blow by the Supreme Court of the State. The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that the program, as then conducted, was in violation of constitutional law, which required the separation of church and state. Although the churches of the city, in cooperation with the Board of Education, endeavored to continue the program and still remain within the law, the results were unsatisfactory and the program was finally discontinued entirely.

The Reverend Dr. Steen was now finishing his fifteenth year with us. He had assumed his duties in the depth of the depression, and had shared with the congregation the constant struggle to recover from the strain which such a financial crisis had placed upon the entire nation. He felt that he should now move to another field of service, possibly in a more settled community, where the strain would not be so great, yet where he could serve the church and its ministry. The First Presbyterian Church of Warren, Pennsylvania, had issued a call to Dr. Steen, and he requested that the church join with him in petitioning Presbytery to dissolve the pastoral relation. This request was granted, with the date of separation set for July 31, 1948.

A committee of the Session was appointed to arrange a farewell party for the Steen family, which now numbered five, three children having been born to them during their pastorate with us. Four hundred friends attended the reception. Dr. and Mrs. Steen now live in Snyder, New York, where he is serving the Synod of that state as Presbyter.

At a joint meeting of the Session and Trustees, held on June 2, a committee of nine was selected to secure a successor to Dr. Steen. The congregation later formally approved the membership of this committee.

It was not until late in the fall that the above mentioned Committee on Pastor was ready with its report. Considerable traveling had been undertaken by individual members of the committee, both within and outside the state, in order to hear candidates in their own churches. Other candidates were invited to occupy our pulpit or other Presbyterian pulpits in the area, and on such occasions several members of the committee, as well as other members of the congregation, heard the candidate. Altogether, forty-one candidates were considered for the vacancy.