Eldridge, Iowa Centennial Book 1871-1971

The Remarkable Answers to Prayer folder contains reports, articles, and letters with subjects of prayer including financials, illness, and group success.

The Prior to the Beginning folder contains bulletins and newspaper clippings from Grandview Baptists about the readying and dedication of Ridgeview Baptist. There are also two writings, including a speech about the history and beginnings of Ridgeview Baptist by unknown authors.

The Beginning - 1956 folder contains letters about the new church, as well as blank letterhead. There is also a list of original membership and election of Church Officers. In processing, the Chronological Development of the Ridgeview Baptist Church was cut from the front of the original folder and added.

The Early Days folder contains brochures and bulletins laying out the order of the worship service, pastor biographies, construction schedules and church history. In addition, there is a sheet on committee officer elections for 1960 and a copy of the Iowa Conference News, Vol. 6, No. 2 from 1966.

The 11 Charter Members folder contains several lists of the original 11 members of Ridgeview Baptist, important dates and early membership rolls.

The Precious Documents of Ridgeview Church Beginning Ministry contains a variety of important financial and record keeping documents for the early years of the Church. This includes lists of operating costs, elected officers, sunday school and service attendance, historical statistics and summaries of work. There are also committee meeting notes, a list of important dates and a written piece about the two founders of Ridgeview Church.

The Date of Incorporation - 9/27/56 folder contains a written memo about the program design and service layout for the formal organization of Ridgeview Baptist Church, the Certificate of Incorporation signed by the Iowa Secretary of State, and a list of the 11 original charter members.

The Church History folder contains written accounts by Jim Arpy and possible other unknown authors about the history of Ridgeview Baptist Church. This includes the article, ‘A Cowpasture Becomes A Community’. The Five Martyred Missionaries to the Auca Indians folder contains historical materials and literature related to the 1956 killings of 5 Baptist Missionaries by the Auca tribe in Ecuador. Included in the folder are pamphlets, articles, a small note describing the incident, and a preface draft for the book Jungle Pilot. Two longer writings are The Auca Massacre and Beyond by James C. Hefley and the CMBC Contact – Personal Experience Issue, ‘A Father Visits His Son’s Killers.’ In connection to the church, there are letters between M. McCully and Rev. Hedberg about visiting a Ladies Meeting.

The Early Statistics folder contains a list of important dates, as well as income reports through the 1980s.

The Grants and Subsidies folder contains lists of grants and subsidies received, as well as additional contributions of funds and used materials. Also within the folder, are a brochure from the Oldham Little Church Foundation and correspondence between Rev. Sanford Ricker and William Turnwall about grants from the Baptist General Conference.

The Iowa Baptist Conference Recognition Service - December 10, 1956 contains correspondence between Rev. Larry Peterson, Rev. David Brown, and Rev. William Turnwall about meeting and speaking invitations. There is also a report dated May 31, 1956.

The D. V. B. S. (aka Daily Vacation Bible School) folder contains DVBS programs and leaders, newsletters to parents, and an attendance and offering card. There are also two titled documents: To Organize Ridgeview – March 1956 and the 1960 Ridgeview Project notes.

The Baptismal Service in the Mississippi River - 8/24/58 contains a Standard News Article and section in the What is A Conference Church? writing about the event led by Rev. Linn.

The Ridgeview Church Pastors contains correspondence of C Perry Hedberg and Robert Klingberg looking for pastors, as well as bulletins, newsletters, newspaper clippings, mail and blank letterheads from various early pastors of Ridgeview. There are also correspondence and bulletins between Grandview Baptist and Ridgeview about early church activities and between Ridgeview Presbyterian and Ridgeview Baptist about a joint Thanksgiving Service.

The Pictures of Preachers, Profiles and Family Information folder contains church newsletters, writings, and newspaper clippings about the various pastors and their families. A second folder contains pictures of pastors’ family members.

The Farewell to the Linns, 1957-64 has a typed talk given by C. Perry Hedberg at the farewell reception for Rev. Eugene Linn about his time, accomplishments, and service to Ridgeview Baptist.

The God’s Invasion Army/Evangelism Corps contains items and papers given to and by the Ridgeview from the visitations in 1959 and 1967. Documents include bulletins and church information, evangelism tracts and brochures, GIA programs, a calling sheet and the Witnessing Seminar Manual.

The Ridgeview Membership Roll 1972-73 folder contains membership spreadsheets and summaries of membership changes. Also within the folder are correspondence to the Iowa Baptist Conference and the Ridgeview Baptist Church Directory (1966-67)

The Church Organizations folder contains notes from the Church Planning committee and Deacon’s Board meeting, financial documents, and the Women’s newsletters.

The Church Building Operations – 1958 Groundbreaking Historical Sketch folder contains notes on development and the Groundbreaking Service, newspaper clippings, correspondence about and construction bids. There are also a few historical documents and a separate folder of photographs of the groundbreaking and new church building.

The Ridgeview During the 1960s folder contains notes from finances, religious surveys and the 1961 Public Relations Committee. There’s also the 83rd Annual Meeting of the Iowa Baptist Conference program, the Dedication Day Services in 1965 program, the 1968 Annual Statistical Report, newsletters and correspondence about the Crusade of the Americas.

The Dedication of Upper Sanctuary – May 2, 1965 contains invitations, programs, bulletins, a newspaper clipping from the Sunday Times, as well as congratulatory correspondence to Ridgeview Baptist Church and Rev. Gordon Olson.

The Entertaining the Iowa Baptist Conference, April 1966 folder contains welcoming letters from Davenport, Iowa Mayor John B. Jebens and Iowa Governor Harold E. Hughes, a meeting program, maps of the town and Iowa Conference News issues from 1966 (Vol. 6, No. 2) and 1959 (April-May).

The Missionaries folder contains two written articles: “We Were A Missionary Church From the Beginning” and “Cornerstone Baptist Church to Observe 25th Anniversary.” Also in the folder are bulletins, lists of missionaries associated with or supported by Ridgeview, miscellaneous correspondence, a Dedication Service Letter Program and a newsletter from World Missions.

The Ridgeview Newspaper Clippings folder contains clippings and articles relating to various subjects such as obituaries, church activities, church construction, God’s Invasion Army/Evangelism Corps, special church services and notes about article inclusion. There is also a secondary folder for photographs included in news articles.

The Legal Opinion – Neuman et al., Purchase of Church Site folder contains correspondence about land purchase and general financial documents for the construction of the new building.

The Ridgeview Annual Budgets folders contains summaries of receipts, offerings, expenses, bills and invoices, disbursements, committee notes and general financial reports and statistics.

The 10th Anniversary Celebration contains the “To God Be The Glory” Anniversary booklet program, preparatory notes, and program drafts for the service and banquet.

The 15th Anniversary Celebration, which took place on January 10, 1971, has a folder containing planning and historical notes, a reflection written by C. P. Hedberg, a card from George Boyajian, bulletins and programs about the Coffee Service. There is also correspondence about attendance and celebration details, as well as an envelope of negatives.

The 20th Anniversary Celebration folder contains correspondence with congratulatory notes, invitations and responses, and copies of the Grandview Outlook. Some of the correspondence includes messages to and from former pastors.

The 25th Anniversary Celebration of Cornerstone – Copies of Newspaper Articles folder contains copies of the announcement article “Cornerstone Baptist Church to Observe 25th Anniversary” about the history of the Church and the event itself.

The 25th Anniversary of Ridgeview Baptist folder contains worship service programs, a copy of the announcement article and correspondence. The correspondence includes miscellaneous congratulatory messages, cards and a letter from Perry and Rosa Hedberg

The Cornerstone Baptist Church Brochures of Church Dedication – August 28, 1977 contains a program for the Service of Dedication, the order of the service, and historical notes.

The 25th Anniversary contains programs for the 25th Anniversary and Church Dedication services, a draft of the “Cornerstone Baptist Church to Observe 25th Anniversary” article, a written memo about the transition period and correspondence about invitations and responses.

The 25th Anniversary Program folder includes draft and final copies of the program and a card saying “To God Be Thy Glory Page 40” cut from the original folder.

The Early History of Cornerstone folder contains historic church programs and bulletins, a copy of “Brief HIstorical Sketch”, a sheet from Grandview Baptist about activities and objectives and an annual report for 1976.

The 1981 Officers – Cornerstone Church folder contains lists of church officers from 1981 and 1979.

The Cornerstone News Items – Weddings, Cantatas, etc. folder contains newspaper clippings related to marriages, obits, concerts, church community activities, and open house and meeting announcements. Also in the folder are various event programs, lists of addresses and wedding napkins.

1975 Ridgeview Baptist Church Directory