Kent Church of the Nazarene-Ohio

        During the 17th Annual Assembly of the Pittsburgh District, held at Akron, Ohio, May 7-11, 1924, District Superintendent J. Howard Sloan reported during March 23, 1923-April 24, 1924, three new churches were organized, Kent was one of the three. It was also reported the Kent Church had purchased excellent property for a parsonage. Services were being held on Water Street.
        Rev. James Ward, first pastor, gave a ten month report to the 1924 District Assembly. This would place the first services sometime in July of 1923. Total number of services held were 269; average weekly attendance was 61; church members, 24. Church property was valued at $8,500.00.
        The church struggled to keep going as the economy was so low and jobs difficult to obtain. For several years various pastors and congregations prayed and worked hard to help the church survive.
        Rev. Payne served from 1925-1926. From 1926-1927, Rev. Kirkpatrick was pastor. Rev. Kelbaugh served from 1927 through 1929. From there to 1930, Rev. Clyde Wood served as pastor. Between the years 1930 to 1935, J.D. Tompkins, O.J. Gutherie, E.E. Emig, and Julia Clark all served as leaders respectfully.
        In 1935, Rev. Carl Brown accepted the call to the Kent Church. Due to the economic situation and low attendance, District Superintendent Dr. C. Warren Jones asked that the church disband and hold services as a mission. This was related to the few who attended. After much prayer, the people felt the church should continue. Within six months they were out of debt, attendance growing, and the altars blessed with people praying through to glorious victory.
        Rev. Brown related, "We were worshipping in an old town hall building for $1.00 per year with the promise we could use the building as long as we wanted it as they did not expect to use it, and if they did, they were to call me so we would have time to move our equipment. Yet soon in 1935 on Thursday, they removed the flooring from the building and left our piano, seats and pulpit all on the floor joists. This was at a bad time for we had the news ads and the handbills out to announce a revival that was to begin the next Sunday a.m. with Rev. Arthur Gould. Our people called me at home in Akron and that night we rented a hall upstairs over a pool room, put up our sign and started revival the next Sunday as planned. The Lord blessed with real victory, many were saved and many were blessed of the Lord.
        The church was able to rent a building at 715 North Mantua Street and the church continued to grow and was blessed with God's best in strength and courage for the work whereunto He had called the Kent Church."
        Through the faithful ministry of Carl and Nina Brown, the Kent Church became established, attendance grew, and a building fund was started.
During the years at the North Mantua location, two other pastors filled the pulpit with Sprit-filled leadership. Rev. Clayton Stouffer served as pastor from June, 1940 through May, 1944. It was during his ministry that the Akron District was formed on May 6, 1942.
        From 1944 through 1946, Rev. O.F. Ring was the pastor. During his ministry, the church moved to 325 Crain Avenue, where the congregation met in the basement. Rev. Lonnie Baltz pastored in this building from 1946 to 1948.
        In April of 1949, Rev. Robert Danielson became the leader of the congregation. It was under this leadership that the superstructure above the basement at the Crain Avenue location was planned and built. The completed building was dedicated on September 20, 1953, exactly 34 years to the day from when our present building was dedicated.
        From 1961 to 1967, Rev. William Eckmeyer led the congregation. Tragically, he passed away during his pastorate here in 1967. The church then called Rev. Harold Bughman. Under Rev. Bughman, property was bought on Ferguson Road to be used for a new church building. Even during this time, the Lord was leading the church to a new and better building. But the church was not yet built when Rev. Bughman felt called to move on to a home mission church in Caldwell, Ohio.
        Rev. Jack Harris became the pastor in 1971. It was Rev. Harris that had the vision of the church moving to a property in a prime location at the corner of Summit Street and Route 261. The church shared his vision, and the property on Ferguson Road was sold and the property on Summit Street was purchased. Also during Rev. Harris' ministry, the parsonage on Horning Road was bought. In 1980, Rev. Harris felt led to move on to another avenue of ministry and Rev. Ronald Whittenberger was called from 1980 through March of 1983.
        Rev. William R. Dillon, II became pastor on May 3, 1983. Rev. Dillon also shared Rev. Harris' vision of the church on Summit Street. Attendance was growing and the need for Sunday School rooms plus parking space became an essential need. In 1985, after much prayer, the decision was made to sell the church on Crain Avenue and prepare to build at the 1972 Summit Street property.
        The property on Crain Avenue sold quickly and we moved to the Holiday Inn, Route 43 and I-76 on October 1, 1985. From there we moved to the Lake Street Plaza, 1141 Lake Street, Kent on May 1, 1986.
        On September 20, 1987, with great joy, we held our first service in our new building, located at 1972 Summit Street, Kent.
        Rev. James Trippett became our pastor on November 24, 1997. Under Rev. Trippett's leadership the church has gone through many changes. Our sanctuary and downstairs of our church was renovated in the winter of 1999. We began our very own Christian Preschool. We have sought the Vision of God for our church here in Kent and are beginning to abandon ourselves to God for His leadership and direction. Our future is held in the hands of our loving God.