Taken from the Official Membership and Church Record of the Bethel Methodist Church, Cardington, Ohio
For more than 45 years, Claude Foster, Cleveland philanthropist, traveled between his home and Florida. As he went, he stopped for church services wherever he happened to be at the time. Often he found himself in little village or country churches where, he said, he often heard the best and most spiritual sermons but as a self-taught but keen-eared musician, was more often than not shocked to hear God’s praises sung to the accompaniment of old out-of-tune pianos.
Once having decided that something should be done about it, he found himself as usual, on the doing end. For Claude Foster has given away several millions to charity. However some persons close to Mr. Foster, believe the present benefit is his favorite.
The 85 year-old man is giving away 700 Thomas electric organs to little churches which cannot afford to buy them. At first Mr. Foster planned to give only 500, thinking this number ample but when the story got out, more than 1200 applications were received by last May. He was amazed that there were so many poor churches on Ohio. He personally checked with organ manufacturers and found the one he felt was most suited to the churches which could not afford organs and paid organists. The Thomas organ can be played, it has been proven, by anyone who can play a piano. It is going to cost him at least half a million dollars to supply and deliver the organs.
Mr. Foster is a manufacturer and inventor. When the announcement was made by the Foster concerns in Cleveland that gifts of organs would be made, the pastor of the Bethel church at that time, the Rev Glenn Peoples of Galion, sent in an application for the Bethel Church. Later, Mrs. Billie Smith went as the Bethel Church representative, to confer with Mr. Foster. As a result the church’s application was approved. This was late in May. Bethel received its organ July 3, 1958. Meanwhile, the Methodist conference had sent the Rev. Mr. Eckert to Bethel and the Rev. Mr. Peoples retired from the active ministry.
Sunday October 26 was chosen for a Rally Day service ad the dedication of the organ. The committee in charge, Andrew Garverick, Richard Miley, Miss Florence Sipes and Miss Erma Sipes were appointed by the official board chairman, Ernest Betts. Miss Erma Sipes is the regular church organist.
The days activities started with regular worship service at 9:30 am. Rev. Eckert was unable to be present due to the death of his brother whose funeral service was Sunday afternoon at Bowling Green. Rev. S.E. Kaetzel, a retired Methodist minister formerly of the Caledonia charge gave the morning sermon preaching on “Home”. Rally Day at the Sunday School hour saw a marked increase in attendance. Max Smith of Mr. Gilead was guest teacher of the youth and adult classes. A short program was given after the class period. A picnic dinner at noon liked the Rally Day program with the afternoon organ dedication service. At 2:00 pm, Rev. Kaetzel opened the service with announcements and the introduction of the guest organist, Mrs. C.W. Davis of Marion, who gave a 15 minute program on the new instrument. Responsive reading, song by the congregation and prayer by Rev. Harold Chandler of Edison were followed by the guest soloist, Wayne Carpenter singing “The Way to Peace”.
Dr. Harold Williams, superintendent of the Mansfield district, mentioned the installation of the conversion burner from coal to gas for the church furnace and then proceeded with the dedication service for the new Thomas organ. Wayne Carpenter than sang, “The Lord is My Shepherd”. Dr. Williams gave the afternoon address speaking on the subject, “The Riches of His Grace”.
Seven other Morrow County churches were approved for organs: Fulton Methodist, Denmark and Boundary Federated, Sparta Methodist and Grace E.U.B. Church at Johnsville. Dr. Williams stated that he had been busy dedicating organs as 18 Methodist churches in the Mansfield district had received organs. Each organ bears plates engraved “God given through Claude Foster”.
June 5, 1969 was the last service of the Bethel Methodist Church