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Published in the Citizen Herald May 7, 2008
About Rev. Stoddard
Rev. Isaac Augustus Stoddard wore many hats. He was a whaler, a circuit rider, and the founder and minister of the United Methodist Church in Jesup.
Some of his descendants still attend the Methodist Church in Jesup today. They have made it possible for a stained glass window to be donated in his honor.
The window depicts Rev. Stoddard as a “circuit rider preacher.” At the bottom of the stained glass window are half-circles of wheat, representing the minister’s wheat crop which he sold to help fund the first Methodist Church in Jesup.
In the 1840s, Rev. Stoddard “rode the circuit” on horseback for the Methodist Church in Buchanan and Fayette counties in Northeast Iowa, then the territory of Nebraska. Preaching at 12 churches, it took Rev. Stoddard six weeks to complete his circuit astride his favorite chestnut Morgan horse named Prince Boaz.
Prior to his arrival in northeast Iowa, Rev. Stoddard and his ancestors had spent nearly 200 years in southern Connecticut where they had immigrated from Scotland and England. Rev. Stoddard had spent 12 years hunting whales on the high seas in windjammer ships before entering the ministry and moving to Iowa. This may explain the Stoddard ferry business crossing the Thames River near New Groton, Connecticut in the 1800s which is now known as Stoddard Hill State Park.
On his retirement, Rev. Stoddard was one of the original founders of the Jesup Methodist Church in 1860. Several years later, he became the minister of the Church. The original sanctuary included a stained glass window in his honor.
Now, 160 years later, six generations of descendants of Rev. Stoddard have worship in the United Methodist Church of Jesup and participated with the congregation in the centennial rebuilding of the Church in 1960.
While nearly all of Rev. Stoddard’s descendants have moved to other parts of the nation, there is no greater family pride than that of the town of Jesup, its incredible reputation as a place to raise a family and the history the United Methodist Church.
About Lora Fox
Lora Fox was a lifelong member of the Jesup Methodist Church.
“She was a faithful member, very active in the church itself,” said her daughter Betty Buckles.
She said her mother always took part in paper rolling at the church, and the family saved their newspapers for her.
The window that was donated in Lora’s memory depicts Jesus with children.
“She loved children,” explained Betty. “If there was a new baby, mother wangled a way to hold it and love it.
“Mother would love this window,” she speculated. “She’s up there looking down at it.”
Dedication
The windows were dedicated during a special service at the church on Sunday, April 20.
“We are thrilled with the Reinarts Stained Glass Studios,” said Methodist pastor Vicki Reece. “They did an excellent job! They even delivered the windows in the middle of a snowstorm.”
She explained that in the circuit rider window, there are many secrets hidden within the artwork. For example, whale fins are hidden within designs at the bottom of the window - along with wheat - and there is an entire whale hidden in the design pattern in the lower right hand corner of the window.
“The wheat pattern represents the first field of wheat that was sold,” she explained. She said that act of giving set the standard for giving to missions at this church. That standard continues today, with the First United Methodist Church of Jesup giving $14,000 in missions last year alone.
“The other window shows the kindness and gentleness that Jesus showed toward children,” she continued. “The love of children is a ministry of our church.
“I am so thankful for the hard work, love and dedication of Sue Duroe who really worked with the families, the company and with the needs of the church,” said Pastor Vicki. “She took care of a lot of details.”
The public is welcome to visit the sanctuary and enjoy all of the stained glass windows at UMC in Jesup. |
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