"Agnes Bass Shinn Class has endured through the years and is the oldest existing class in the Church. This class was organized in 1918 or 1920. Over the years we changed the class name a couple of times - the final time to honor our founder and teacher, Agnes Bass Shinn.
When the class began there were 45 to 50 members, Pauline Rossow being the last of the original “girls”. Bessie Long later joined the class. She is still very loyal. Today, after nearly 90 years, there is a loyal membership of 11: Bessie Long, Mary Sue Moore, Margaret Hedges, Dorothy Newyear, Nell Markum, Ruby DeWitty, Ann Holt, Jessie Robertson, Helen Clothier, Avonene Cecil, and Agness Dillon. The health of some keeps them from attending now.
Even though this class was originally a class for ladies, through the years we have welcomed several gentlemen as members.
Throughout the years many projects were made possible by bake sales, rummage sales, selling boxed greeting cards, napkins, purses, and cookbooks. The class’ most ambitious project was the purchase and remodeling of a house at 309 West Ridge, and then we presented it to the Church as a Parsonage. It was first occupied in 1943.
The members have continued to be active in the life and growth of the Church. Some of the projects we have been involved in, besides the Parsonage, include: landscaping the Parsonage and Church grounds, building a rock terrace on the East side of the church (Rocks from Herman Paden’s farm), under the direction of Jackie Barker, the class provided furniture for the bride’s and groom’s rooms, hand bells were purchased, we purchased two ceiling fans, six dozen plates and cups for the kitchen, four dozen folding chairs, three dozen upholstered chairs for the classroom, cabinets for the Parsonage, gave monthly donations to the food bank and our building fund, supported K-Life and our Church's youth, contributed funds toward the purchase of a bus, a new sound system, the playground, and a new TV for the Nursery.
The above is by no means a complete list, since this class has been a very generous and giving class throughout the years.
Our recent lessons are from “The Life Ventures Bible Studies”.
Our Sunday School Teacher (for the last 22 years) is Louise Hetherington, and our Substitute Teacher is Mark Mancil.
From the founding of the class, we have always used the same birthday blessing:
Many happy returns on the day of your birth
May sunshine and gladness be given
And may the dear Father prepare you on earth
For a beautiful birthday in heaven"