The following is a brief history of Sprague Community Church taken from the Church History book that our Church Historian Committee compiled for our 100yr Centennial.

    “Sprague, Neb.,  June 15, 1893.   To Whom it May Concern:  We the undersigned hereby agree to pay the sum set opposite our names for the purpose of building a Presbyterian church at Sprague, Lancaster Co., Nebraska. One half of said sum of money to be paid on or before the 1^st day of August  1893, and the balance of said sum, on the completion of said building.  Said building to be completed on or before January 1^st, l894.  Said sum of money to be paid to the person authorized to receive the same by the building committee of said church.

       The approximate cost of the church building was $1800.00.  One third to be paid by the Presbyterian building fund and two thirds by the people of Sprague.

      On July 23, 1893, a meeting was held in the McGillivrae Hall for the purpose of organizing the Presbyterian Church of Sprague, Nebraska.

      The following named persons were taken into the church as charter members:    ( These names are from a listing in a Sprague Church scrapbook)  John W. Taylor,  Mrs. Fannie Finley, William H. Finley, Frank S. Spellman,  Mrs. Lena Spellman, Clinton J. Mitchell, Mrs. Adaline Krull,  Miss Lulu Krull, Mrs. Alice C. Mitchell,  Norman Wells, Miss Martha Poland, Chauncy F. Deahl, Mrs. Flora O. Deahl, Mrs. Hallie M. Deahl.

On the same date, three adults and eight children were baptized.
      The meeting then adjourned until 8 p.m. at which time the trustees were selected:  Henry F. Mitchell, (4 year term),  William H. Finley (4 year term), Chauncy F. Deahl (3 year term)  Allen P. Ferguson (2 year term), and James Anderl  (1 year term)
       The church was then declared by Reverend Thomas L. Saxton, D.D., Synodical Missionary of the State of Nebraska, to be a duly organized Presbyterian Church.
      On August 6, 1893, services were conducted by Reverend A. W. Comstock in the afternoon and Reverend Brethower in the evening with a collection of $2.02 and attendance of about sixty. Sunday school and church services were held in the McGillivrae Hall while the church was being built.
      By August 11, 1893, the total subscription to the church was $562.50. The church cost approximately $1800 and one-third was paid by the Presbyterian Building Board and two-thirds by the Sprague Community.  The church structure to be built was to be 22 X 40 feet with 14 foot posts.
      The Board met after dedication services on April 1, 1894, to discuss the church debt.  The amount needed to pay all indebtedness was $420.
     The first Ladies Aid was organized with a large membership and the group labored hard to help with the finances of the church.  Ice cream socials and box socials were given to create funds to buy church furnishings.
        The church remained Presbyterian until 1901, when members had dwindled and the Presbyterians rented their building to a Lutheran Congregation for their services. By November of 1904, the Lutheran Congregation members had dwindled and the church was without funds and a mortgage was held against it.  In May of 1905 the Sunday school, was reorganized with Harry Houser serving as Superintendent.  About fifteen people were present.  Socials were given to raise money for supplies.
     In May, 1905, Mr. and Mrs. C. O. Hale’s family came to Sprague from McCook. As a business man, Mr. Hale and four other men saw the need of an active church.  There being a mortgage on the church of $500 ($300 in other sources) since February 12, of 1894, the money was paid off and the mortgage was released.  The property was then deeded to the five men on August 20, 1908:  Fred Egger, C.O. Hale, C.H. Hablitzel, Albert Golz, and A.J. McClain.  These men were named as Board of Trustees and they were responsible for collecting the quarters and half-dollars that were used to pay off the mortgage.  It was at this time (May 13, 1908) that the people of the church voted to be known as the Sprague Union Church and that its services would be open to anyone regardless of denomination with the Board’s consent.
     On August 3, 1908, Minutes of the Methodist Episcopal 4^th Quarterly Conference Records indicate there was a vote that Sprague Union Church join the Methodist Conference. The first quarterly conference was held November 23, 1908. Reverend J. D. M. ( or J. B. M.)  Buckner presided over the conference.  They were granted permission to use the Church. In 1924 a vote was taken to change the name Sprague Union Church to the Sprague Community Church.
     On June 27, 1979, the Sprague Community Church severed its connection with the Nebraska Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.  The members voted to be “independent.” Since that time we have remained an interdenominational church serving the Sprague Community and surrounding areas.  

  The following are some of interesting dates that were found in the Sprague Community History Book.
       July 23, 1893--The church was then declared by Reverend Thomas L. Saxton, D.D., Synodical Missionary of the State of Nebraska.
     April 1, 1894—Church dedication services
     1917—Remodeling of Church.  The church building was enlarged and raised to provide a basement for Sunday school rooms and for church socials and the like.  The church was painted; a bell was placed in the tower; and piano and new pews were installed.
      1918—The church project of enlarging and remodeling was completed.  This was the structure that continued until the addition of the enlarged entrance. The church was now 40 feet wide and 40 feet long. ( Word of mouth stories suggest the church was literally split in half lengthwise down the middle and widened from the original 22 feet to 40 feet.)  The cost was about $5,000 in rebuilding the church.
      September, 1965--  The building was again remodeled and new carpeting was laid.  The addition of a new front entrance to the west side of the church building cost $3,500.   The single west front entrance alleviated the use of the upstairs northwest and southwest entrances.  The new entrance also enclosed the basement Sunday school rooms, kitchen, and fellowship area.
      April 1,1980--More work is being done in the remodeling of the Sprague Community Church with the front pulpit area completed, the ceiling in the sanctuary has now been lowered and the interior painted and the refinishing of the sanctuary floors.
       1986—A need of additional Sunday school rooms was discussed. A committee was setup to talk to the teachers, as to their needs and to contact contractors in the area who are interested in the project to get an estimate on costs, construction times.
       June 12, 1988-- Miracles have happened, groundbreaking ceremony.  A hole was dug for a basement on June 24, and since then a flurry of activity has occurred, resulting in great advancement towards the goal of an educational building addition to our church.
      September, 1988-- Over four hundred volunteer hours have already been given to help with digging the basement, framing the basement walls, putting in the basement floor, upstairs walls, and roofing.  Ladies of the church have been providing marvelous lunches for those working on the building project.        April, 1989-- “Lately it hasn’t been uncommon to drive through Sprague after 10 P.M., and still see lights on inside the new addition completing finishing touches so that the addition will be completed in time for the dedication service on Easter Sunday”.
       Easter Sunday, 1989-- Dedication service for new addition to our church.
      Each year we hold a Fall Festival which is an important function for our church. Here is a brief history of the festival.

       An integral part of the Sprague Church annual activities is the Fall Festival, Handwritten  records indicate the Festival (as we know it today) began in 1959 when Rev. Otto Fabre was pastor.  However other types of “Harvest Festivals” or “ Fall Festivals” were held beginning as early as 1947.  A typical program of today’s

Annual Fall Festival, which is held in September or October. The day starts off with a  parade of floats,  walking costumes, horses, American Legion Post Members and cars or machinery led by the Grand Marshal selected by the church congregation.  Games for the children sponsored by the Youth Groups,  Cake Walk and Fish Pond sponsored by the Women’s Service Guild;  a wonderful dinner prepared and served by the Women’s Service Guild, and an afternoon auction.  Items available for auction  include handcrafted goods, baked goods, quilts,  made and donated  by the Women’s Service Guild, and various other clever items.
      The Festival has grown into the main annual fundraiser for the Church operation budget as well as a yearly fellowship with friends from many communities.

      In the past few years our church has continued to grow and expand. We have added an elevator, to make the Church, Handicapped Accessible and a new overhead projector system for use during the worship services. Now we are adding a web site so that you can be better informed of the activities of the Church and the ability to listen to the weekly Sunday message through the web site.    
       I hope the above history give you some insight into our Church and that you can come and enjoy the fellowship at Sprague Community Church. “Not the biggest church in Nebraska, but one of the best”