Crane Chapel celebrates 73 years

Staff

Published Friday, November 14, 2008

Crane Community Chapel will celebrate its 73rd anniversary at the 10 a.m. worship service Nov. 23. The service will feature a concert by The Songmasters, Jerry and Ginger Dallin, who have been singing Southern Gospel music for 50 years. They have attended Crane’s anniversary services for all of those 50 years.

Crane Chapel began as a little Sunday school in 1935 under the leadership of Pastor Joe Matt, Sr. and his wife, Amanda. In 1945 Pastor Joe Matt, Jr. assumed leadership of the fledgling church when his parents moved to Minneapolis. Along with his wife, Della, Pastor Joe served the church and community for the rest of the 20th century.

He is probably best known for his television program, “The Family Hour,” which was on air for more than 40 years, and his telephone ministry called “Dial-A-Meditation,” which ran from the 1950s until 2002. Even though Pastor Joe died in 2007 and Della now lives in Indianapolis, Ind., their love, character and positive spirit remain as an important part of the heritage that shapes the life of Crane Chapel today.

After a fire destroyed the church facilities in June 2005, the church met in the Austin Labor Center and rebuilt under the leadership of Pastor Mark Goosen, who served the church until this past summer. On Aug. 1 Pastor Dale Christiansen came to Crane Chapel to help the church continue its ministry, which includes a bustling children's club on Wednesday evenings, an active youth group and other ministries.

The Crane Chapel family welcomes friends from the community to come for the upcoming anniversary celebration.

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