June 2008 Newsletter

A HISTORY OF HUS MEMORIAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, PART 8
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.
ADAPTED FROM A HISTORICAL TREATISE WRITTEN BY CHARLOTTE STELCIK

DR. JOSEPH BREN’S PASTORATE

On June 4, 1919, Rev. Hlavaty, who was the pastor of Hus Memorial Presbyterian Church until 1919, resigned. The congregation tried to persuade him to remain but had to accept his resignation on June 22, 1919. He gave his last sermon on June 29, 1919. Rev. Hlavaty was succeeded by Dr. Joseph Bren of Hopkins, Minnesota. Dr. Bren, a native of Bohemia and a graduate of Union Theological Seminary in New York, was a man of scholarly mind and in his pastorate tried to encourage better Christian education of adults and children. He began his work on Sunday, December 20, 1919.

During his ministry, which lasted until 1938, he led the church in celebration various Czech historical days—Jan Hus Day on July 6th, and days for Comenius and Masaryk. Dr. Bren entertained many visitors from Czechoslovakia who lectured to the congregation—Dr. Prudky, Dr. Novak, Dr. Zilka, Dr. Krenek, Rev. John Kucera, Prof. Kozak, and Rev. Hornicek are some who came. Since the church was interested the religious life of the old country, it gave a great deal of money for the support of that work.

The Lord’s Supper was served a little differently in this church than in most churches. The church originally had used one common cup. On April 24, 1921, at the annual meeting, the church voted also to use the individual cups. These were donated by Mrs. Frances Caloud. The members of the congregation are served by going to the Lord’ Table at the front of the main sanctuary. The first to come forward were the older people who still preferred to take the wine from the one common cup. These were followed by those who preferred individual cups.

Dr. Bren started annual banquets for fathers and sons, and for mothers and daughters. At these banquets an educational program was presented. All of these banquets, carried on for several years, were great successes.

Various other organizations were also developed during Dr. Bren’s pastorate. In 1922 the need for religious education for young people was met by establishing a Saturday Religious school but the elders could not decide whether it should be taught in Czech or English. In 1921 a girls’ glee club called the Hussite Club and a boys’ club and a girls’ club independent of the Young People’s Society, were organized.

As time went on and the need for services in the Czech language declined the membership of the church grew smaller. It began with 297 members in 1920 and by 1926 there were 222 members. The society called Esther closed its activities in 1927 but a fresh effort to organize the Boy Scouts was made. During the annual meeting on January 12, 1928, the members of the church voted to purchase hymn books in English for the Sunday School. Then in 1932, during Easter Week the elders decided to hold an occasional service in English. Also during the week of October, 1932, out of a month of services, one was to be in English. It was found that the English services were best attended. By 1933 the church membership was 194.

Until 1923, the confirmation class of young people was conducted in the Czech language. The young people had to learn the short catechism, the commandments, and the Apostles Creed in Czech. In 1924 the elders decided to hold the confirmation classes in English because most of the young people did not understand all the religious implications when presented in the less familiar Czech language.

Changes in the language also took place in the Sunday service. On September 16, 1934, the elders called a meeting of the congregation at which the members voted to hold English services every second Sunday of the month “for those who do not understand Czech.” Since these were Sunday evening services, they were not well attended and were dropped on April 5, 1936 for lack of attendance. Even the morning church services were poorly attended and the life of the church grew weaker.

Every summer during Dr. Bren’s time the church and Sunday School had a picnic on some Sunday at someone’s farm. These picnics were well attended. By 1949 these church picnics had been abandoned. The church now does a “Service in the Park” at Jones Park which is followed by a potluck.

The church membership continued dropping. On April 4, 1934 it fell to 167 and by April of 1938 to 162 members. The annual congregational meeting again decided that Sunday evening English services should be held the first Sunday of the month but they again proved to be poorly attended; soon afterwards they were dropped.

The young people conducted a Sunday morning service once a year with good results. They planned and were in charge of the entire service. This continued for many years before being dropped. In the fall of 2005 the youth of the church once again began doing services; however now they do a service on the last Sunday of each month that has 5 Sundays in it, usually about 4 services a year.

On March 20, 1938, Dr. Joseph Bren offered his resignation because of his advanced age.

Because of Him ~ Terry