Elmo and Bernice Guthrie

Elmo was born 2 September 1915 to Robert Lee and Mollie Guthrie on a farm 1 mile east and 1 ¾ miles north of Burns Flat.  He was the seventh child in a family of 9 children.  His dad was a farmer.  Elmo attended school at North Burns, south of Burns Flat, then for 7 years he attended Burns Flat High School where he graduated in 1934.  He loved sports and played basketball throughout high school.  He attended the Cumberland Presbyterian Church when it was only a basement.

Bernice was born 12 December 1916 to Lewis and Iva Opal Dippel on farm near Foss Lake.  She was the first child in a family of 5 children.  Her father was a farmer and a service station operator.  Bernice attended school at Stafford and then High School at Foss, graduating in 1933.  She played main string guard on the Foss basketball team.  She attended the Foss Baptist Church.  In the spring of 1933, a group of Foss and Burns Flat kids had a weenie roast.  That’s where Elmo and Bernice became acquainted.  Elmo didn’t have the nerve to ask her for a date.  She might turn him down.  He had a mutual friend call and get him a date for Saturday night.  You’ve heard of Love at First Sight, this was love after the first date as they never dated anyone else.  According to Elmo, that was his downfall.

Elmo started college in the fall of 1934 at Southwestern Oklahoma State University.  Bernice was a telephone operator at Foss.  They were married on 28 December 1935 at Bernice’s home in Stafford.  The service was conducted by Bernice’s uncle, a Baptist minister.  The first 6 months of marriage, Bernice stayed in Foss with her family.  Her mother had died, and her dad needed help with 4 younger children.  Elmo was in school at Weatherford and continued his education.  Jobs were hard to come by at that time.  He would hitch a ride to Foss every weekend as he didn’t have a car.  One of his family would take him back.  Later that year, both Elmo and Bernice moved to Weatherford.  During the summer, Elmo worked any job he could find.

Elmo started teaching before he graduated as was the custom in those days.  He graduated in 1940 with a BA in History, Math, and Economics.  His first school was near Bessie which later became a residence for a teacher.  Elmo taught in 5 schools, with Foss and Burns Flat being the last two.

Elmo was a high school principal and superintendent at Foss.  He served 5 years as a teacher, coach, and principal in the Burns Flat Schools, and served 20 years on the Burns Flat Board of Education.  He left teaching in 1953 to devote his time to farming and the dairy business.  Elmo and Bernice ran a dairy for 23 years.

Bernice was a housewife and a helpmate with the farming and dairy, besides being a full-time mother to 4 sons and 3 daughters.

Elmo served the Lord in the church for 67 years.  He was ordained as an elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in 1954 and served as session clerk for 26 years.  Bernice joined the church in 1944.  Both were Sunday school teachers.  Bernice played the piano for many years.  They lived out their years on the family farm.  Their 7 children all married and gave them 13 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchild.

Burns Flat CPC History - Part I

Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Burns Flat, Oklahoma 73624

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.    Matthew 5:14-16

History is the recording of past events and experiences.  This history was originally compiled by Elmo Guthrie in the early 1990's.  While there may be a few gaps in this history and some accounts less precise than desired, the story it tells is clearly one of faithfulness.  This is a church with humble beginnings that grew to its present size based on faith alone and one that believes that we are just getting started to do God's work in our community and beyond.

The Boggy Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized August 13^th, 1899.  Beginning with only 13 members and a supply pastor, Reverend T. S. Cosey, the church met in the Boggy Schoolhouse, which at that time was a half-dugout.  Cosey left the church two months after it was started and Reverend J. L. Joyner, a local farmer, became the church's second pastor.  His starting salary was $82.50 per year.  After a few years, the church met in a school building two and one-half miles east of Burns Flat. 

Reverend Joyner served through 1911 and the following year the church was without a pastor but added 23 new members following a revival.  Reverend M.C. McCullough and Reverend B. P. Butler served as pastor in 1915.  There is no record that the church had a pastor from 1916 through 1922.  Reverend M. C. Scrudder served the church from 1923-1924.  Reverend Elmer Kelly then served as pastor from 1925 through 1949. 

In March 1929, the Boggy, Novice, and North Burns School Districts consolidated and began building a school in Burns Flat.  The Boggy Cumberland Church found themselves without a meeting place and purchased one acre of land near the present day high school.  In six weeks, the church had completed a 34' X 40' basement, furnished it with pews, and began services in the new location.  This project began with only $20 in the treasury.

Following a revival in late September 1930, the church decided to erect a church building over the basement.  Lumber was ordered on October 1st, 1930 and six weeks later the building was completed all through donated labor from the Methodist, Baptist, Church of Christ, Catholic, and Presbyterian churches.  Reverend Kelly reported as many as 38 men and boys from these churches gave their labor and the sanctuary was completed with only $400 of debt. 

Old Manse (Picture from Rev. Melvin and Naomi Orr)

In the 1940's, the church purchased a manse near the church.  This manse was sold in 1977 and another property was purchased.  In early 1949, the church began an expansion project of both the basement and sanctuary.  The project began with only $100 in the treasury and the cost of building and seating above the donated labor was $1,776 which was paid for by year's end.

The following ministers served the church after 1949:  W. R. Reid, D. G. Francis, J. C. Willet, C. A. Thompson, Houston Dixon, Fed Canada, Jack Freeman, Gerald Thomas, Melvin Orr, Courtney Fooks, Kermit Neal, Kenneth Williams, Sam Pinnell, and Walter Russell who began his service with our church in 1986.

During Reverend Freeman's ministry, which began in 1958, the church saw a need for more room because of the growth aboard the base.  February's Sunday School attendance was 44, but by May it had grown to 89.  The church decided to build a 2400 square foot educational unit on the west side of the church.  As usual, the church had no money, but a building fund drive raised $2,100 and a $4,000 bank loan were enough to begin work.  The church addition was finished in September of that same year and the loan paid off shortly thereafter.  A revival and dedication service was conducted by Reverend Loyce S. Estes to commemorate the event.

Many men and women have served the church since its beginning.  Beauna Brown was elected church treasurer in 1927 for an indefinite term.  Matt Warren served as a treasurer from the late 1930's until 1941 when W. M. Sullivan was elected and subsequently served 24 years.  In October1966, Junior Delp succeeded Sullivan and is our current treasurer.

 Church clerks were G. B. Joyner, Mrs. Luna Haws (substitute), Beauna Brown (1927-1954), Virgil Dawson (temporary), Elmo Guthrie (1954-1981), and Gene Reeves (1981 to present).

In the 1980's, the front entrance and steps were constructed.  Beneath these concrete steps lie the original steps to the Boggy School where the church first met.  In the 1990's, the church considered a new building program but opted for remodeling of the church to include a ramp and rails on the north entrance to the building and remodeling of the basement and educational unit.  The church borrowed $20,000 for the project and quickly repaid the loan.  A dedication of the work and open house was held on 22 March 1992. 

By 1999, the church again experienced growth and arrived in a new century considering its options for expansion.  Our pastor was Jim Fisk.  The first area of growth addressed was in the area of supporting our ministries with the purchase of a church van.  A $10,000 loan was taken from the bank and repaid 8 months later.  The van has been instrumental in supporting our youth and in other church activities.  In the summer of 2000, the van hauled members of our church and the Living Waters, Assembly of God church on a home-building mission to Mexico.  The fundraising for this trip was supported by the entire community.


Continue reading...





History Part I - The First 100 Years

History Part II - 2000 - 2009

History Part III - 2010 - 2020

Burns Flat Cumberland Presbyterian History

Preface

This is a history in the making.  It was written in short segments over almost 2 decades, some parts having more life to them than others.  At some point, a historian needs to put everything into coherent form up to a certain date, perhaps 2025 or 2030, applying all the rules of historical writing that are included here--in what are truly first and second drafts of history.  Their context is short-term.

A second point here is that the pastor should not normally be the historian.  Someone who will transcend the terms of multiple pastors, knows the history of the denomination and the local community, is exceptionally literate, and has a heart for history is the preferred choice.  Some congregations may be blessed to have this person.  Others may find the search long and arduous, but note, the return on investment is fantastic. 

Elmo Guthrie

Elmo Guthrie was that person for the Burns Flat Cumberland Presbyterian Church for much of this church body’s life.  Tom Spence has been the historian since early this century.  There are gaps in coverage and recording, but a genuine effort to present the character of this local group of believers has prevailed.

Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Burns Flat, Oklahoma 73624

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.    Matthew 5:14-16

History is the recording of past events and experiences.  This history was originally compiled by Elmo Guthrie in the early 1990's.  While there may be a few gaps in this history and some accounts less precise than desired, the story it tells is clearly one of faithfulness.  This is a church with humble beginnings that grew to its present size based on faith alone and one that believes that we are just getting started to do God's work in our community and beyond.

History Part I - The First 100 Years

History Part II - 2000 - 2009

History Part III - 2010 - 2020




People of Interest

Elmo and Bernice Guthrie

Junior Delp

Albert Dudgeon

Jimmie Delp