Today in Wheeling History: September 12--Reverend Earnest E. Noll began his pastorate at St. Paul's United Church of Christ, serving the South Wheeling congregation for twenty years (1944).
Reverend Earnest E. Noll accepted the call to become minister of St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Wheeling and began his pastorate on September 12, 1944. Born and raised in the Reformed tradition, Noll felt very keenly the necessity of adopting himself to St. Paul's customs and respecting the traditions of the past, believing any change must be made gradually and only with the consent of the people themselves. He began his ministry during World War II, when tension and restlessness affected all departments of life, including the church.
During his twenty-year tenure, which was the longest period of pastoral service in the history of the congregation, Noll steadily challenged the congregation to become servants of the Master, and the people responded by gaining confidence and accepting responsibility for the ongoing work of the church. Significant achievements included rewriting the church constitution in 1946, which limited the President's term to five consecutive years. The present parsonage at 6 Cross Street, Mozart, was purchased in 1948 and renovated for Pastor and Mrs. Noll and their sons Frederick, Thomas, and David (born August 23, 1959).
The congregation honored Rev. & Mrs. Noll at a reception August 29, 1962, celebrating their Silver Anniversary and Rev. Noll's twenty-fifth year in Christian ministry. In 1964, Noll accepted a call to St. John's Church, Holgate, Ohio, delivering his farewell message on April 5, 1964. The congregation later celebrated when their son Fred was ordained in the United Church of Christ on June 13, 1965.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library - History of St. Paul's Evangelical Church (https://tinyurl.com/5f9cx2nv), Ohio County Public Library - Wheeling History Research (https://tinyurl.com/kf682vfn), The Intelligencer (https://tinyurl.com/yweaz8jx)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; The Intelligencer
Reverend Earnest E. Noll accepted the call to become minister of St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Wheeling and began his pastorate on September 12, 1944. Born and raised in the Reformed tradition, Noll felt very keenly the necessity of adopting himself to St. Paul's customs and respecting the traditions of the past, believing any change must be made gradually and only with the consent of the people themselves. He began his ministry during World War II, when tension and restlessness affected all departments of life, including the church.
During his twenty-year tenure, which was the longest period of pastoral service in the history of the congregation, Noll steadily challenged the congregation to become servants of the Master, and the people responded by gaining confidence and accepting responsibility for the ongoing work of the church. Significant achievements included rewriting the church constitution in 1946, which limited the President's term to five consecutive years. The present parsonage at 6 Cross Street, Mozart, was purchased in 1948 and renovated for Pastor and Mrs. Noll and their sons Frederick, Thomas, and David (born August 23, 1959).
The congregation honored Rev. & Mrs. Noll at a reception August 29, 1962, celebrating their Silver Anniversary and Rev. Noll's twenty-fifth year in Christian ministry. In 1964, Noll accepted a call to St. John's Church, Holgate, Ohio, delivering his farewell message on April 5, 1964. The congregation later celebrated when their son Fred was ordained in the United Church of Christ on June 13, 1965.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library - History of St. Paul's Evangelical Church (https://tinyurl.com/5f9cx2nv), Ohio County Public Library - Wheeling History Research (https://tinyurl.com/kf682vfn), The Intelligencer (https://tinyurl.com/yweaz8jx)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; The Intelligencer
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