BROWNVILLE — Their original church building — a log cabin swept away by a tornado in 1866 — is gone, but Nebraska's oldest Christian congregation still remains in the river town of Brownville.
The congregation, Brownville Christian Church, dates back to Nebraska's territorial days.
The church held the Nebraska Territory's first Christian funeral in 1854, two years before Brownville's incorporation.
Officiated by newly-arrived Rev. Joel Wood, the church also held the territory's first Christian wedding.
But for longtime Lincoln pastor Bob Chitwood, the small-town church tucked away in the hills overlooking the Missouri River only makes him feel younger.
Serving as pastor of the church since 1992, Chitwood is as much a caretaker as preacher — taking out the garbage, setting the thermostat, locking the church's doors.
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Chitwood enjoys the historical significance of the congregation and the simplicity of his position, one that reminds him of his days growing up as an aspiring preacher in Wisconsin as he approaches 60 years in ministry next month.
The estimated 35 members of the Brownville Christian Church are hosting a celebration of Chitwood's extensive career with a special service and luncheon on July 16.
Lincolnites might remember the 81-year-old minister of the nondenominational Church of Christ, who served as pastor of the Capitol City Christian Church from 1968 to 1991.
The church, now located at 7800 Holdrege St., grew from 50 parishioners in 1968 to over 500 toward the end of Chitwood's tenure.
One may even recognize Chitwood's voice from when he hosted "Celebrations of Praise," a weekly Christian radio show that aired on KLIN-AM for over a decade.
He also served as executive director and chaplain of Eastmont Towers, helping the nursing home to build a new assisted living facility and a hospice center — the first in Lincoln.
While the pastor is not one to boast, his list of achievements — enumerated in a lengthy curriculum vitae — extends for nearly 12 pages.
Now, after a long and often tiring career, Chitwood and his wife Pat continue their mission of giving back to the state they've called home for over five decades.
Brownville, population 130, seemed like the best place to start.
The history-filled town in Nemaha County, with nine museums devoted to everything from land grants to wagon wheels, caught the eye of Bob Chitwood in 1991.
A week later, he had bought the town's oldest house — a dilapidated, frame structure erected in 1856 — and set out to renovate it on weekends.
Now Chitwood serves as the president of the town's historical society in addition to his pastoral duties.
"He thoroughly enjoys the history of it all," said historical society board member Kellie Kennedy. "He's always saying 'Why don't we try this or that' to sustain this town's history."
Kennedy credits Chitwood in raising funds for the preservation of many of the town's historical landmarks, from an old log cabin dating back to 1854 to Brownville's train depot.
This preservation is key, said Chitwood, as small towns shrink and younger people flock to cities.
"Obviously, we've become more of a city-oriented state," he said. "But small towns still have history and if they can put money into historical buildings, they can at least keep part of their community alive."
For Pat Chitwood, her husband's role as pastor is important for small-town churches like Brownville's.
"As far as the past is concerned, the small rural church scene has changed," Pat said. "It's very difficult these days to find pastors."
That may be because running small-town churches is generally a one-man job, Bob said, unlike in bigger churches staffed with administrators and other workers.
Chitwood has seen both ends of the ministerial spectrum.
He started his career as a weekend youth minister in a rural church in Iowa after graduating from Nebraska Christian College in Norfolk in 1958.
In 1959, he moved to Griswold, Iowa, where he was the senior minister for 9½ years.
But the Chitwoods wanted to raise their four children in a bigger city with better access to schools.
So they moved to Lincoln in 1968, where Bob Chitwood took up a job as pastor at Capitol City Christian Church.
"You just hope that, in the end, you've made a positive impact on the people you served," said Chitwood, reflecting on his time in Lincoln.
In 1990, he received his doctor of ministry degree from the San Francisco Theological Seminary.
The Chitwoods spend most of their time in Brownville, focusing on the historical society and running the town's church. Two of the Chitwoods' children are now ministers.
"He takes care of his own," said Jody Anderson, a friend of the Chitwoods and member of the Brownville Christian Church. "He really does bring the people in and preaches the Bible meaningfully."
Bob Chitwood admits that the role of churches has changed in Nebraska and hopes they'll still stay focused on worship.
"Churches are bigger than they used to be. It's big business," he said. "I just don't want them to become an entertainment center."
For now, Bob Chitwood has no plans to slow down.
He's even eyeing fundraising for another museum in Brownville.
After 60 years of ministry, Chitwood hopes the years ahead will reflect the lyrics of an old family tune he remembers from his time in Lincoln.
"The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows."