Orient church, rich in history, celebrating milestone this Sunday

On the heels of the Christmas season, one Orient church is set to celebrate another joyous milestone a few weeks earlier. This Sunday, Dec. 10, Orient United Methodist Church will observe the 40th anniversary of its current building.

The date of Dec. 10 is key in the church’s history and is the reason for its building, because on Dec. 10, 1981, the previous church burned. A faulty natural gas valve was to blame. While there were no injuries, Orient, Creston and Greenfield firefighters tried valiantly to save the building, but to no avail.

The previous building had its place in Orient and Hollywood history because it was used in the filming of “Cold Turkey.” The movie, filmed in 1969 and released in 1971, is a comedy about a fictitious small town tempted with millions of dollars from a cigarette company if everyone in town would stop smoking for a month.

Greenfield was turned into the fictitious town of Eagle Rock for the movie, but the Orient United Methodist Church was used early on in the moving, introducing the lead role of Rev. Clayton Brooks, played by Dick Van Dyke. He tries his hardest to get the people of Eagle Rock to refrain from smoking, including himself. Many people from Adair County were extras in that film.

The fire that destroyed the church also came at a troubling time in American and Iowa history. In the early 1980s, the farm crisis began and lasted through most of the decade. Existing debt, high-interest rates, agricultural finance policy changes at the federal level and an embargo on agricultural products to the then-Soviet Union all compounded to create financial woes for American and Iowan farm families.

Despite all these conditions coming together to negatively impact many towns’ banks and main streets, members of the Orient United Methodist Church agreed to rebuild. The new building gave opportunity to the congregation for them to have a church with better efficiences and fewer steps, as the new building is all on ground level.

Pastor John Van Nostrand, who began in July, said he is honored to be a part of the church.

“After hearing about the fun with the movie, then the burning of the church and thoughts to rebuild, especially during times like that, it is incredible and faith-influenced to rebuild so well and so quickly,” he said.

Van Nostrand said he expects most churches to have their own history and stories to tell by past and present congregation members.

“Churches are part of the community building for every town not just rural Iowa,” he said.

But what Orient experienced with its past can’t be duplicated by everyone.

“Yes, it’s sad to see a building, like the church, go down because of fire. But fortunately with that movie there is some footage of the church that will go well into the future. ‘Cold Turkey’ is a blast to watch and enjoy. The old church won’t be forgotten,” he said.

What congregation members did after that fire is remarkable and inspiring, Van Nostrand said.

“Times were tough and people didn’t want Orient to fall behind. Meetings about what the new church could be like were held. People with knowledge or insight were contacted. Funds were raised. A church was built. If faith can move mountains. It can build churches regardless of the environment,” he said.

The Dec. 10 service will begin at 9:30 a.m. The church’s normal Sunday service is at 8:45 a.m.