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We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.


Welcome to Apple Creek

The Apple Creek Presbyterian Church is the third oldest Presbyterian Church west of the Mississippi and was established in 1821. It was a welcome haven in the new frontier for many who sought a new life where land was cheap for anyone who was willing to endure the hardships and struggles. It provided the hope for a new beginning and a better life for their children and grandchildren. Those who came brought a rich heritage of cultures from many countries and worked together as Americans to shape the area known as Cape Girardeau.

The church in the 1800s not only served as a place of worship, but as a place where justice was served. The elders visited the homes to see that the members of the congregation were living a Christian life. Sometimes the elders were required to be mentors and help congregants who had strayed. They sometimes had to intervene in domestic disputes to set the members back on the Godly path. They sometimes chose to remove members from the congregation when the member chose not to follow the Christian way set before them. The church became a “law enforcement agency” when needed because the marshal could only cover so much territory in those days. The session minutes of the early church illustrate how the elders cared for the congregation in these matters. Read the session minutes to find a slice of life in the 1800s.