Goodwill Church Photos by Valerie Hill

Goodwill Church is on a historic spot as it is near the site of the old mission school that was founded by Stephen Riggs in the1870's. There is much written about the mission, but we won't go into it here. However if you are interested there is a column about it in the Sisseton Centennial book. At one time there were many children attending the boarding school learning useful trades as well as the English language and religion. The present church building is not the original but is very old and was remodeled in 1940. The cemetery is interesting as there is at least one person reburied there who once was in the Brown Earth Church cemetery which is near Stockholm, SD. He is Solomon Faribault. We read in the old papers that he requested to be brought back to Goodwill to be near his relatives. There are also some early Peever people by the name of Hensell buried there.

Goodwill Church and cemetery

Goodwill Church...2001 We were happy to learn that this church is still holding worship services. Lyle Crawford of Peever provided us with some information about it. He said there is an attendance of about 36 and since they are without a regular pastor these lay pastors are filling in : Shirley Johnson and JC, Wayne and Lyman Crawford. Lyle told us that they are going to attempt to call a pastor in the near future. The Crawfords have been involved with Goodwill Presbyterian Church since the early years.