The Dairy Farm Produced More Than Milk

The Dairy Farm Produced More Than Milk

Herman and Clarice Dunlop

"For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousands hills." Psalm 50:10

Deep in the heart of Maine lived Herman and Clarice Dunlop, faithful members of the Skowhegan, Maine, First Church of the Nazarene.

Though diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, Herman never lost his sense of humor and uncompromising reliance on the Lord and Savior. He knew that the Lord had numbered his days, and he was at peace with whatever God's plan was for his life, be it measured in days or in years. He had a peace that the world cannot give, only envy.

Herman's grandfather in the early years of the twentieth century moved his family and cattle from Canada south into Maine and established the Cold Brook Farm, a dairy farm situated about two miles north of the town center of Skowhegan. Within a short time, his grandfather began meeting with other Christians in a tent. These tent meetings gave birth to First Church of the Nazarene in Skowhegan. Herman's parents, and then Herman and Clarice, continued to operate the dairy farm and help build the Skowhegan church. In the words of Herman, "this farm has produced a lot more than milk."

Perhaps as many as a dozen preachers have come off that dairy farm, including Herman's brother, Roland, who served as the District Superintendent in Maine, and Herman and Clarice's daughter. Countless unsuspecting young men have worked at the dairy farm only to have a personal encounter with Jesus prompted by the faithful witness of the Dunlop family.

Today, a brand new First Church of the Nazarene sits on six acres of land that once was the site of the old farmhouse on the Cold Brook Farm. Only an apple tree stands at the drive to the church to conjure up the memories of the farm of long ago for Herman.

The farm no longer exists. Much of the property has been sold. There are no dairy cows and no more milk production, only the countless lives that have been transformed by the faithfulness of those who lived and worked on the farm. For nearly one hundred years the farm has been a tool for ministry. Now, Herman and Clarice have written the last chapter of Cold Brook Farm. They have placed the remaining parcels of the farm in two Charitable Remainder Unitrusts to perpetuate its legacy. Herman and Clarice will receive lifetime income from the trusts based on the sale of the farm property. At some point in the future, in God's timing, the trusts will be used to establish two endowments to fund ministries of the Church of the Nazarene.

Through these legacy gifts, even though it is no longer a dairy farm, Cold Brook Farm will continue to produce "more than milk."