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Turning 115, church will open time capsule To celebrate its 115th birthday, First Presbyterian Church in downtown Medford will open a 50-year-old time capsule at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, March 26. A stone mason already has unsealed the heavy rock securing the time capsule, placed in front of the church building by the Rev. Kirk West in the 1950s. For the opening, a bagpiper will lead the congregation out of the sanctuary to the front of the church, where the secret contents of the time capsule will be revealed, said the Rev. Joyce DeGraaff, First Presbyterian's pastor. First Presbyterian in Medford was started by circuit-riding preacher Moses Williams. The original church at Main and Holly was built in 1887 on land donated by Jacksonville banker Cornelius Beekman. It burned to the ground in 1895, and a larger, brick building was constructed on the same site in 1896. In 1927, the present church building was erected at Eighth and Holly. In 1995, the church bought back its earlier building, remodeled it and named it Presbyterian Urban Center. It houses a coffee shop, Habitat for Humanity and other offices. Last year, the church purchased the old Labor Temple behind the sanctuary and is remodeling it into a child-care center for infants and children. It is scheduled to open this summer. Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA