OUR HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

1st church building built 1856On March 4, 1855, a small group of people met in a storeroom to plan and organize what would eventually become Christ United Methodist Church of Middletown, Ohio. Prior to this meeting, a man by the name of Rev. Warburton Bower Warrington was appointed pastor of the newly forming church. The first name chosen for our church was the Church of Mutual Rights and then changed shortly thereafter to Methodist Protestant. The storeroom was setup suitably for worship and on March 11, 1855 the first service was held under the leadership of Rev. Warrington.

About a year later on March 24, 1856, the congregation assembled together with the intent to build a permanent house of worship. The church purchased land and Rev. Warrington, a carpenter by trade, and the men of the congregation began work on the new building located at 11 South Broad Street. The building was completed in December that same year. A bell tower was added to the church in 1866.

1st church after bell tower added c1866

OUR CHURCH GROWS

Our church continued to grow through the 19th century. As early as 1900, there were discussions that a new building might need to be built to accommodate this continual growth. However, nothing was done until a joint meeting of the Board of Trustees and the Finance Commission on September 15, 1921 where the plans to re-build were finalized. The last service was held on Sunday evening and the next day workmen began clearing out chairs and pews to tear down the old building to make way for a new one. Rev. Charles Cleveland Falkenstine pulled the first brick from the old building. On November 10, 1921 the first brick was laid for the walls of a new building. During this time of construction, the church met at the YMCA and the public library.

On Mother’s Day Sunday, May 14, 1922, the first Sunday services were held in the newly constructed church building.

In 1939, the Methodist Protestant denominational churches reunited with the Methodist Episcopal churches to form the larger Methodist Church denomination. As a result of this merger, our church was formally renamed Calvary Methodist in 1939.

2nd church...built 1922

OUR MOVE TO S. MARSHALL ROAD

By the mid-1950’s our church building was in need of much repair and limited parking became a huge problem now that everyone owned cars. Our church was also located only a few blocks from First Methodist Church. With two Methodist churches in such close proximity on the west side of town, many felt that we were not meeting the needs of the community. So in 1961, the idea of relocating became a serious question for the congregation. Hence, on May 7, 1961, the congregation voted to purchase land and build on the east side of town at 700 S. Marshall Road where the church is currently located.

On Oct 1, 1961, Rev. Paul McCauley preached the last sermon from the Calvary Methodist church pulpit. The building was sold and demolished. However, the windows, the bell, and whatever else was deemed useful was salvaged and stored until it could be used in our present building. While the new building was being built, services and classes were held at Creekview School.

On Christmas Sunday, 1962, the first worship service was held in the new building. Shortly thereafter, our church was renamed Christ Methodist Church.

3rd building c. 1962

In 1968, the Evangelical United Brethren churches merged with the Methodist churches to form the new larger United Methodist Church denomination. As a result of this merger, our church was again formally renamed Christ United Methodist Church later that same year.

OUR NEW SANCTUARY AND MUTI-PURPOSE SPACE

By 1972, the mortgage on the building was paid in full and so on December 10, 1972, we celebrated our tenth anniversary in our new building and the burning of the mortgage papers. Shortly thereafter ideas about a new sanctuary and/or the addition of a new multi-purpose room began to be discussed. It wasn’t until November 25, 1975, however, that a building committee was formed to lay out preliminary plans for a new sanctuary.

Due to high inflation and high interest rates through the late 1970’s, the committee met for a number of years to discuss how to accomplish the project. By 1980, it was decided to scale back the building project and ground was broken on October 26, 1980 for our new sanctuary.

3rd building with new santuary c 1981On June 14, 1981, the long wait was over. Rev. Michael Villardo held the first services in our beautiful new sanctuary. The gorgeous stain glass windows from the Calvary Church building had been mounted at the back of the sanctuary, the cross hung on the stone wall, and there were now actual pews with upholstered seats.

On May 5, 1988, ground was broken for the addition of our multi-purpose space known as the New Life Center. Over the years, numerous community events, church events and even church services have been held in the New Life Center.

LIST OF PASTORS

  • Rev. Evette Loper Watt
    Lead Pastor
  • EVETTE WATT
    2021 - Present
  • WYNSTON DIXON
    2018 - 2021
  • NORMAN COLEMAN III
    2010-2018
  • TODD MILLS
    2007-2010
  • LISA ELLISON
    2001-2007
  • TOM MELLOTT
    1996-2001
  • DAVID HARRIS
    1991-1996
  • MICHAEL VILLARDO
    1979-1991
  • DAVID COTTRILL
    1974-1979
  • ROGER ASHLEY
    1970-1974
  • BEVERLY COOK
    1968-1970
  • KENT MOOREHEAD
    1964-1968
  • PAUL McCAULEY
    1960-1964
  • FRANK SHULER
    1959-1960
  • WILLIAM C. WRIGHT
    1957-1959
  • OLIVER S. HALL
    1953-1957
  • FLETCHER E. SHOUP
    1949-1953
  • JOHN V. LACY
    1948-1949
  • R. R. WEED
    1942-1948
  • I. M. McVEY
    1930-1941
  • J. C. WILLIAMS
    1929-1930
  • GEORGE W. BECK
    1927-1929
  • C. C. FALKENSTINE
    1921-1927
  • LLOYD DOUGLAS
    1919-1921
  • CHARLES SULTZBACH
    1916-1918
  • J. L. BUCKLEY
    1914-1916
  • B. F. MCKINNON
    1908-1914
  • N. J. KINNEY
    1905-1908
  • J. F. LANE
    1904-1905
  • G. H. HARPER
    1903-1904
  • S. S. FLEMING
    1898-1903
  • J. P. WILLIAMS
    1897-1898
  • JOSIAH SHEPHERD
    1895-1897
  • E. ATEN
    1893-1895
  • J. W. SPRING
    1890-1893
  • A. A. MONSON
    1888-1890
  • WILLIAM OVERHULS
    1886-1888
  • E. G. BRUMBAUGH
    1884-1886
  • W. J. ELLIOTT
    1883-1884
  • C. S. EVANS
    1882-1883
  • J. H. DALBEY
    1880-1882
  • W. R. PARSONS
    1878-1880
  • N. G. OGLESBY
    1875-1878
  • W. G. ROBERTS
    1874-1875
  • R. B. GRAHAM
    1873-1874
  • R. ROSE
    1870-1873
  • C. C. CADDY
    1869-1870
  • T. J. EVANS
    1866-1867
  • T. T. KENDRICK
    1865-1866
  • E. J. WINANS
    1863-1865
  • B. WALKER
    1861-1863
  • R. ROSE
    1859-1861
  • W. B. WARRINGTON
    1855-1859