Saint Mark's United Methodist Church
Belpre, Ohio
History Period
1789-1820
1821-1866
1867-1937
1938-1973
1974-2003
Parsonages
Building A New Church 1938 - 1973
Faced with the necessity of making extensive repairs to the old church and with the increasing noise of heavy traffic, both on the street and nearby railroad, the decision was made to build a new church in a quieter neighborhood.
The trustees had anticipated this situation and as early as 1926 had purchased two lots on Maple Street from Mrs. Jessie Wharton for $800. According to old receipts, an architect had made plans and a survey, then found that unless more land was purchased there would not be enough space for the church and parking. Owners of the adjoining lots were unwilling to sell. By 1937 a boxing arena across the street also made the location less desirable. Dental offices now are located on these lots.
A trustee bought the lots for $900 and trustees negotiated with Mrs. Mary Hall for 2 lots, corner of Third and Maple in the Andrew Hall addition. The old church site was sold to the Standard Oil Company for $12,000, reserving the parsonage which then was moved farther to the west.
D. W. Daley drew the plans for the new church and the building contract was signed with Dan / Berry and Ira H. Bell. Workmen signing the contract were: C. C. Atkinson, Howard C. Atkinson, E. L. Snider, H. J. Vogel, J. E. Montgomery, G. G. Snider, 0. D. Jordan, Arley Board, Glenn Holcomb, Lynn Brannon, and Wilmer C. Beall. Work began at once after ground breaking on October 11,1937. The church building committee was composed of B. A. Luzader, Z. S. Gorby, I. W. Taylor, and Reverend Maness. Trustees were: Z. S. Gorby, J. H. Lawton (who was treasurer for the building committee), Earl Hansel, T. W. Ullom, B. A. Luzader, I. W. Taylor, Dale Kesterson, Claude Nicholas, and Mrs. Jessie Dollmyer. The total cost of the building and site was about $18,000. A Hammond electric organ added $1,410.
During the winter of 1937-38 Reverend Maness conducted services in the Belpre High School auditorium . The first service in the new church was held April 17,1938 with seven becoming members at that time.
Formal dedication of the church was preceded with a week of special services. Reverend Dr. Lynch, Reverend Dr. Timmerman, and Reverend H. L. Sheldon, pastor from 1927-30 conducted services in the evenings.
The Parkersburg Sentinel wrote the following account. "Two impressive and largely attended services accompanied the formal dedication of the handsome new Methodist Episcopal church on Maple Street on Sunday (May 15) and the morning congregation was treated to an inspiring sermon by Bishop Baker of San Francisco, California. The dedicatory program was read by Dr. Earl Timmerman of Zanesville, district superintendent, and J. H. Lawton, representing the board of trustees, offered the church for dedication. The choir under the direction of Miss Charlotte Deeble, who is also the organist, beautifully sang the anthem "Praise the Lord" by Haines as a feature of the morning service. In the afternoon another service was equally well attended and there was a splen- did sermon delivered by the Reverend Ray C. Dotson, a former pastor, now of Gettysburg. The
choir during the afternoon service sang the magnificent "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's oratorio "The Messiah". The pastor Reverend T. E. Maness took part in both services.
On March 6th of 1938, there had been no dissenting votes when the congregation voted to borrow $5,500 and place a mortgage on the church and parsonage.
The Methodist Church South, the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the Methodist Protestant Church were united in 1939 with the name becoming "The Methodist Church". The Ladies Aid and Missionary Society were now united under the name of the "Women's Society of Christian Service", the Epworth League became the Methodist Youth Fellowship.
Reverend E. C. Hardin followed Reverend Maness in 1940. Reverend H. V. McCleary became pastor in 1941 but died and was replaced in September of 1941 by Reverend L. C. Rucker. These were the war years and the beginning of "open for business on Sunday" at the Rockland markets. Reverend Rucker opposed that. In response to the government's request to give a day each week to the war effort, he worked in the truck gardens of Rockland and the orchards of Little Hocking. He served as church janitor. He spearheaded a drive to buy a cottage at the Lancaster Camp Grounds for the youth (and adults) to use. With his guidance and the work and generosity of the congregation, the debt on the church was paid in May 1944.
At the celebration of being debt free on May 14, 1944, Dr. Vinton Busier, the district superintendent, gave the sermon. In that day's dedicatory program, 66 persons of the church's family were listed as serving in the armed forces.
In 1949 the Reverend Harry Yost came to Belpre followed by the Reverend Charles Foster. Belpre Methodist became a separate charge from Rockland Methodist in 1951. Reverend Joseph Harrison began his ministry at Belpre in 1954, but resigned the following year and the Reverend Roy McCuskey was interim minister until Reverend Schaffer was appointed in 1956.
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L-R: T.W. Ullom, J.H. Lawton, Earl Hansel,
Rev. Schaffer, 0.0. Barickman.
B.A. Luzader, D, Kesterson
Conditions had become very crowded in the church by this time. More room was needed for classes and other activities. The decision was made to have an educational unit added and the sanctuary and basement enlarged. For such an undertaking, a fund raising program was formed and proved to be successful. A ground breaking ceremony was held July 9, 1961 and cornerstone placed August 13, 1961.
Who can forget our first living nativity scene? The animals were transported from farms in Reverend Schaffer's car and when released one cow took to the hills, followed by Herman Wagner who had quite some difficulty catching the animal!
Carillon Chimes were installed, given in memory of Edward Loudermilk. Sadly their use was curtailed after some years as replacement parts became unattainable. A nearby youth member recalls having the job of rewinding the tape. There would be a dash to the church when a loud moaning noise filled the neighborhood, signaling
the need to rewind!
The church services were sometimes interrupted for a short time, too, when the public address system began to pick up and broadcast the Fire Department messages at the most inopportune times.
Reverend Crofoot and family came to Belpre in 1962. During this time, the debt on the educational unit was paid. A service of dedication of the $110, 000 addition was held November 6, 1966.
During the pastorate of Reverend Roy Wigal, a number of improvements were made. Under the direction of Larry Deem and the pastor, the former kitchen was designed for a museum. This well planned room displays the artifacts from Lewis
Chapel and provides storage for other records, past and present of the church.
In 1968 the union of the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist was effected. At this time, with three Methodist Churches in Belpre-Rockland, the name of the Maple Street church was changed to St. Mark's United Methodist.