THE FIRST METHODIST CHURCH

Copyright © 1997 by Judith Weeks Ancell. This copy contributed for use in 
the USGenWeb Archives.  

 

USGENWEB NOTICE:  In keeping with our policy of providing free
information on the Internet, data may be freely used by
non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all
copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any
format for profit or presentation by other organizations.
_____________________________________________________________________

GREATER COLDWATER CENTENNIAL, Souvenir Historical Program
 Greater Coldwater Centennial 1961

Pages 18-20:

THE FIRST METHODIST CHURCH
	
In December 1828, the First Methodist Church at Dearborn, Michigan closed, 
and the last four members --- Joseph Hanchett and his wife Nancy, and Allen 
Tibbits and his wife Caroline --- came to Coldwater.  On the fourth Sabbath 
of July 1831, in his own small log house, the Rev. Allen Tibbits preached 
the first known sermon in the village of Lyons, renamed Cold Water the 
following year.
	On June 19th, 1832, these four people comprised the class organized 
by the Rev. E. H. Pilcher of the Tecumseh Circuit.  He administered to the 
wants of the small flock until the Fall, when one Rev. William Sprague 
became the first pastor.
	The first convert of this group was a Miss Amelia Harrison, an 
orphan 20 years old, who came to Coldwater to live with her aunt, Mrs. 
Hanchett.  In her diary she wrote:  "On the 4th of January, 1835, the Lord 
spoke peace to my soul and I was baptized in March, at Masonville on the 
right hand side of the bridge going west."  Miss Harrison married Daniel W. 
Parsons, and it is to her memory that Mr. And Mrs. William Shipway dedicated 
their history of the First Methodist Church in 1958, from which this account 
is taken.
	In 1835, the class was organized as a mission with the Rev. Richard 
Lawrence as pastor.  The membership was increased that year by the coming of
the Crippens, Dr. William B. Sprague and wife, Dr. Littlefield, Thomas 
Daugherty, James Fisk, the Rev. Francis Smith (father of Mrs. Sprague), 
Alonzo Waterman, and others.  Their first place of meeting was in Allen 
Tibbits' log cabin (originally Hugh Campbell's cabin on the site of the 
Masonic Temple.) but in 1834 Mr. Tibbits' donated land and the Old Red 
School House was built on the northeast corner of East pearl and South 
Hudson Streets; hereafter the mission met there for worship.
	In 1836 a frame church was built by Harvey Warner on the site of the 
present church.
	After more than a quarter of a century, this church no longer met 
the needs of a growing city,; therefore, under the pastorate of Rev. Joseph 
Jennings, they were urged to venture on the promises of God and build Him a 
house worthy of His name.
	The basement of the new brick church was first used for worship in 
October, 1865, when the Rev. James Robinson had just become pastor.  The 
completion and dedication came on January 26, 1869, the Rev. F. M. Eddy, D. 
D. preaching the dedicatory sermon.  This building cost $25,000, and it 
remains in use today.  It had a seating capacity of about 800.  In 1878, 18 
feet were added to the east end, and a splendid pipe organ was presented by 
Alonzo Waterman and his two daughters, Mrs. Mary C. Fenn and Miss Alice A. 
Waterman.
	In 1923 the Church School and Community House was dedicated.	
In 1932, under the Rev. William W. Slee, the church celebrated its 100th 
anniversary.  In one hundred years the church had grown from a class of four 
people to a congregation of 570, with a Sunday School of 447.
	During the pastorate of Rev. Keith Avery, 1953-1959, the new 
Sanctuary of the church was built and consecrated on August 30th, 1959, by 
Dr. Marshall r. Reed, Bishop of the Michigan Conference.
	In the days before the memories of those living today, four young 
men were said to have been converted in the local Methodist church and gone
out to preach:  The Rev. L. R. Fisk, D. D., for many years president of 
Albion College; the Reverends M. A. Daughtry , J. W. hart, and George H. 
Bennett.  In 1900 the Rev. Harry E. King was sent to Shanghai, China, from 
this church as a teacher-missionary in the university.
	At the Annual Church Conference, April 24, 1958, it was announced 
that one of the young men who had been reared at the church had applied for 
a license to become a local preacher.  That license was granted, and after 
graduating from Adrian College and Studying a semester at Oberlin Theological
Seminary, David Renshaw, son of the Hon. And Mrs. Fred J. renshaw, is now 
doing student supply work at the churches at Whitehall and Claybanks, 
Michigan.
	The present pastor of the church is the Rev. Albert A. Butterfield 
who began his duties in Coldwater in June of 1959."
	








dz