Since 1830, this church has been a foundation of the community as the first and oldest recorded church within St. Joseph, Michigan

PREFACE

The historical narrative which follows outlines the history of the First United Methodist Church, the oldest church in the community of St. Joseph, Michigan.  This church has its roots in the Methodist Church and the Evangelical Church which merged in 1968. This narrative outlines the histories of both churches. A brief history of the area is included as background for the development of the church. 

 

Historical Background

The early history of this region is closely tied to the St. Joseph River and Lake Michigan. The area grew and prospered because of this connection and the ease of trading during the early years of settlement.  John Burnett established a trading post in 1775 on the St. Joseph River near the site now marked on Langley Avenue in St. Joseph.  The traders originally did business with the Native Americans, then with the white settlers.  The Michigan Territory was a land of opportunity in the early 19th century. The Erie Canal was completed. The Territorial Road from Detroit to St. Joseph was open. Glowing reports of fertile soil, virgin prairies, congenial climate, and valuable forests appeared in New England newspapers.  Settlers began arriving.  In 1834, the village of St. Joseph was incorporated by the act of the Legislative Council of the Territory.  Trade via the river and lake grew in importance as vast amounts of agricultural products were shipped from the port at St. Joseph.  The decline of St. Joseph as a major Great Lakes shipping port was predictable with the growth of the railroads during the mid and late 19th Century.  (It was to be the automobile and subsequent fleets of trucks that virtually ended the lakeboat business.) In the late 1800’s the economy of the community began to change from total agricultural activity to industrial.  Industrial growth has continued to the present.

 

Establishment of the Methodist Church

The missionary outreach of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America (1784) rested with the circuit riders.  Preaching in homes, barns, crude chapels, dance halls, saloons, courthouses, school buildings and under open skies, these men followed the trail of the pioneers.  They traveled on horseback with nothing in their saddle bags but scant clothing, their Bible, hymnal and books to sell.  The circuits covered large areas and the visits of the circuit rider were infrequent, usually only three or four visits a year to any one community.  When one such preacher was asked to serve a new charge, he called attention to the fact that it made the “thirtieth appointment in his field”.  The first recorded visit of any Methodist minister to St. Joseph was in 1828 when Erastus Felton visited as a circuit rider.

 

In 1830, a mission was established, the first record of any church in St. Joseph.  Erastus Felton and Leonard Gurley were the circuit riders assigned to serve the mission.  Almost nothing is known of this early effort except that success would not come easily for St. Joseph which had the reputation of being “a very rough place”.  Throughout the 1830’s, 1840’s and the major part of the 1850’s, the church continued as a mission, first with the LaPorte District of the Indiana Conference and later with the Michigan Conference of the Methodist Church.  During this time, the church services, if any, were held in the town hall on Church Street by one account and in the schoolhouse at the corner of Main and Ship Streets (where the Post Office is presently located) by other accounts.  In either event these were the only places to hold services until the Methodist Church building was constructed.

 

In 1846, the St. Joseph Mission had only 18 members and was considered by the ministers as a “hard place”.  However, in the winter of 1848-49 a revival was held under Reverend Ransom Goodell in St. Joseph which greatly increased the strength of the local church.  By the mid 1850’s a regular minister, William C. H. Bliss was appointed to the mission.  Through his efforts, the circuit was divided so that St. Joseph became a separate church on June 13, 1857.  The original trustees of the church were Lychester Olds, John Spink, Charles Marsh, Franklin Pew and Theodore Pew.

Immediately after the incorporation of the church, plans were made for a building.  A lot was acquired from the village at the corner of what was formerly known as the Courthouse lot.  A contract for a brick foundation was given to the firm Barhight & Moulton.  A frame church with the approximate dimensions of 38 x 56 x 18 ft was built (some reports have the size of the church as 38 x 58 x 18 ft.)  The cornerstone was laid in May 1858.  The original plans had been for a brick building; however, the Congregationalists, who had been meeting with the Methodists, indicated their intent to build a church of their own.  This dissension led to a lack of funds and the frame church was constructed.  When the church was dedicated in May of 1859, nearly all the building costs were pledged, including that of a bell purchased for five hundred dollars. 

 

Establishment of the Evangelical Church in St. Joseph

The first report of activity by the Evangelical Association in Berrien County was a visit by Bishop Seybert in 1849.  He gave a glowing report on the possibilities of the area upon his return to Pennsylvania.  (The Evangelical Association had originated in Pennsylvania in 1803 as an outgrowth of the ministry of Jacob Albright to the German-speaking people.)  Following Bishop Seybert’s visit, a minister was appointed over the area, but no record indicates he visited St. Joseph.  Until the Michigan conference was formed in 1864, Berrien County was first a part of the Illinois and, then, the Indiana (1851) Conference of the Evangelical Association.  Bernhardt Ubhaus was appointed missionary to Berrien County in 1855.  At the Indiana Conference of June 1856, he reported 36 members for the Berrien Mission.  During the 1850’s and the 1860’s,  meetings were held in the homes of members or in the old schoolhouse which the Methodist Church had used until the erection of their building in 1858-59. 

    

In 1868, J.M. Haug was appointed pastor to the St. Joseph Mission.  The church was strong enough to consider purchasing a facility of their own, but, because of costs, it was decided to find a building in the “country”. (Someone has said that in those days, children who lived south of Broad Street were considered “country kids” by their classmates who attended the Old White School, corner of Ship and Main Streets.)  They bought the brick building at the corner of Elm and Main Streets from the English Baptist Society in 1858 at a cost of $2,643.39 for which the local church was able to raise $2,170.07.  Conference gave the local minister permission to collect wherever he could throughout the conference to pay the remaining indebtedness.

 

The old brick church was just a box-like structure, with plain glass windows, benches, and a big heavy iron stove in the center of the room.  The ladies sat on the north side and the men on the south side.  The congregation faced the east where there was a platform with a pulpit and a small organ.  The church at that time was built at the back of the lot, and the door on the Elm Street side was generally used by the congregation, as many came from the country and their horses were tied along Elm Street.  The church had no steeple and, of course, no bell. 

 

The Evangelicals were considered by some people a German Methodist Church in keeping with the origin of the denomination.  In fact, ministry of the evangelicals in Michigan was mostly to the German people.   The service of the St. Joseph's church was all in German.  As the Evangelicals were not afraid to shout when they were happy, they also earned the name of Jumping Methodists or Shouting Methodists. 

 

Growth of the Churches

In 1860, the Methodist Church gained possession of the property at 525 Court Street for a parsonage.  In the fall of that year, the building was raised and partially enclosed.  The next pastor, at his own expense, carried the project along, getting the house enclosed and plastered one year and adding a “cook room”, putting in a cistern, and painting the inside the next year. In 1862, four rooms of the parsonage were papered, a portion of the lot was spaded up and shrubbery and strawberries planted.  In 1864, more work was completed on the parsonage – a barn was constructed, the house was painted with three coats of paint, 13 1/2 rods of picket fence were built, fruit and ornamental trees were planted, all at a cost of $252, which was “collected on subscription and paid”.

    

Not only did the holdings of the church increase, but also the membership.  There were 66 members in 1863.  A revival held in 1864 (the first time since 1849) brought in 33 members.  By 1865 the membership of the Methodist Church had grown to 107.  The report submitted to the Conference that year by the pastor stated, “There are no church debts on the charge… The Pastor’s, Presiding Elder’s and Sextons claims, amounting to $753.00, were met in full – and the church property is also clear, estimated to be worth $6,500. 

    

On June 16, 1866, the Methodist Church suffered a disastrous setback in its growth.  Sparks from a planing mill fifty feet to the south of the church started a fire in the steeple and the church burned to the ground.  (It is interesting to note that there is a discrepancy as to the actual date of the fire. Church records indicated, in addition to June 16, a June 21 or even a February 21 date.)

    

In August of 1866, the cornerstone was laid for a new building at the same location, the corner of Broad and Main Streets.  A two-story brick building was erected.  The first floor was completed for immediate use and the second floor was finished later.  The Reverend Robert Hatfield of Chicago, Illinois, and the Reverend B. Ives of Auburn, New York, were the morning and evening speakers respectively at the dedication on June 25, 1869 of the completed church, then one of the fines in this part of the country.  (This building, with some later remodeling, served the Methodist Church from its dedication until 1970.  It was torn down in December of 1970 after the congregation occupied the building on Leco Court.)

    

Prior to the burning of the old church, church music had been provided by an organ loaned by the Plum family, who lived at the corner of Broad and Court Streets.  The Plums, there were thirteen of them, carried the organ over to the church every Saturday night and carried it back to their home every Monday morning.  In May of 1867, an organ (parlor-type with some pipes which were removable) was purchased for two hundred dollars.  Mr. Chamberlin held the note for the load of that amount. 

    

During the 1870’s, both churches continued to experience growth.  In the Methodist pastor’s report for 1870, he reported 113 members; however, he stated that only fifteen or so attend the “means of grace” (meaning class meetings) and that “persons who we have reason to believe are faithful in all other matters are recklessly unfaithful to Class Meetings.”  By 1878 the Methodist Church had 216 members. From 1873 to 1893, the Evangelical Church was supplied ministers who traveled a circuit, usually working in addition to St. Joseph, the Bainbridge and Royalton Churches.

    

An anecdote is told by an earlier historian of this period.  “One well-liked pastor had much to say against the young people riding bicycles on Sunday afternoons.  But, he was the force the saloon men feared.  The story is told of his having expressed a desire for a trip to the Pacific Coast.  One day he was approached by a member of his congregation saying he would like to have the privilege of giving him this trip.  Of course, the pastor was delighted, but did not know until nearly ready for the train that the saloon men had supplied the money in hopes of getting him away, until after election.  Of course, the trip was not taken.”  Another minister reported that there was much backsliding from recent revival converts to cards, dancing and concerts.  Elsewhere, we read that the ministers warned the young ladies about the evils of bangs and bustles, curls and corsets, and face powder. 

    

In 1887, the Methodists disposed of their old parsonage and constructed a new one next to the church on Main Street.  A porch was added later.  To the church itself were added four rooms to the rear, two upstairs for Sunday School, one downstairs for Sunday School and one for a kitchen. 

    

The appearance of the Evangelical Church property in the late 1880’s indicated that hard times had fallen on the congregation.  Even the Bishop reported the matter in the Evangelical Messenger and Annual Conference appointed a committee to take steps to make the necessary repairs and improvements.  The local church took action in 1892 instructing the trustees to sell the old church and lot and purchase a cheaper lot.  This was not done, but, they did sell one half of the lot and used the money realized from the sale to build a new church.  The old brick building was torn down and the new building erected nearer the front of the lot. 

    

The dedication services for the new building were held December 10 and 11, 1892.  An account describing the event, presumably from the newspaper, in part said, “The new German Evangelical Church on Main Street was formally dedicated on Saturday and Sunday… Excepting Sunday morning, the services were in English and all meetings were attended by people from all denominations and the sermons were all well delivered and full of encouragement…  The building is a neat structure, papered inside, well seated and carpeted, and will accommodate several hundred people.  The cost of it is about $3,000, of which some $2,400 is already paid or assured.  Over $800 was subscribed Sunday.  Services are to be held regularly hereafter, the Sunday morning sermon will be in German and the evening sermon in English.”

    

Starting in 1895, the Zion’s Evangelical Church (the name used from 1895 until as late as 1904 when the name seems to have been dropped) showed new life.  It was taken from the Royalton Circuit and made a separate Mission, a parsonage was built, and the Ladies Aid was organized.  A newspaper item (September 28, 1895) stated, “Hereafter, preaching will be wholly in the English language in that church”.  By 1899, the church membership was 70.  There was a Young People’s Alliance with a membership of 40.

    

In 1892, the Ladies Aid of the Methodist Church started the Washington Day Dinner as a fundraising project.  This festive occasion continued until the mid 1960’s when it was discontinued.

    

Both churches benefitted from a city-wide evangelistic campaign in January 1914.  A large tabernacle was erected on the corner of Ship and Main Streets, where the George Stevens (Stephens) Evangelistic Party conducted the services for about six weeks.  There were many conversions and, at the close of the campaign, the converts made a selection of their own church.  The Methodist Church received its due share of the converts, some of whom became the most loyal and best church workers.  The Evangelical Church was more than doubled overnight, from 110 to 260 members.  Strengthened dramatically, the Evangelical Church at the Annual Conference of 1914 asked to be taken from the list of mission churches to become a self-supporting congregation. 

   

Needing more room as a result of the increase in membership, the Evangelical Church undertook major remodeling and enlarging of their building.  Sunday services were held in the City Hall Chambers during the period of construction.  Dedication Day, May 30,1915, was a grand day with three services.  The church was filled.  Both the orchestra and choir performed.  The mayor of the city and some of the aldermen attended one of the services.  The entire cost of the project, estimated at $5,800, had been pledged before the evening service closed.

    

In 1924, the Methodist Church was remodeled at a cost of $20,000.  An annex holding the Sunday School rooms was added on the Broad Street side, the front hall remodeled, and the auditorium decorated.  Mr. Neil Ward gave the church a pipe organ in memory of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Ward.  A former choir member recalls the organ recital in which the Ward Memorial Organ was dedicated.  “During one of the organ numbers, a chip evidently shifted and caused a pipe to keep playing to the consternation of all present.  Among those present, however, were those who had valuable experience…. And showed their skill by correcting the trouble, enabling the program to proceed.”  This organ continued to serve the congregation until 1969.

    

During their remodeling, the Methodist Church, like their sister church, also found temporary quarters.  The high school auditorium was satisfactory and there were sufficient Sunday School classrooms.  However, those facilities were not available for the entire period and the smaller quarters of the City Hall Chambers had to do for the remainder of the time.  One member remembers a Christmas party held in the Council Chambers, but the New Year’s Watch-night service was in the completed church parlors.  The rest of the building program was completed in time for Easter, at which time the choir, newly robed in white over black two-piece vestments, marched down the aisle in its first processional. 

    

The Methodists, in 1925, authorized the minister to purchase a grand piano for the church, but, as a condition to acquiring the piano, he had to remain silent as to the cost.

    

Disaster, again, struck the Methodist Church on April 29, 1926.  Fire, originating in the attic, caused an estimated loss of $10,000, with the sanctuary receiving most of the damage.  An electrician examining the church after the fire discovered pennies had been used to keep the fuses from blowing, which, in his judgment, was the cause of the fire.

    

A happy day, indeed, for the Evangelical Church was December 31, 1929, when the mortgage was burned, eliminating all the debts, which had haunted the church since its beginning.

    

As the Depression hit the country, hard times hit the churches.  From the minutes of the Official Board of the Methodist Church entries read: “an approval was given to the Pastor to paint the parsonage on April 7, 1931, however, it could not cost anything.”  “An approval was given to the church to borrow $150 from Farmers & Merchants National Bank in order to pay the coal bill.”  Circumstances had improved by 1935 and the Methodist Church installed chimes in its tower to celebrate 105 years as a congregation.

    

A brief mention should be made of denominational developments that left their mark in varying degrees upon the local congregations.

    

In 1922, the Evangelical Association (1816) and the United Evangelical Church (1894) came together as the Evangelical Church.  The St. Joseph church, which had been affiliated with the Evangelical Association, of course, functioned under the new name.  The Civil War had split the Methodist Episcopal Church, but, in 1939 the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church South and the Methodist Protestant Church (1828) became the Methodist Church.  Though the cornerstone might still read Methodist Episcopal, the St. Joseph church functioned under the new name.  In November of 1946, after many years of discussion and preparation, the Evangelical and the Church of the United Brethren in Christ (their founders, Jacob Albright, Evangelical; Philip Otterbein and Martin Boehm, United Brethren, shared a common spiritual heritage) officially united and took on a new denominational name: The Evangelical United Brethren Church (EUB).  For all the impressive denominational action, the local churches were not basically changed – services and activities continued within the same walls and among the same people.

    

The 1950’s were times of change and expansion for both churches.  When the First Congregational Church built their new building on Niles Avenue, their old property on Main Street was for sale.  The Evangelical United Brethren Church had felt the need for a more adequate church plant and saw fit to buy the Congregational Church property for $55,000.  The congregation took possession of the new property September 15, 1955, and immediately began an improvement program in the new building that cost approximately $10,000 and involved over 2,000 hours of volunteer labor.  The unity and spirit manifested in the building project carried over to the challenge of entertaining the Michigan Annual Conference in 1058, no small task for a church with a member of about 230. 

    

Church growth and Church School growth led the Methodist Church to the hiring of a Director of Religious Education in 1955.  Needing space for the expanded program, the congregation added an education wing to the south side of the building at a cost of $95,942. (It is the only part of the old church standing on Main Street in St. Joseph.)  The staff was increased by the addition of a second pastor in 1964. 

    

Both churches purchased new parsonages.  At the time of purchasing the Congregational Church, the Evangelical United Brethren bought the house at 548 Archer Avenue ($16,500) only to sell it five years later (1960) to buy a brand-new ranch-style parsonage at 979 Wadena Drive ($21,500).  The Methodist Church, in August of 1966, bought a house at 2820 Willa Drive ($28,000) to use as a parsonage along with the property at 838 Greenwood. 

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The United Methodist Church

1968 was a memorable year.  For the Evangelical United Brethren Church, it was their Centennial Year (1868 -1968).  Even as centennial events were being planned, changes were transpiring at the denominational level that would lead to the dissolution of the congregation as a separate and distinct body.  The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church had shared a common historic and spiritual heritage. Their doctrines and forms of church government were similar.  Their only major differences, that of language, had long since disappeared.  On April 23, 1968, following many years of conversation and negotiation, the two became one under the name – The United Methodist Church. 

Mergers heretofore had not significantly changed the local congregations.  This one was to be different.  With the likelihood of national approval of merger of the denominations, steps were taken in St. Joseph to merge the two local congregations.  A merger committee was formed with representatives from each congregation.  This group had twenty meeting nights and over fifty hours of work preparing the merger agreement.  Once the plan was ready, it was presented to the membership, meeting in homes in small groups where discussion could take place easily and freely.  The General Conference had merged in April.  The local congregations noted on May 27, 1968.  The merger was approved.  (The Methodist vote: 111 in favor, 47 against, 3 abstentions – total 161.  The EUB vote: 66 in favor, 13 against – total 79.) 

    

Centennial Sunday, July 14, 1968, took on added significance for the former Evangelical United Brethren congregation.  The name United Methodist did not slip easily off the tongue yet, and, understandably, the festivities were marked by an underlying sadness.  Following the morning service, a potluck meal was held.  The Master of Ceremonies was one who had gone out from this church into the ministry.  Older members of the congregation were recognized.  Pictures had been gathered and organized to tell the story of a valiant congregation.  Forth-three ministers had served in those one hundred years and six persons had been either recommended for ministerial license or were a product of the congregation for the ministry. 

   

More was to come in this memorable year.  An impressive service on unification was held on September 8, 1968.  With Sunday School boys in advance carrying the Christian and American flags and led by their Pastor, the congregation of the Evangelical United Brethren Church walked the two blocks from their church at Market and Main Streets to the corner of Broad and Main Streets, where the Methodist congregation, led by their pastor, joined the procession.  Coming four abreast down Broad Street to Lake Boulevard, the group assembled for the unifying service at the band shell (at that time the old wooden band shell was located on the bluff between Broad and Ship Streets.)  The service advanced the spirit of oneness.  The words of the hymn sounded out “We are not divided.  All one body we, one in hope and doctrine, one in charity.”  The scripture from Jeremiah spoke of unity, “And they shall be my people and I will be their God.  And I will give them one heart and mind to worship me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants.”  Two choirs sang as one.  The people voiced the historic confession of the Christian faith, “I believe in God the Father Almighty …”  The Methodists in St. Joseph from 1830 and the Evangelicals from 1868 served from this time forth as the First United Methodist Church of St. Joseph.

    

Throughout the 1950’s, the Methodist Church had felt, in order to survive, it should follow the southward movement of the population.  Authorization was given to investigate available sites for a future location of the church when time would indicate the necessity to build.  Opportunity presented itself in 1962 when Leco Corporation made an offer of land in the Leco Square Subdivision.  The land was a gift to the church with the stipulation that a church was to be built upon it within ten years or the property would revert to the company.  By 1964, the congregation had voted to relocate.  A building committee authorized an architect to draw up plans for the new church, but the financial drive in the fall of 1966 was not successful enough to move ahead with the building program.  The plans were abandoned. 

    

A new building committee was formed about the time of the merger of the two congregations.  This building committee had members of both the former Evangelical and Methodist Churches in membership. New plans were examined and approved by the church.  The key to the success in moving ahead in the construction of a new church building was the sale of the old Evangelical Church and the offer by the contractor of the building, Holland Construction Company, for the purchase of the old Methodist Church building for $100,000.  Ground was broken for the new Church in May of 1969.  The new church, costing in excess of $600,000, was dedicated on March 1, 1970.  The mortgage indebtedness incurred in the construction of the new church was retired in 1980. 

    

The United Methodist Church of St. Joseph, resulting from the merger of the Evangelical and Methodist Churches, with a record of service to this community since 1830, and occupying a new and totally owned church property, now faces the next 150 years with renewed spirit and determination to service of Lord Jesus Christ and this community in the spirit of Christian love. 

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“Forgive us our sins”

Prior to the merger, the EUB church used the phrase “forgive us our debts” in the Lord's Prayer and the Methodists used “forgive us our trespasses.” Since then, we use the phrase “forgive us our sins”. This is not only a helpful compromise to reflect the uniting, but also appeals to our sense of being boldly clear.

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Revised Ministry Staff 

​Around 2000, a decision was made to hire specialists for areas such as Education, Visitation, Counseling, and Health in lieu of an appointed clergy person as an Associate Pastor. These positions provided focused ministry, and were more flexible to respond to growth and changes. They were often part-time and were more cost effective than the housing, medical and retirement benefits required for ordained clergy.

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During preparation for Wade Panse's arrival as pastor, consideration was made to sell the parsonage and “get out of the real estate business.” Unlike previous generations, most churches were finding it more difficult to recruit volunteers within the congregation to perform repairs and maintenance. The option of a housing allowance meant the pastor could find a home suited to his particular needs and the local housing market facilitated this choice. Time and energy previously spent by the Trustees managing the parsonage could be directed elsewhere. Wade and Patti Panse agreed to the housing allowance approach and the parsonage at Hickory and Washington was sold. Later the parsonage on Willa Drive was also sold.

In the early days the church saw healthy worship attendance. Chairs had to be added to the narthex to accommodate the crowds. Review of membership records show a continuing decline.

Year               Number of members            Average attendance

1970                            1057                                           409

1975                             962                                            329

1980                            790                                            322

1985                             795                                            399

1990                             738                                            410

1995                             647                                            422

2000                            569                                            378

2005                            560                                            352

2012                             527                                            320

2015                             472                                            202

2021                             275                                             150

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It is noted that many of the membership reports include comments about needing to clean up the rolls to remove names of those no longer active, often due to moving away or even due to death. Yet, the membership decline is clear. But those remaining were faithful and we continued on.

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Our hand bells, 3 octaves, were purchased in August of 1978 using money from the Henry Vandermolen Memorial Fund. Carolyn Nickel was the director for our first bell choir, a children's group. A fourth octave was purchased in 1982. 

On July 22, 1993 the Staff Parish Relations Committee voted to extend an employment offer to Jim Kraus to become Director of Choirs and Organist. The title was changed shortly later to Director of Music. On May 24, 1994, the same body voted to ask Dan Colthorp to become our Christian Education and Youth Minister. These decisions turned out well.

 

Jim Kraus wrote several cantatas including:

Magnificat, Song of Mary (Luke 1:46-55)

In the Beginning was the Word (John 1:1-14)

The Good Shepherd (Psalm 32, John 10:1-18, Mathew 11:28-30, Hebrews 4:9,10, 16, etc.)

As part of the music department's outreach to the community, we presented the performance of several musicals including:

Godspell 2009

Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat 2011

Christmas Carol (twice) 2015 and 2018

These facilitated development of relationships with many performers that were previously outside the church family, as well as providing an opportunity for the community to come see the performances.

Days of Discovery

From around 1988 to 1997 we held annual Days of Discovery, usually in October or early November, involving potluck dinners, evening services and guest speakers. Those guests included: John Oswelt, Jerald Russell, William Quick, George Morris, Matt Zahniser, Ed Beck, Will Cless Clegg, Robert Mollholland and Alvern Vom Steeg.

A new contemporary service:

Over many years we developed a contemporary service. As early as 1993 there were summer Wednesday evening services (in the air conditioned Chapel) with guest speakers. Starting in May 2005 and through 2007, we experimented with occasional evening contemporary services. A new weekly Sunday morning casual worship service called Catch 9:45 was launched on Easter Sunday, March 23, 2008. In 2008 we added the contemporary Christmas Eve Eve service.

Building Campaigns:

The chapel was renovated in 1988.

The chancel area was upgraded in 1998 including lighting and carpeting.

Starting in 2003, a building committee put significant effort into consideration of a major building extension involving the entrance, new offices along the north side of the building, and a new Youth Area on the south end of Fellowship Hall. This 21,000 square foot expansion had an estimated cost of 2.4 million dollars. On September 28, 2004, a special Church Conference was held to vote on continuing architectural design and initiate fund raising. A two-thirds majority was desired to make this commitment. There were 92 voting ballots with 60 approvals. The motion did not pass.

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On March 7, 2006, a proposal was voted on regarding the update of our Casavant organ along with sanctuary and chancel improvements. The proposal by the GM Buck company was for approximately $300,000. This time the motion passed by a vote of 77 to 8. The project included rebuilding the console, cleaning the pipes and wind chests, leather valve replacement with electric valves and increasing the wind pressure. Several additional pipe ranks were installed. The pipes that were previously concealed behind a fabric screen are now exposed. We added the antiphonal pipes in the back of the sanctuary. Projection screens were added in the front of the sanctuary and the chancel area was refurbished including new flooring. The updated organ was played for the first time on Easter Sunday 2008.

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Church member and artist Ruth Ryberg painted murals in several class rooms in 2009 and 2010, including a barn scene and an ocean scene.

 

In 2011, a Youth Center update was initiated combining several classrooms to provide a more comfortable meeting space for youth events.

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Two stained glass windows were added in the sanctuary in 2011 in loving memory of Douglas Fellend. One was inserted in the south existing door that leads to the garden and the other replaced the transom above that door. The work was done by local artist Toni Smith. The original windows on the south side of the sanctuary and west wall of the narthex were created by Jean-Jacques Duval (world renowned glass artist) when the church was built in 1969.

Downhere concert

On October 10, 2010 (10/10/10), we rented Lakeshore High School auditorium as outreach to the community. Downhere is a Canadian rock band. Probably their most popular song is the Christmas song, “How Many Kings”. The opening band was Rush of Fools.

 

VCI

In 2014 we participated in a Michigan Conference lead program called Vital Church Initiative or simply VCI. The objective was to help local churches encourage and grow, new persons coming in and staying in fellowship through our church and growing in their faith in Christ. This was to keep the church healthy by self-examination along with outside help. The VCI team identified strengths and weaknesses and invited “mystery guests” to review our church and hospitality. The VCI team gave us various prescriptions.

 

As a result, we indeed made some changes. We reorganized from a large Administrative Board along with Staff Parish Relations, Finance, and Trustee committees to a much smaller Church Council to reduce time and energy spent in meetings. We changed worship times, reducing the traditional services from 2 to 1 and giving the contemporary service more focus and what was thought to be a preferred time of the 11:00 hour. We started serving better coffee. We improved signage throughout the church with newcomers in mind. Some folks weren't completely happy with the changes and some were hoping for more help from the Conference. Yet, the changes helped set us up for an efficient decision-making process subsequently.

 

COVID-19

The worldwide Corona Virus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected church attendance like nothing before. In accordance with a request from the Bishop and state officials, we stopped having in-person worship services, classes and meetings starting March 22, 2020. On September 27, 2020 we returned to in-person worship, only to return to on-line only services November 8th. During that time, Easter, Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas services were all online only. We reopened to in-person worship again on February 7, 2021.

 

Improvements to the worship experience by upgrading the sound and lighting had been completed early in 2020. This occurred just in time to facilitate recording the worship services. Not being able to attend worship services in person was the most difficult part of the pandemic for many. Being able to see the familiar setting online, seeing familiar friendly faces, and hearing familiar voices remind us of truths from God, made a huge positive difference. In addition, reports indicated that the online services reached many new viewers. The practice of recording the services and sharing them on YouTube continued after the pandemic was over. One of the classrooms was fitted for video-conferencing and several groups use this option each week.

Disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church:

In the 1997 annual church conference, the congregation voted to become part of the Confessing Movement, affirming values associated with the Bible being the final and ultimate authority for issues related to faith and practice. Since 1972, there had been ongoing discussions at each General Conference regarding human sexuality. It became apparent that the overall church body was not going to come to an agreement. In 2016, the Council of Bishops formed a special “Commission on a Way Forward” to address this issue. At a special General Conference in 2019 the decision was made to proceed with the Traditional Plan enforcing a traditional interpretation of scripture governing the practice within the church. Many church leaders in the United States vowed to stay and fight this decision rather than to enforce it.

 

In 2020 a “Protocol for Reconciliation and Separation through Restructuring” was introduced. On March 7, 2020, the Michigan Conference voted to officially forward the Protocol to the General Conference. A key issue associated with separation is the ownership of church property. A Trust Clause prevents a local church from simply leaving the United Methodist Church and taking their property with them. COVID-19 resulted in postponement of the 2020 General Conference and it was postponed again in 2021 and 2022.

 

The Global Methodist Church officially launched in May 2022. Our local church held Town Hall meetings in October and November of 2022. At that time it was decided to wait and hope for better terms of separation prior to taking a church vote. By January 2023, it became apparent that better terms were unlikely. We entered a formal discernment period in April, with many small group meetings and town hall meetings including guest speakers. On June 25, 2023, we voted to disaffiliate by a vote of 104 to 23. This placed the church building and property firmly in the hands of the local congregation and assured our local church more control over the selection of future pastors and over church policy. While this vote margin was decisive, we shed tears for those who were hurt by the decision process. On September 25, 2023, we voted unanimously to join the Global Methodist Church.

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The 2020 General Conference of the United Methodist Church finally met from April 23-May 3, 2024. It was called the postponed 2020 conference as the delegate allotments were based on membership levels and clergy assignments from that time frame. The General Conference voted to:

Remove the ban on self-avowed practicing homosexuals serving as pastors.

Eliminate the ban on same-sex wedding ceremonies on church property or by UMC Clergy.

Revise the Social Principles to no longer identify the practice of homosexuality as incomparable with Christian teaching.

End the disaffiliation process – churches can still be closed and the congregation have the opportunity to purchase their property if an agreement can be made.

Accept Regionalization, a process allowing Americans to have different rules than Africa.

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New church name:

On November 22, 2005, the Administrative Board voted to use the official name “Saint Joseph First United Methodist Church” in all our correspondence. Prior to this we generally used “First United Methodist Church” although the conference had been listing us as "St. Joseph First United Methodist.”

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Despite the word “Saint” being spelled out (at least in the Administrative Board meeting minutes) in most other places it was abbreviated. In addition, the simple name “St. Joe First” was common.

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On September 25, 2023 we voted to adopt the new name of Pathway Global Methodist Church, or informally, Pathway Church. 

 

In the 90's we had the following Mission Statement:

This church is a family united through our belief in God the Father in Jesus Christ, His only Son, and in the Holy Spirit as       revealed through Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. We confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and pledge our   allegiance to His kingdom. We are called to minister to the needs of our family as we move from self, through sacrifice, to selflessness. This calling leads us to witness for Christ and to serve persons in our community and the world.

 

In 2000 we adopted the following Mission Statement:

We are a community of committed followers of Jesus Christ, who influence the world for Christ, through an intentional strategy of winning the lost, building the believer, and equipping each person for effective ministry.

All activities, ministries and programs were tied to these objectives.

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At the time of the name change to Pathway, we adopted a new Mission Statement:

We are a family of believers helping all pursue the way, seek the truth, and find new life through God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The new mission statement is intended to describe who we are to those new to our church. The old statement is somewhat corporate sounding and as such remains a tool used by various church committees to evaluate their various ministries.

Our church has a heart for missions as reflected in participation and support of the following (not a complete list):

Benton Harbor Street Ministry

Black College Fund

Loaves and Fishes

Camp Warren

LINK

African Church Growth and Development

India Scholarships

India Bicycles

Kenya – Bulesa water project

UNICEF

Spanish ministry – Holland

Refugee Family sponsorship

Red Bird Missions in Kentucky

Henderson Settlement

Midwest Mission Distribution Center

Lighthouse Ministries

The Avenue Safe Shelter

P.E.T (personal energy transportation) in Zambia

Blanket and Tools (Church World Service)

Child & Family Services (CFS): The Link, Safe Shelter and Adult Guardian Services

Christian Blind Mission

Court Appointed Special Advocates of Berrien County

Crystal Springs Camp – nurse cabin

Emergency Shelter

Forgotten Man Ministry

Grace Children's Hospital – Haiti

Haitian Child

Heifer Project International

Haiti Water Project

Rotary Dominion Republic Water Project

Water for Life - Liberia

International Child Care

Benton Harbor Soup Kitchen

Haiti Hot Lunch Program

New Life Center - Zambia

Mujila Falls Agricultural Center – Zambia

Feed His Sheep

Various Missionaries

Sewing Ministry

Angel Tree

Operation Christmas Child

Coat Box and Mitten Tree

UMCOR

CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) walk

Blessings Box – Non-perishable item donation box adjacent to church parking lot

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Supported missionaries include:

Rob Rahn

Larry and Laura Hills

Dennis and Dede Heffner

David and Pat Warren

Neil and Mari Hicks

Barbara Smith Jang

Nancy Lightfoot

Paul Webster

Delbert and Sandy Groves

Brent and Beth Cravens

Robert Nordstrom

Youth mission trips have included Georgia; Kentucky; Ridgecrest, North Carolina; Winston Salem, North Carolina; Cedarville, Ohio; West Virginia; Cleveland, Tennessee; and Minnesota.

In 1995, several adults went on a mission trip to Shiprock, New Mexico, and in June of 2005, several adults went on a mission trip to Colombo, Sri Lanka following the tsunami in 2004. A team of adults have made several trips to the Midwest Mission Distribution Center in Pawnee, Illinois, in recent years.

 

Our church choir combined with Southwest Michigan College and other local singers to form the Southwest Michigan Chorale.

This group has made several ambassador / goodwill trips:

• Ireland, 2017, including a recital at St Patrick's Cathedral.

• Austria, Hungary, Czech Republic, 2019 - gave a concert at a homeless shelter and recital at the Haydnsaal concert hall at Esterhazy Palace.

• Italy, 2022 - featured choir for mass at St Peter's Basilica, including singing Breathe on Me, Breath of God, written by our Minister of Music James Kraus.

• France, 2024 - sang Durufle's Requiem with other choirs at La Madeleine, Paris, and sang in a mass at Mont Saint-Michel and at a wreathe laying ceremony at the American Cemetery in Normandy on the 4th of July.

Trips for educational and inspirational purposes:

Holy Land trips, 1995 and 1998

England and Wales trip tracing steps of John Wesley, 1999

Oberammergau “Passion Play” and Heart of Europe, 2000

Hawaii, 2001 (alternate after Holy Land trip canceled due to unrest)

Italy & Greece, 2002

At the time of this writing, our church has been serving the community of St Joseph for 194 years. We now face the next years, decades, and centuries with renewed spirit and determination to the service of our Lord Jesus Christ and this community in the spirit of Christian love.

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The Following Pastors Have Served the Evangelical United Brethren Church

1868-1870       J. M. Haug

1879-1871       J. Young

1871-1873       O. Ragatz

1873-1874       Henne and Peter Berg

1874-1875       A. Nicolai

1875-1876       Wm. Riemke and A. rye

1876-1878       Peter Bittner

1878-1880       C. Ude

1880-1882       C. C. Staffeld

1882-1884       W. Berge

1884-1886       J. Schmaus

1886-1887       J. Orth

1887-1888       J. Snyder

1888-1889       J. Young

1889-1890       N. Frye and G. Heximer

1890-1891       W. Berge and C.A. Bremer

1891-1892       J. Schaus

1892-1893       H. C. Furstenau

1893-1894       L. V. Soldan

1894-1895       E. Rath

1895-1896       Geo. Johnson

1896-1897       J. R. Niergarth

1899-1901       F. C. Berger

1901-1903       H. A. Decker

1903-1904       W. R. Currier

1904-1908       E. G. Frye

1908-1912       W. C. Swenk

1912-1917       W. H. Canfield

1917-1920       F. W. Kirn

1920 – 4 mos.  H. A. Thede

1920-1924       L. R. Anderson

1024-1925       H.E. Spade

1925-1928       C. W. Lyman

1928-1934       L. F. Woodward

1934-1944       L. E.  Burgess

1944-1953       H. Stressman

1953-1958       C. R. Turner

1958-1964       L. G. Walker

1964-1969       Richard Johns

 

The Following Pastors Have Served the Methodist Church

 1830-1831       Erastus Felton

1831-1832       Leonard B. Gurley & Erastus Felton

1832-1833       Benjamin Cooper & William Sprague

1833-1834       Richard S. Robinson & George M. Beswick

1834-1835       John Newell & Edward Smith

1835-1836       R. S. Robinson

1836-1837       E. Kellogg

1837-1838       R. C. Meek & J. D. Sondford

1838-1839       William Todd

1839-1840       John Erkanbrack & Ebenezer Arnold

1840-1841       Franklin Gage

1841-1842       Henry Worthington

1842-1843       T. S. Jakeway & R. C. Cool

1843-1844       T. Jakeway

1844-1845       Charles Barnes

1845-1846       E. S. Kellogg

1846-1847       R. Pergelly

1847-1849       Ransom Goodell

1849-1850       George King

1850-1851       E. R. Kellogg

1851-1853       J. W. Robinson

1853-1854       W. T. Jenkins

1854-1855       T. H. Bignell

1855-1856       T. Jakeway

1856-1858       W. C. Bliss

1858-1860       Thomas Lyons

1860-1862       R. Pergelly

1862-1863       A. Y. Graham

1863-1865       L. M. Edmonds

1865-1867       J. J. Buell

1867-1868       Timothy Edwards

1868-1871       Joseph Jones

1871-1872       J. T. Iddings

1872-1874       R. C. Crawford

1874-1875       W. H. Perrine

1875-1876       G. S. Barnes

1876-1880       J. R. A. Wrightman

1880-1882       M. W. Callen

1882-1883       James W. Reid

1883-1884       William Doust

1884-1885       George Cole

1885-?             D. Carroll

Unknown         W. H. Carlisle

?-1894             E. V. Armstrong

1894-1895       R. H. Brady

1895-1896       Unknown

1896-1900       James Hamilton

1900-1903       W. P. French

1903-1905       W. A. Frye

1905-1906       D. W. Stafford

1906-1909       W. R. Pierce

1909-1914       Clarence E. Hoag

1914-1918       John W. Sheehan

1918-1920       Quinton S. Walker

1920-1924       Clark S. Wheeler

1924-1925       Floyd E. George

1925-1928       George A. Critchett

1928-1930       W. F. Ledford

1930-1933       L. H. Nixon

1933-1938       O. R. Gratton  

1938-1943       George Mooers

1943-1947       Leon Manning

1947-1950       W. Mayon Jones

1950-1953       Paul Albery

1953-1958       J. Ray Gillam

1958-1966       Keith L. Hayes

1966-1968       Harold Homer

1968-1969       Sidney Short

 

The Following Pastors Have Served the United Methodist Church

1969-1969       Richard Johns

1969-1973       Sidney Short

1973-1983       Dale D. Brown

1983-1987       Harold Filbrandt

1987-1996       Ron Houk

1996-2011        Wade Panse

2011-2012        Terry Euper

2012-2018       Harris Hoekwater

2018-2023      Dan Colthorp

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The Following Pastors Have Served the Global Methodist Church

2024-present   Dan Colthorp

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The list of Associate Pastors includes:

Robert Strauss

Benton Heisler

Charles Stanley

Shelley Caulder

Tom Nikkel

Wayne Babcock (pastor of visitation)

 

Church choir directors include:

Carolyn Nickel

Ruth Whittenkeller (Melody Choir)

Betty Woodland

Jonathan Orwig

James Kraus

Elsie Mokaya

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Thank you to the following members for recording our history.

History Committee (1980)

Atty. Michael E. Dumke, Chairman

Mrs. Elizabeth Grimm

Mrs. Georgia Miller

Mrs. Miriam Pede

Mrs. Carmen Phairas

Mrs. Ruth Tower

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Church Historian Keith Foote (2024)

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