ASBURY TIMELINE
1886 – Small class meeting organized by Erasmus Martin, uncle of Hilda Thomas. Held in a one-room schoolhouse, the Riverside School. Rev. Joseph R. Jenkins last minister to preach at Riverside.
1892 – Lot purchased for $240 on Carolina Street
1893 – Lawrence Methodist Episcopal Church dedicated – one-room, frame – cost of $1300 including the lot.
1890-1898 Danville Circuit Ministers
Joseph R. Jenkins
L.D. Haines
S. J. Miller
L.E. Leslie
H.C. Howard
E. A. Davis
W.E. Craig
1898-1906 Riverside Circuit Ministers
Charles Mottice
W.E. King
C.C. Lanham
B.F. King
1898
Spanish-American
War
INDUSTRIALIZATION
1900
Full laity rights for women - Methodist Episcopal Church.
Ladies Aid Society of Lawrence Methodist Episcopal Church organized.
First President was Mrs. Alex Ruffner.
1901
Ella
Niswonger is elected the first woman clergy delegate to the United Brethren
Church's General Conference
Theodore
Roosevelt inaugurated
1903-1905 supply ministers
1903
Wright brothers fly
1904
Women are given laity rights and admitted as delegates to General Conference -
Methodist Episcopal Church
1905
Theodore Roosevelt inaugurated for second term
Joint
Methodist hymnbook, Methodist Episcopal Church and Methodist Episcopal Church,
South
1905-1907
Minister
Rev. Richard Aspinall
1906
51 members
New lot purchased Washington and Elizabeth Streets
1906
San Francisco earthquake and fire
1907
Rev. Samuel E. Jones
1908
Rev. Percy W. Metheny
Congregation size 97
Original frame building moved to new lot with basement for Sunday School, choir loft and vestibule added.
First Methodist Social Creed adopted
1909
Rev. Wm. A. Byus
William Taft inaugurated
The
Brotherhood, A United Brethren men's fellowship group, is organized
1910 Two story frame parsonage built with mostly volunteer labor. Rev. Byus first to live there
1912 First record of Boy Scouts at our church
1913
Woodrow
Wilson inaugurated.
17th Amendment - Income Tax
WORLD
WAR I
1914
Rev. Burt H. Shadduck
1915 Rev. Wm. A. Byus
Nov. 11, 1918 Church bell rang when armistice signed ending WWI
1917
200 Members
1919 Rev. Edward O. Jones
1920
New lot purchased on corner of Jackson and Elizabeth Streets
New parsonage built for $11,600 at 1596 Jackson Street, present location
First
black bishops elected and a woman granted local preacher status in the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
Methodist Episcopal Church's General Conference orders the Board of Missions to
renew its efforts among Native Americans
19th
Amendment - Women's Suffrage
1921
Rev. Simon Peter Crummett
1922
Due to lack of funds, basement of new church roofed and
dedicated. Used for worship for five 
years
with tar paper roof.
1924 Rev. Thomas Michael Zumbrunnen
Sunday School average attendance 89
Men’s Bible Class, Women’s Bible Class meet with Church School for opening exercises
Buzzer used to end Sunday School because Men’s Bible Class continually ran over into beginning of the 11:00 worship service.
"Local"
ordination of women in the Methodist Episcopal Church
1925 Successful fundraising campaign got church out of debt for parsonage, lot, and basement. Church out of debt for first time since 1908.
1926 Name changed from Lawerence to Asbury as cornerstone of new church building is laid. Asbury after Bishop Francis Asbury, the father of Methodism in America.
Membership 221
1927 New church building finished for $59,240 plus $4,435 for finishing basement rooms.
Asbury Choir organized while still worshiping in the basement– Charter members were Hilda Smith Thomas, Moyne Arnett Bays, Ruth Fulks, Ed Kyle, Myles Wills, and Jim Love, with Amelia Wertz as pianist.
1928
Rev. John Louis Wolfe
Ladies Aid Society of Asbury Methodist Episcopal Church cookbook, “Kitchen Comfort – A Book of Practical and Tried Recipes.”
GREAT DEPRESSION
1929
Stock Market Crash
1931
Rev. Myron Sabin Collins
Membership 443
1932 Rev. Ernest Jasper Westfall
Ladies Aid Society membership of 85
1933 Franklin D. Roosevelt inaugurated. New Deal
March 1933
First meeting of Westfall Bible Class
30’s
Churches indebtedness high and funds low. Fundraisers such as dinners, Ice Cream Socials and Lawn Fetes and Thursday lunches for 50 cents
Mid-30’s
Church’s first organ, electronic Hammond, paid for mostly through donations
30’s and early 40’s
Class of the Town – Sunday School class for young men – As many as 70 attended - This class participated in city athletic programs winning Championship title in both basketball and baseball.
Daughters of Asbury – Sunday School class for young women
1938 Sunday School Board pays for basketball suits for boys on Asbury Basketball Team
FORMATION
OF THE METHODIST CHURCH
WORLD
WAR II
1939 Methodist Churches unite to become Asbury Methodist Church
Asbury Ladies Aid Society, Woman’s Missionary Society, and Queen Esther’s Society merge to become The Woman’s Society of Christian Service whose purpose was to unite women in Christian living and service; secure funds for church and community activities and for work abroad; to develop spiritual life and help establish a world community.
1941
Rev. Bascom Taylor Trevey
Crusade
to pay off debt
1944 Rev. Samuel Paris Bell
Memorial Day, 1945 Cathedral chimes presented to Asbury
1946 Dorothy Lee Scholarship Fund established at West Virginia Wesleyan College in honor of the first student from the Orient to graduate from WVWC. The Woman’s Society of Christian Service brought Dorothy Lee to Asbury and collected thousands of coupons for scholarships.
May 21, 1946 Note burning ceremony. Asbury free of debt.
1947 Asbury Men’s Brotherhood organized
October 1947 Crusaders Sunday School class begins
1948 First junior choir formed at Asbury by Nelle Wiant. Youth ages 8-13 in one group known as the Wesleyan. Asbury Bells all girls’ choir ages 12-16.
1949 Nelle Wiant leads choir
1950
Rev. Robert James Chenoweth
Members 702
So many youth that Sunday School held in halls, stairwell, and balcony
Asbury Men’s Brotherhood becomes The Methodist Men
The Methodist Men sponsor Boy Scout troop
1950’s
Missionary from Costa Rica speaks at Woman’s Society of Christian Service
1951
38 men from Asbury attend annual Methodist Laymen’s Retreat at Jackson’s Mill – the largest group from any church in our conference.
Holy Week - The Wesleyan youth choir perform a full-length cantata
1952 Wesleyan Service Guild a part of Woman’s Society of Christian Service was formed. Purpose was to provide employed women with Christian fellowship and spiritual enrichment and develop a world Christian community.
1953
Rev. Chelsea H. Kelley
Members 713
Plans begin for new Sunday school classrooms and recreation area
1954 Building Campaign started – goal not reached and agreement could not be reached on plans for new building, so building program is bogged down for three years.
1956 Rev. Irby Esmon Creger
Harold Cook Scoutmaster from 1956-62
1959
Remodeling of basement - Sunday School rooms partitioned off, rest rooms repaired, sewers and gas lines repaired
New Building Fund started
1960 Rev. W. Cecil Shepherd
Construction of new Education Building began
1962
Membership high of 922
1963
Rev. Riker A. Bennett
1964 New Life in Christ Mission leads to revitalization of church
1965 Men’s Bible Class combined with Westfall Bible Class
1967 Rev. David Kirk
Tutoring service for student in East End
Youth recreation program
1968 Interior of the Chapel in Education Building completed
Methodist church merges with Evangelical United Brethren
Woman’s Society of Christian Service changed to Women’s Society of Christian Service
Late 60’s Women’s Open Door Bible Class combined with Westfall Bible Class
1960’s Construction of Interstate 64 displaces neighborhood
1969 Rev. James Martin Karnes
1969 Rev. William Harold Street
1970 Asbury United Methodist Men
1971 Rev. Paul Edwin Underwood
New Church Bulletin Board Sign placed on corner
1972
Membership continues to decline to 493
1973 Women’s Society of Christian Service and Wesleyan Service Guild unite to become United Methodist Women. President Mrs. John Roberts. Their purpose: to know God; experience freedom as whole persons through Christ; to develop creative, supportive fellowship; to expand concepts of Mission through participation in global ministries.
1974 Candy Making
1975 Rev. Louis Craig Michel
United Methodist Men reorganized. They sponsored annual Pancake Festival and the boy scout program. Their purpose is that every man in church become involved and strengthen outreach ministry of church.
Harold Cook Scoutmaster 1975-77
1976 Revival service held. Rev. Clifford Schell preached.
Chrismon Christmas tree project launched
1977
Membership continues to decline to 359
United Methodist Women has 70 members
Asbury debt-free
Fifty year choir members: Hilda Thomas, Moyne Bays, Marguerite Harrison, and Evelyn Strickland.
Rev.
James Wooddell
Served Asbury 1981-84
1981
Rev. James Wooddell
Rev.
David De Berry
Served Asbury 1984-87
1984
Rev. David DeBerry
1987 Rev. Gary Wagner
Rev.
Margo Friend
Served Asbury 1987-95
1987
Rev. Margo Friend
Social
Activism
Methodist Federation for Social Action
1992 – Nancy Dunst becomes organist
1993 - Celebration of 100th Anniversary
Open Door Class studies Social Principals
Raise the Roof Campaign – money raised to replace main church roof
Quit It the Clown
Lock-in Party - Karaoke
AIDS Quilt Displayed at Asbury
Renting office space to organizations that share our social and environment concerns
Women’s Center Potluck Meetings
Rev.
Fred Villinger
Served Asbury 1995-2001
1995
Rev. Fred Villinger
Summer 1997 - Serendipity Summer Youth Program with Brett & Curt from WV Wesleyan College
June 1997 - Asbury represented in first WV Pride Parade
Summer 1998 - Serendipity Summer Youth Program with Curt Wilkerson from WV Wesleyan College
Summer 1998 - Block Party
1998 – In addition to organist, Nancy Dunst also becomes choir director
January 1999 – National Methodist for Social Action Board meeting at Asbury. Marched to State Capitol to rally against Mountain Top Removal Coal mining carrying MFSA and Asbury banners. John Taylor was keynote speaker.
1999 – Bible Study on Homosexuality with Rev. Ed Tuckwiller, Pastor of St. Andrew UMC
December 1999 – Final year of making hard candy. Total of 25 years of candy making
Rev.
Eileen Dumire
Serving Asbury 2001-Present
2001
Rev. Eileen Dumire
November 2001 - Member of Reconciling Ministries Network
Candy Kisses Bingo & Dinners
Summer 2003 Block party for neighborhood
Dec. 2003 Christmas Caroling and gift giving in neighborhood
Feb. 2004 Celebration of Diversity Dinner & Show
Easter 2004 Ecumenical Sunrise Service
Flowering of Cross
July & Oct 2004 Outdoor Worship Services held for neighborhood followed by cookout
Summer 2004 Sidewalk Sunday School
Ecumenical Vacation Bible School
Block Party
Dec. 2004 Christmas Caroling and gift giving in neighborhood
Christmas Dinner Theater
Jan. 2005 Celebration of Diversity Dinner & Show
Feb. 2005 Mardi Gras celebration
March 2005 Rev. Dumire speaks at WV Patriot’s for Peace Rally
Easter 2005 Neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt
Ecumenical Sunrise Service, Flowering of Cross
2005 - Outreach to YWCA Shanklin Center for Senior Enrichment (senior housing in neighborhood)
April 2005 Share Food program started