 Beulah United Methodist Church  From: Our Church Fathers: …they planted for us to reap And "served their generation, then fell asleep." By A. W. Ballinger The history of Beulah Church, from an informal Sunday Class to the current organized church, is marked by the individuals who unselfishly served their generation. In serving faithfully, the needs of their time, by their sacrifice, devotion and example, the Church has been preserved to the present day. The roots of the Church were in the informal Sunday Class which met in homes and the Etna Church at Winameg in the 1860's. The class met at a number of locations bringing the Christian faith to the early settlers. Rev. J. D. Snyder, in 1873-1874, organized the Etna Class into the Winameg Society of the United Brethren in Christ. Frank Bard, a freed black slave, the Taylors, the Kirkmans, the Lammons and the Dicksons were the original charter members. In late 1880, a decision was made to erect a building to house the growing membership. The present location, a half-mile north of Winameg, was decided upon. In May of 1881, the construction job was let to Charles Cregger. By July, the building was in good enough shape for a Quarterly meeting to be held. The formal dedication took place September 25, 1881. The Church was reputably named Beulah after the song "Beulah Land" which was sung by Mrs Sarah Jane Dickson at one of the meetings. Frank Bard, the first Chairman of the Board of Trustees said, "She just named our Church. We'll call it BEULAH!" During the next 20 years, fourteen ministers served the young Church. Periodic revival meetings lasting a week or more have characterized the renewal and outreach of Beulah Church over the years. In 1898 a large, black bell manufactured in Cincinnati, Ohio was purchased and installed in the original belfry. 
On November 16, 1946, the Evangelical Church and the United Brethren in Christ Church merged to become the Evangelical United Brethren Church. The merger did not bring many changes in the local churches.During the period from 1952 to 1954, renovations were undertaken to modernize the building. The coal furnace was replaced with a gas-fired furnace, a new well was dug, indoor toilets were installed. In 1956 two rooms were added on either side of the sanctuary platform and the basement extended underneath them. A rededication was held on September 23, 1956. In 1963 Beulah and Mt. Pleasant were placed on the same circuit again. The Evangelical United Brethren and the Methodist Churches united to form the United Methodist in 1968. During the summer of 1974, Beulah and Mt. Pleasant churches merged. Funds from the sale of the Mt. Pleasant Church building and parsonage were used to buy a parsonage in Wauseon and to build a new entranceway and wheelchair lift for Beulah Church. Back to Beulah UM Church Home Page 
Beulah United Methodist Church Web page by Charles Paul Keller 
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