1897-1978

In 1897 the land on the corner of Thoman and Union Streets was purchased for the new Church. The church bought this lot from Joseph J. Talbott on August 24, 1897 for a sum of $1325.00. The construction started, but because of finance and weather, it was covered over for the winter. In June 1898 the work resumed and the corner stone was laid Aug. 16, 1898 at 2:00p.m.

The iron box in the cornerstone contains city newspapers of that time, names of the church membership, a roster of city officials, a roster of teachers in the public schools, and other items which might be of interest to future generations. The contractors, Bauer, Minich and Emmer continued construction until it was completed a year later. The photo above is the new Church taken about 1917 with a picture of Rev. C. D. Castle inserted.

The dedication of the new Methodist Episcopal Church was held Sept. 10, 1899, under the pastorate of A.F.Upp. It was built at a cost of $15,600 of which $5,200 was collected at that first Sunday morning service. According to the local newspaper, there were over 1000 people in attendance. Bishop D.H. Moore of Cincinnati presided at both the morning and evening services. At the evening service a large crowd was turned away for the lack of seats. Special evening services were held all week commemorating the dedication of the church.

The outside was constructed of soft red brick. In 1930 the brick was covered with Perma-Stone. In 1972 the stone was repaired and cleaned, and in the summer of 1998, the exterior received repairs on the roof and all the wood trim was cleaned and painted. New windows were installed above the balcony.

Inside the church there was beautiful green carpet. The walls were decorated with large religious pictures. The circular double chandelier was made of metal and glass. The top ring was five feet in diameter and circled by 48 or 50 incandescent lights. The lower part was two feet in diameter with 18 or 20 lights. These lights were the carbon filament incandescent lights invented a few years earlier by Thomas Edison. They were a great improvement over the old kerosene and gas lamps used at old churches. The chandelier was replaced in 1925 with our present day lighting. The beautiful stained glass windows glow with the rays of God's sunshine.

In 1913, a new Sunday school room and a balcony was added, brown carpet was laid, and the basement enlarged,. The choir loft was enlarged in 1929-1930. Again in 1942, more repairs were made, including the replacement of the old coal furnace with a new gas one, a new kitchen put in the basement, new red carpet in the sanctuary, and the entire church repainted. In 1964 the area under the sanctuary was excavated, four Sunday school rooms were added, and the kitchen and dining rooms were remodeled and enlarged. In 1977 the sanctuary and narthex was painted through the generosity of Mrs. Olyn Hull, Mrs. Lester Hipsher, and Dick, Harry and Tom Arter. Loren Eldridge and sons, Randy and Loren did the painting. February 19, 1978 will be remembered as the first worship service held in the remodeled sanctuary with the new pews and carpet. New carpet, brown in color, was installed again in 1995. Then October of 1998 the kneeling rail was remodeled and received new pads, along with the pews, mauve in color.

Four items were brought from the old church: a small foot pump organ, the bell, the communion service, and Sunday school chairs. The story goes that one Saturday afternoon all the members of the class met at the old church and carried their chairs down the street to our present church building. The bell has to be another story.

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	This photo of the Junior Choir was taken in 1934.
	Back row left to right: Mary Ellen Obenhour, Katherine Kirchner, Eunice Dickinson, Dorothy Smith, Janette Dane's, Manie Wilshen, Edna Mae Cox, Allabelle Rinkley, Maymie Kirshner, Gordon Morkel and Floyd Cox.
	Front row: Dick Kime, Alfred Harris, Mary Dickenson, Martha Foy, Tillie Clemans, Iola Mae Michael, Grace Hesser, Richard Dickenson and Bob Smith. (Edna Mae Krichbaum's Photo)

The foot-pump organ was brought from the old church and used until 1904 when, under the pastorate of Rev. J. W. H. Brown, a new Estey pipe organ was installed at the cost of $2,000, half of which was donated by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation. The bellows that furnished the air for the organ was first operated with a water motor and then later an electric motor and blower were installed. The dedicatory recital for the new Estey Organ was held Tuesday evening June 6, 1904. Edward Young Mason, Professor of organ, from Ohio Wesleyan University was at the keyboard. A new Schantz pipe organ was installed in 1965 at the cost of $13,000. The electric console was placed at the south side of the choir loft and with the exception of the ornamental pipes, the entire organ was replaced.

The church has been blessed with many fine organists. Among those who have served are Roberta Hesser Morton, Etta Speelman, Margaret Shepard Starbird, Carrie Miller, Grace Hesser, Joanna Trimble, Ora McClaren, Mary Obenour, Mildred Kime, Cecil Johnson, Ethel Jackson (who served over 25 years), Doris May Spore, Mrs. Carole Histed, Bruce Histed, Diane Burks, Pat Supon and Mike Cole

Our church also has been blessed with many talented choir directors who were able to bring out the best of music from a long list of choir voices raised in praise down through the years. Included in the list of directors are: A.T. Speelman, Frank Hartman, William Todd, O.B.Kirk, Mrs. Elfreda Smith, G.K. Lombard, Mrs. Alma Foster, Mrs. Doris Mae Spore, Mrs. Louise Koppe, and Mrs. Marilyn Weaver from Galion, Mrs. Martha Jones, Phil Workman, Maureen Wygant, Jim Jewell, Mrs. Grace Figel, and Mrs. Karen Schipper from Bucyrus, and Mrs. Pat Supon.

In addition there have been many officers of the church who have given many hours of their time and labor to see that everything goes well.

On October 27, 1978 the First United Methodist Church of Crestline was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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