History of the Loami United Methodist Church Author Fern Dodd

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The history of the Loami Methodist Church has its "beginnings in the life and work of two other Methodist Churches, Sulphur Springs Church and South Fork Church. Congregations from these churches joined or became a part of the present church, after their churches were abandoned.

In 1835 Sulphur Springs church was organized and built southwest of Loami, just east of Sulphur Springs cemetery. After 45 years of service for God and man, this church was abandoned, in 1880 and torn down in 1881.

South Fork Methodist church was built 1866. It was located 4 miles south of Loami, prior to 1890, Auburn, South Fork, and Loami churches were on a circuit. South Fork was abandoned between 1912 and 1914.

In 1880 the land for the Loami church was purchased for $30, and in 1886 approximately two additional lots were bought for $100. The building which faced the East had just one big room with double doors where the three big windows are now. There was a middle aisle with the pulpit at the west end of the room. The Loami Methodist Church was dedicated in the summer of 1880.

In 1909-1911 the basement of the church was dug and the sanctuary was remodeled. The sanctuary was turned around so the pulpit faced the North and remains such to this date. The clear glass windows were replaced with beautiful stained glass windows. They were donated as memorials by families and their names were placed on the windows: G.W. Miller, James Turpin, Joy Family, Thomas Baker, VanDoren Family, F.W. Park and F.D. Staley Family. Charles Dennis and Thomas Turpin Family. There are five windows with no names.

The first parsonage was on the corner where the Joseph Hall home was built. It was sold sometime between 1901 to 1905 after which a new parsonage was purchased. It had been built in 1896-1897 by David Hall who resided in it until it was sold for a parsonage. In 1977 Rev. Genn, the pastor at that time, bought a home in Springfield. So it was no longer needed as a parsonage and was sold for $28,000. Part of the money was used to install a new furnace and central air conditioning in the church

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The church was redecorated in 1938 and a Homecoming was held. In 1950 a memorial book in which dates and names are entered was dedicated in memory of Lyman Crannell a church member, who was killed in the Korean War. An organ and new chancel furniture was purchased with money from the Abiding Memorial Fund. During nineteen-sixty-one saw the completion of the building project on the church for additional office space, small kitchen, inside rest rooms and basements.

Let us pay tribute to the longest lived member of the Loami United Methodist Church. Mrs Margaret "Maggie" Mitchell born November 18, 1869 and died April 1974 at the age of 105, perhaps the oldest person to have lived in the Loami area.

In 1982 all three local churches Baptist, Christian, and Loami United Methodist, held a Community Thanksgiving Praise Service at the Loami Elementry School. This became an annual service and the offering from this service, helps those in need from the Loami area with Christmas food baskets.

The last of March of 1983 all the windows were removed from the chancel area, all closed in with paneling. A beautiful white wooden cross was built and placed in front of the chancel area, by Harold Workman, Glenn Arnold and Bill Bromley. In August of 1984 all new wallboard was placed in the sancturary. The Curran United Methodist Church closed in this year and several members joined our congregation.

In 1985 part of the old concrete from the original basement was replaced by volunteers from church members. Mrs Eunice Loving resigned as treasurer of the church during 1985 with failing health, after 35 years of faithful continuous service. The Loami United Methodist Church celebrated lOOth Anniversary 1880-1980 on July 6th 1980. All former Ministers and special guests honored. Morning and afternoon services were held with a basket luncheon at noon. In 1985 the Loami United Methodist Church celebrated 150 years of Methodism in Loami l835-l985 Morning and afternoon services were again held with a luncheon & fellowship at noon. A bronze plaque was purchased and dedicated during the celebration with all former ministers names of years served.

Loami United Methodist Ministers

Years	Names	Years	Names
1875	Rev. Powell	1924-1928	A.C. Pentland
1880-1881	Archibalb Sloan	1928-1932	C.F. Nagel
1884	Albert Simmons	1932-1936	Donald R. Lemkaw
1886	Rev. Collins	1936-1938	Fer A. Buchholtz
1887-1888	A.J. lves	1938-l940	J.W. Williams
1889-1890	Abner Clark	1940-1942	William D. Humphrey
1890-1891	M.L. Browing	1943-1948	Walter D. Foley
1891-1892	Jasper Miller	1949-1952	Dwight Ganzel
1892-1893	W.A. Dawson	1953-1954	Harold W. Dodson
1893-1894	George W. Dungan	1954-1957	Charles A. Delay
1895-1896	T.S. Mitchell	1957-1958	Rodney Dopp
1897	F.S. Barton	l958-1965	Henry P. Farrington
1898	F.B.Huffman	1965-1966	Frank Phifer
1899	J.W. Priest	1966-1969	John McDermand
1900	J.H. Hartrick	1968	Leo Goleman
1901-1904	B.E. Williams	1969-1970	Cecil Morris
1905-1906	G.W. McConkey	1970-1973	Harvey Wright
1907-1908	J.R. Warlick	1973-1978	John Genn
1909-1910	G.W. Neff , supply	1978-1979	Elmer Reimer
1911-1912	Grant Johnson	1979-1981	Kenneth L. Carriker
1912-1913	E.L. Carson	1981-1987	Elmer Reimer
1914-1915	Charles Wehrman	1987-	Albert Murphy 2 months
1916	F.P. Bonnefon	1987-1994	Roy Doll Oct. 18, 1987
1917-1920	L.T. Henninger supply	1994-1996	Ardis Ann Howeli
1921-1923	J.W. Eldridge	1996-2000	Robert Ervin

In November the "Great Ingathering" is held annually all the Chatham Community Center, The Loami United Methodist church has supported this Mission with leadership. In 1985-1986 Donna & Larry Neuman, 1987-1988 Noami & Harold Workman and Loren "Bud" & Fern Dodd helped deliver the in-kind donations to the Methodist sponsored missions in Kentucky.

February of 1986 a United Methodist Men's Group was organized with Don Wilson president. Stanley Workman a member of the group and of the Loami Rescue Squad reported the cost of insurance was to high and the squad was going to close. In January 1987 "the men’s group sponsored the first annual Pancake & Sausage Brunch with all proceeds to benefit the E.M.S. After several years the E.M.S. sponsored it, until 1997 they didn't have enough help, now the men’s group has sponsored it for their projects.

In 1987 the Dist Supt. Sharon Ernswiler reported a shortage of ministers in the district and there was no full time minister available for Loami. Rev. Roy Doll accepted the Loami charge in October. He had been serving Island Grove several years, this made Loami church a two charge circuit, which we hadn't been since 1973.

After Nina Bromley our organist of the past twenty eight years moved to Michigan in 1987, we were fortunate to get Nancy Koehler a very accomplished pianist to play for us. Her music has been an inspirational blessing to the entire congregation. Nacy retired and was succeeded by Mark Vincent of Springfield.

In 1988 the basement was modernized, the petitions were removed between the kitchen, dinning room and fumance room. All new cabinets, counter tops and a twenty feet serving bar was installed. A large stainless food preparation unit was donated by Dugan Jacobs. In January 1989 a beautiful piano was donated in memory of Earl & Alta Davis by their daughter Harriet and Harold Dodd. Later, new heavy thick glass block windows were installed in the original part of the basement. A chair lift was installed in the basement for handicapped accessibility. In 1995 extensive improvements were made to the exterior of the church building. Consisting of vinyl siding applied to the entire church, a new roof, and the chimney was rebuilt. During 1997 a total of 8 banners to represent the seasons were made by Leslie Morgan, Gladys Shipman, Naomi Workman and Fern Dodd to hang in the chancel area. Rev. Robert Ervin built a beautiful Baptismal Fount for the chancel area, Phyllis Ervin has directed the choir and was the pianist when needed.

The Loami Methodist received property in April 1997. The town of Loami had an ordinance vacating certain right of way in the village. They gave the street to adjoining property owners. Barger street 1/2 to the church & 1/2 to Jim & Marge McCray. They donated their 1/2 to the Loami United Methodist Church, which is now the church parking lot. August 9-20, 1997 Rev. Robert & Phyllis Ervin and Harold & Naomi Workman went on a Mission to Alaska with fourteen other members from the Springfield Conference area. They roofed a United Methodist church camp at Eagle River Southwest Alaska. In June 1999 several very old trees were removed from behind the church, the largest tree was a hard maple, perhaps was 100-200 years old.

Through the years an important outlet for Christian fellowship were fundraiser projects to help the budget, give extra funds for our many missions, and provide for improvements on the church. Annual turkey suppers were held for fifteen years at the Sangamon County Fairgrounds, after serving 860 people, it had grown to large for our congregation. The church served many farm sales, but time changes all. Today mobile food concessions follow most of the sales.

Now the 20th century comes to the end, we recall the deep roots our fellow parishners left behind.

History of yesterday may never repeat itself tomorrow, like Mrs. Edna Miller Keplinger who taught Sunday School to three generations in the same family Ike Dodd, Loren "BUD" Dodd and Carla Dodd. But due to the modernization of agricultural land better opportunities for education over the past several decades, many of today's generation have left the farms and small towns to live in other areas. As the 21st century begins we realize that we need to meet the needs of the changes in our church and community through Christian Outreach in order to continue as a church of tomorrow.

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