First United Methodist Church
40°41′46.69″N 89°35′32.27″W / 40.6963028°N 89.5922972°W / 40.6963028; -89.5922972
Address116 NE Perry Ave, Peoria, IL 61603
CountryUnited States
DenominationUnited Methodist Church
Weekly attendance535
History
Status501(c)3 (EIN: 37-1162167)
Clergy
Senior pastor(s)Timothy Ozment

First United Methodist Church (First UMC) is located in downtown Peoria, in the U.S. state of Illinois. The congregation was established in the early 1800s.[1][2] It is the oldest Protestant church in Peoria.[3]

History

Forerunners

The history of the First United Methodist Church begins with the Methodist circuit riders who first came to Illinois in 1825.[4][5] Rev. Jesse Walker came to Peoria County shortly after it was formed.[4] Sources differ on the exact date, but in the 1820s, Walker started a ministry in Peoria between 1824 and 1828.[4][6]

The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was organized in November 1833.[4][6] Without a church building, the congregation met in homes or in the courthouse.[4][6]

The first building, a frame structure, was constructed in 1840 on Madison and Fulton.[4][6] With an addition in 1844, the structure was 43 ft by 40 ft.[6] President Martin van Buren visited this building in 1842.[4][5]

In 1849, the frame structure was sold and moved to Water and Harrison streets as part of the Central Hotel.[6] A brick church, 90 ft by 60 ft, was built on the same lot beginning in 1847.[4][6] The brick building was dedicated on September 8, 1849.[6]

In 1884, a church was built at Franklin and Sixth.[4][6][7]

The "Hamilton" Methodist Episcopal Church, also known as the Madison Ave MEC, was started by the congregation that would become First UMC in 1858.[5] This building was located near the site of the present-day Civic Center.[5]

On May 24, 1900, the Hamilton MEC helped open the Deaconess Home and Hospital, which later became UnityPoint Methodist and now Carle.[5] It had its own school of nursing. The first permanent Methodist Hospital opened in 1917.[5]

First United Methodist

In 1914, the Hamilton MEC was invited to merge with the Peoria First United Methodist as they planned construction of a new church.[5][8] On June 18, 1916, the building was dedicated.[5] Additional acreage was purchased in 1917 for future expansion, bringing the total to over $153,000.[5]

In 1957, the congregation voted to remain downtown rather than relocate to the outskirts of the city. The William E. Shaw Memorial building was constructed to add Sunday School classrooms and a nursery.[5] It included Wesley Hall, with a stage and a kitchen.[5]

In 1994, the church purchased the property at 700 Main across the street.[5] It was a space for Sunday School classrooms, a nursery, bilingual worship services, and contemporary worship services.[5] A new addition was completed in 2017 and those services moved to the addition.[5][9]

The 4,600 sq ft (430 m2) interior was remodeled by Joseph Construction Company in 2004.[10] The sanctuary houses a Wicks Organ.[11]

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, services were held via Zoom meetings and a podcast.[12]

Services

The church offers services in both English and Spanish, contemporary and traditional. The attendance is 535.[13]

The Loaves and Fishes ministry has offered a hot meal, food pantry, clothing, and medical clinic.[14][3] It began as a temporary effort after a local soup kitchen burned, but has been operational since 1994.[3]

Every other Wednesday, homeless people can receive help with paperwork for birth certificates and state ID, with the church subsidizing the filing fees.[3] This allows people to sign children up for school and apply for housing or jobs.[3]

The Foster Art Gallery exhibits art.[15][16][3]

Notable people

References

  1. ↑ "First United Methodist Church". USA Churches.
  2. ↑ Adams, Pam (2010-07-05). "Heartland: Area churches honored for 150 years or more of existence". Peoria Journal Star. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pillman, Laurie (2023-02-28). "Devotion to Downtown". Peoria Magazine. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Wheeler, Monica Vest (1999). Reading, writing, and religion: A pictorial history of Peoria's schools and churches. St. Louis, Missouri: G. Bradley Publishing. pp. 10–11. ISBN 978-0943963716.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "First UMC Peoria - get to know us". fumcpeoria.org. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Ballance, Charles (1870). The history of Peoria, Illinois. The Illinois State Library. Peoria, Ill., Printed by N.C. Nason.
  7. ↑ A brief history of Peoria. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 1896.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  8. ↑ Richter, Edward L. (1915). Peoria of to-day with Peoria blue book directory, 1915. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Chicago : National Writers of History. p. 76.
  9. ↑ Hoerr, P. J. "Church Renovation Contracting Project - First United Methodist Church". PJ Hoerr. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  10. ↑ "First United Methodist Church". D. Joseph Construction. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  11. ↑ "Wicks Organ Co. (Opus 5576, 1976)". Pipe Organ Database.
  12. ↑ Vlahos, Nick (2020-04-09). "Area churches' Holy Week during coronavirus scare: 'We are changed, and yet the same'". Peoria Journal Star. Retrieved 2023-11-24.
  13. ↑ "First United Methodist Church of Peoria - Peoria, IL - Find-A-Church". The United Methodist Church. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
  14. ↑ "First United Methodist Church - Loaves and Fish, Peoria IL". food-banks.org. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
  15. ↑ "Fall exhibits at First United Methodist Church and Bradley's Heuser Gallery". WCBU Peoria. 2015-08-18. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
  16. ↑ "First UMC Peoria - Foster Gallery". fumcpeoria.org. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
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