Sixteen years before
Michigan was admitted as the 26th state of the Union, when Michigan's population was 8,767, and before John Quincy Adams was inaugurated as the sixth President of the United State, the First United Methodist Church was taking shape. Meetings were held at Willits Tavern in a town called Piety Hill - later known as Birmingham. The year was 1821 and our church was known as the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Worshippers met in barns and homes and were visited occasionally by a Methodist circuit rider who journeyed into town on horseback. The first church building was built at the corner of Merrill and Bates Streets in 1839 (the present site of the Baldwin Public Library). It was a great undertaking for the 37 members. The pastors were local preachers and were paid salaries ranging from $150 to $300 a year. Money was not plentiful, but gifts of food and clothing helped make up the deficit.
During the Civil War, Birmingham was the only church of the Oakland Circuit to maintain services continuously; other places held them
for only part of the year when weather conditions permitted.
On November 2, 1873 the Birmingham Methodists moved into a new brick church, worth $20,000! This church was located at the corner of Maple and Henrietta Streets. At that time there were 141 members.
Before the end of the 19th century considerable development took place in church and social life. The Epworth League (a forerunner of Methodist Youth Fellowship) was organized, the Woman's Home and foreign Missionary Societies became active, the Eccentric Weekly Newspaper was published, the Exchange Bank was opened for business, and the Detroit and Pontiac Electric Car Line became a reality.
One hundred years of fellowship and worship were celebrated in 1921 with the entire community participating. In 1939 our church became known as the First Methodist Church, a name which would continue until 1968 when we became known as the First United Methodist Church. By 1946 our congregation had grown to 634 members and our annual budget was $16,000. "Now we shall build again" became our watchword slogan.
In January, 1951, after the first building crusade was successfully realized, the church property was sold to S.S. Kresge Company for $125,000. At a congregational meeting the Board of Trustees was authorized to purchase a five acre site at the corner of Maple and Pleasant streets for $25,000. The building program, having
already been approved, included a project for the first unit and all the furniture exclusive of the organs. It was to cost $640,000. General contractors were hired and a gift of $100,000 from the Kresge Foundation was gratefully received.
As plans were made for the new church building, the Official Board voted to raise $3,500 for the Embury Methodist Church in south Birmingham. Our gift, together with funds from the Methodist Union and other sources, made it possible for that church to also build a new church building on Fourteen Mile Road.
It was on Christmas Day, 1950, that ground was broken for our new church facility. On April 15, 1951 the cornerstone was laid and the congregation moved into the new structure on September 7, 1952. On October 5, Consecration Services were held with Bishop Marshall Reed presiding. It was the culmination of nearly eight years of labor and sacrifice and six building fund crusades.
It was at this time also that the unified iconography for the complete stained glass fenestration of our church was designed by architect
Andrew Morison and artist Henry Lee Willett, of the Willett Stained Glass Studios of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Members and friends generously participated in placing windows as tokens of gratitude to God for loved ones on earth or in heaven.
In 1954 we ventured out again and bought the Hoznagle property adjacent to the church for an educational unit. We continued to grow as a church when in 1957 we accepted the support of Dr. and Mrs. Robert White as medical missionaries to Africa. Ground was broken for the educational and chapel wings of the church, and the membership grew to 2,306 with 1,447 children and youth enrolled. When the church school moved into the new wing one of the major goals of the entire building program was realized. The Chapel of Prayer (later named the Runkel Chapel) was completed together with the west educational unit, additional offices, and the choir room.
Our membership reached 4,041 on October 1, 1971. We reached out to start other mission churches, including those now known as Beverly Hills United Methodist Church and Troy Fellowship United Methodist Church.
From early times when $.10 was charged for suppers cooked on a wood burning stove, the Women's Society (now known as United Methodist Women)
has kept pace with other church activities. Since 1942 we have employed a Director of Religious Education and every effort has been made to promote fellowship and instruction for youth. The fully certified weekday preschool which opened September 21, 1959, has been well attended.
The 1960's were a time of rapid growth, as our membership rose to record levels and many programs were expanded.
The Chambliss Outdoor Worship Center was dedicated on June 16, 1974. Outreach of the church continued to grow as the membership grew, and we participated in Partners-in-Mission programs which serve local, national and global ministries. The children's chapel was dedicated in honor of Arbon Dennis, a member of the church for over 67 years. Outreach which involved members in the community gave leadership to the Baldwin community Center, Pontiac, and to the inner-city of Detroit. Stephen Ministers were commissioned and now continue to be an active part of our church life. A successful international ministry program was started as we welcomed missionaries from all over the world to spend time with our congregation.
During the 1990's many improvements were made to the church and grounds.
All of the classrooms on the second floor were renovated, a new sound system was implemented, a much needed elevator was installed, and landscaping of many of our gardens was completed. Our membership grew to almost 3,000 members, and our budget grew to match the various needs of our congregation and of our community.
The First United Methodist Church, Birmingham has reached the new millennium by honoring its past while looking eagerly to the future. Our doors continue to be open to everyone. Our task is to see that the corner of Maple and Pleasant does not become a resting place, but a place where challenges and opportunities to become witnesses to God's work in the world are fulfilled.
On September 29, 2002, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of our move to the church building at Maple and Pleasant. That same day, we broke ground for our new Christian Life Center.
The years of 2003, 2004 and 2005 found many changes at the corner of Maple and Pleasant.
The Christian Life Center was completed and many programs are now offered to both the congregation and to the community.
In January of 2005 the renovation of the sanctuary began and we moved to the Christian Life Center for our Sunday morning worship services. A new organ made by the Schoenstein and Co. in San Franciso, CA was delivered and installed. The Chancel area has new tile, new seating for the choirs, beautiful stained woodwork, new lighting, and a new sound system. The pews in the sanctuary were stained a darker shade and the floors tiled. We moved back into the Sanctuary in May 2005, even though work was still being done to complete the installation of the organ. Each Sunday we marvel at our wonderful "new" sanctuary and organ.
On June 19, 2005, Dr. William Ritter and his wife, Kris, retired from their work here. The Board of Trustees honored their service to the church by naming the main hall in the Christian Life Center the Ritter Hall. The Administrative Council at their July meeting named Dr. Ritter "Pastor Emeritus" of First Church.
On July 10, 2005, Dr. John E. Harnish and his wife, Judy, were welcomed by our congregation and began their service as leaders of our congregation.