| Historical
Remembrances
Our scripture this evening is from the New Testament, portions of Galatians 5 and 6:
The year 2002 finds us celebrating 181 years of ministry to the community through the First United Methodist Church of Birmingham. During that time, we have been known by several names - The Methodist Church until 1820, the Methodist Episcopal Church from 1821-1939, the First Methodist Church from 1939-1968, and the First United Methodist Church from 1968-present. Tradition is an important word in our church life. Many things we do are done by tradition of times past, but we also have room for change. As we are meeting in the Chambliss Outdoor Worship Center, members of our congregation are meeting in the council room at the City Hall in downtown Birmingham. If they could look out and see the northwest corner of Maple and Woodward, they would see the spot where we began as a congregation in the Willits Tavern, in the section called Piety Hill. Then looking to the Baldwin Public Library on the corner of Merrill and Bates Street, they would see the place of our first church building, built in 1839 by 37 members. It truly was a great undertaking. Then looking to the corner of Maple and Henrietta, there once stood a beautiful brick church, built for $20,000. That is where the Methodist Episcopal Church celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1921. Twenty-five years later, 1946 saw another equally significant celebration. The church family was made up of 634 members and the annual budget was $16,000. The church was growing. The congregation knew that more facilities were needed, and their watchword slogan became "Now We Shall Build Again." In January 1951, after the first building crusade was successfully realized, the church property on Henrietta and Maple was sold to S.S. Kresge, Co. 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 furniture exclusive of the organ. It was to cost $640,000. General contractors were hired and a gift of $100,000 from the Kresge Foundation was gratefully received. Dr. Arnold Runkel was our pastor during this time. As plans were made for the new church building, the Official Board voted to raise $3,000 for the Embury Methodist Church in south Birmingham on 14 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. The congregation moved into the new structure on September 7, 1952. On October 5, services were held, with Bishop Marshall Reed presiding. Our bishop was the father of Mary Louise Ives and the grandfather of Russ Ives. During this time, the fruits of the spirit were very much in evidence among our members and we found generosity, faithfulness, kindness, love, and the much-needed patience. Have you looked closely at the stained glass windows in our sanctuary and throughout the church? For many years, we thought the windows were designed by someone from Willets Stained Glass Studios in Pennsylvania. But in conversations with Tenny Brinkman, the historian of the First Presbyterian Church across the street, we discovered our windows were designed by Marguerite Gaudin for the Willits Studio. She also designed the windows at the Presbyterian Church. How different our windows are; they really show how diverse the artist was. We are working on the process of having our windows and history become part of the Michigan State Historical Society archives. In 1954, we ventured out again and bought the Holznagel 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 and their family as medical missionaries to Africa. Ground was broken for the educational wing and chapel (Runkel Chapel) and the Wright Parlor (James Wright). Membership grew to 2,306. We had an active Women's Society of Christian Service with over 600 women as pledging members. In 1964, we had a banner year, for the total debt on the church property was retired. In 1967, new facilities were consecrated which included the Youth Center, Fellowship Parlor (known as Thomas Parlor), the music department, library (known as the Robert Paul Ward Library), and educational units. Our membership reached 4,041 on October 1, 1971. Birmingham First reached out to start other mission churches, including those known as Beverly Hills and Troy Fellowship United Methodist Churches. Those churches were established as an outgrowth of support from members of this church. Because of supportive pastors and my family, my adventures in the church grew and many challenging opportunities were opened to me, from serving as a Sunday school teacher for four year olds (where two of the children in that class became ordained ministers in the United Methodist Church), to chairing the Mission Work Area, serving as a Trustee, serving on the Pastor Parish Relations Committee, singing in the choir, being the first woman to be chosen to chair the Administrative Board and the first woman to be the Lay Leader, and now serving as Church Historian. These were all wonderful experiences, challenging and trying at times, but as each new adventure was before me, I remembered the supportive words of those pastors who counseled me along the way. Did you know that through Marion Beck, a member of our congregation and member of the Oakland County Genealogical Society, our old records have been microfilmed, with one copy here, one copy at the county and, through the work of Kris and Bill Ritter, one copy at the Burton Genealogy Library at the Detroit Public Library. It did help to have supportive family who attended the church, including my parents, Maude and David Masterton, and Charlie's parents, Edith and John Martz. Our daughter Judy was baptized at the church on Maple and Henrietta, and daughter Kathy was baptized here at the present church. The girls each were married here, and three grandchildren were baptized here. Loving services were held here when our parents died. I have had the opportunity not only to serve the local church, but the District, Conference (as chair of the Conference Council on Ministries), and General Church (when I was elected to two General Conferences and was selected to serve on the Board of Discipleship in Nashville, Tennessee, and the Conference United Methodist Women). Each step that was taken and accomplished came because of the caring community we have in this corner of the world. We know everything will go well this evening on Martin Street as the proposal for our new Christian Life Center is approved. In the tradition of this church, we know that what is being proposed will not only benefit our congregation, but also the community. We continue to celebrate our presence and mission in the community in 2002, celebrating 50 years on this site. Our doors are 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. Our Purpose: The purpose of the First United Methodist Church, Birmingham, is to gather persons into the body of Christ, nurture them as disciples of Jesus Christ, and equip them for ministry and mission in the world. Our Vision: With deepening commitment and expanding ministries, First United Methodist Church, Birmingham, will change lives and become a model New Testament congregation for the denomination and the center of Christian faith in the community. Let us pray:
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