Methodist Temple United Methodist Church (Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Ind.) records

Collection

Identifier: LOC-2010-0054

Staff Only

Collection Statement

This collection includes many histories, membership records, trustee records, programs, directories and various other records of The Methodist Temple and its antecedents. It is divided into four series: First German M.E. 1843-1917, Fourth St. M.E. 1917-1937, Bayard Park M.E. 1909-1950, and The Methodist Temple 1950-present. Also included are items found on microfilm only. These items were loaned to the Archives for filming and returned.

Dates

1950 - 2010

Creator

Methodist Temple United Methodist Church (Evansville, Ind.) (Organization)

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Usage Restrictions

Historical Sketch

The Methodist Temple, has evolved from a place of worship established in Evansville in the year 1843. It was in that year a group of German Methodists held their first meetings in a public inn. Explanatory notes accompanying records of that group advise that the innkeeper was converted and became one of the fifteen charter members. In 1844 the first real church for this group was built on Vine Street, the site the same as the old fire station building across the alley from the Courier and Press building.

This German Methodist congregation grew in number and influence. They purchased a lot at the corner of Fourth and Vine streets in 1865 on which a church and parsonage were built. It was known as the Fourth Street M.E. Church and furnished religious inspiration for the congregation until 1937. At that time County officials advised the Official Board and Trustees that the County wanted to buy the buildings, to make them an annex to the County Courthouse. Final services for the Fourth Street M.E. Church were conducted on Palm Sunday, March 21st, 1937. A merger agreement had been reached between the membership of the Fourth Street M.E. Church and the Bayard Park Methodist Church at the time the decision was made to give up the Fourth Street location.

The Bayard Park Methodist Church had been organized by leaders of Trinity Methodist in 1906. Ground was broken for the church building at Blackford and Evans Avenues in September, 1908, with the corner-stone laying ceremony in October of that year. The Bayard Park Methodist Church was dedicated on February 21, 1909.

Purpose of the merger of these two churches in 1937 was to build a new church on a site further east in the city than the Bayard Park Church occupied at that time. The years of World War II delayed the plans as expressed at the time of the merger, until ground was broken for the present Methodist Temple on January 13, 1949. The corner-stone of Methodist Temple was laid on March 20, 1949. The first service was held on Sunday, July 2nd, 1950.

Extent

0.86 Cubic Feet (2 document cases)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Ch Hist v.f.: Evansville - Methodist Temple ASC Slides: Slide #61, #62

*Note: Many items were loaned to the Archives for microfilming. These items are found on microfilm ONLY! All volumes have been replaced with microfilm..

Microfilm #227 (Bayard Park M.E.) Official Board Minutes, 1920 - 1939 Minutes and miscellaneous papers of Church School Board, Cabinet and Treasurer’s reports, 1930-1939

Microfilm #248 (Fouth Street M.E.) Index to Microfilms

Microfilm #249 (Fourth Street M.E.) Volumes #222, 225, 228, 232, 233, 235, 237, 239, 243 City Union Epworth League, Protokoll-Buch der Jugend Bundes der Deutschen B.M. Kirche - Nov. 6, 1895-Dec. 3, 1906 Einnahmen und ausgaben fur Bau der Prediger wohnung, Kirche und Glocken, Jan. 1865-March 1870 (Receipts and Expenditures of building the minister’s dwelling, church and clock) Bertrauensmanns Protokoll-Buch, March 4, 1874 - October 18, 1901 Register der Mitgeld, 1843-1872 Verwalter und Fuherversammlung Protokolle, Sept. 9, 1878 - Jan.13, 1882 Monatlicher Collections - Bericht des Sontagschul Missionsverein... Feb. 1878 - Dec. 1899 Ladies Aid - Verzeichnis der namen und wochentlich Beitrage fur Schwesternkasse, Mar 1880-Dec 1901 Einwechseln U. ausgaben der Verein, 1886-1890 Kirchenbuch der Evangelischen Gemeinschaft; Kirchenbeamte, Kirchenmitgleider, Heirathen, Taufen, 1890-1922 Kirchen Kollecte - March 1, 1851 - July 4, 1869 (Vol. also contains - Armenliste Jan. 25, 1851-April 24, 1854) Kleine Einnahmen und Ausgaben fur der Kirche - Jan. 22, 1856 - April 7, 1878

Microfilm #250 (Fourth Street M.E.) Volumes #229, 230, 231, 236, 238, 240, 241, 242, 428 Verwalter und Fuherversammlung Protokolle, Dec. 26, 1848-Aug. 5, 1875; Dec. 6, 1875-Dec. 3, 1883...Oct. 8, 1888-Aug. 16, 1916 (Official Board) Verwalter und Fuherversammlung Protokolle, March 6, 1882-August 7, 1892 Vierteljahrskonferenzen - 3 volumes : Sept 3, 1863-Sept 5, 1883; Oct. 25, 1887 - July 10, 1891; Oct. 16, 1891 - June 22, 1894; Nov. 9, 1894 - July 2, 1909 (Quarterly Conference Minutes) Schatzmeisters Rechnung Kirchen Killekten Einnahmen U. Ausgaben, 1874-1901 (Treasurer’s Report) Sonntags Kollekte, March 1851 - July 1855 (Vol. also contains: Einnahem und Ausgaben der Gemeinde, 1858-1870, 1890-1892) Sunday School Board - Protokoll Buch der Sonntag-Schule der erste Deutsche Bisch. Meth. Kirche. (In German and English) May 9, 1895 - Dec. 9, 1914 (Film 250, 251) Microfilm #251 (Fourth Street M.E.) Volumes #223, 224, 226, 227, 234, 307, 309, 323, 427, 428, 707, 708, 725 Sunday School - Protokolle der deutschen M.E. Sonntagschule und Constitution, Jan. 1, 1866 - Nov. 4, 1877; Jan. 1, 1878 - April 18, 1895 Epworth League - Intermediate; Secretary’s book, 1932 Epworth League - Junior; Roll Book, March 1904 - March 1917; Minutes, March 1904-April 1905 Epworth League Minutes, Jan. 7, 1907 - Oct. 26, 1923; Nov. 26, 1922 - April 13, 1924 Unkosten der Kirche von, Oct. 26, 1873 - April 26, 1875 “Horizontal accounts of weekly offerings”, 1901-1902 Account Book, 1920-1922 Account Book, 1917-1942 (Building fund ledger, Apr. 1917-Nov. 1918; Benevolences, 1924-April 1936; Benevolences, Apr. 1937-May 1942 Ladies Aid, Minute books - Jan. 1 1886-Dec. 3, 1903; Jan.7, 1904-Nov. 3, 1921; Dec. 2, 1921-Feb. 7, 1929*; Mar. 7, 1929-June 3, 1937; *Diligent Workers Minutes, Feb. 1924-Jan. 15, 1925 - merged with Ladies Aid

Microfilm #252 (Fourth Street M.E.) Volumes #224, 308, 326-335, 429, 430 Ladies Aid Roll Call Book, 1916-1937 Records of Centenary Collections beginning June 1919, June 1919-August 1924 Minutes of the Brotherhood, Feb. 6, 1908-Oct. 12, 1922 Ladies Aid, Protokoll-Buch des Schwesternview 1886-1921 Sunday School Records - 1925 (Incomplete); 1927-1935

Microfilm #253 (Fourth Street M.E.) Volumes #244, 305, 306, 310, 311-322, 324, 325, 336, 337, 712-724 Sunday School Records - April 1935-Jan. 1937 Sunday School Board, Record of Meetings 1924-1929 Sunday School, Intermediate Dept. - “Meig’s International Sunday School Record”, 1924 Sunday School, Junior Dept. - Attendance Records, 1922-1934 Sunday School, Young People’s Dept. - Records, 1932-1934 Sunday School, Beginner’s Dept. - “Meig’s International Sunday School Record”, 1924-1931 Sunday School Roll Book, October 1923 Sunday School, Adult Dept. - “Meig’s International Sunday School Record”, 1924-1926 Treasurer’s Account Book, 1906-1908; 1909-1910; 1913-1928 (book #306 on film #253 & #254)

Microfilm #254 (Fourth Street M.E.) Volumes #304, 306, 431, 432, 696, 697, 705, 709, 710 Treasurer’s Record, July 1920-June 1923; Sept. 1927-Aug. 1930 Treasurer’s Book, 1902-1915; 1904-1915 Treasurer’s Book, n.d. W.F.M.S. Minutes, Sept. 24, 1931 - June 17, 1937 W.F.M.S. Cash Book, 1919-1937; 1922-1937

Microfilm #300 (Bayard Park M.E.) Financial Records, 1927-1929; 1932-1933; 1935-1945

Microfilm #301 (Bayard Park M.E.) Historical Records, Pastors, Official Members, Probationers, Members in Full Connection, Baptisms, Marriages 1909-1918; 1909-1930 Membership Register, Dec. 1937-Nov. 1943 Ladies and Pastor’s Aid Minutes, 1906-1909 Ladies Aid Minute Books, Oct. 21, 1913 - June 6, 1927; Oct. 7, 1937 - Sept. 7, 1940 W.F.M.S. Minute Books, 1911-1930; 1932-1938 (films 301, 302)

Microfilm #302 (Bayard Park M.E.) W.F.M.S. Treasurer’s Book, 1912/1913 - 1922/1923 W.H.M.S. Minute Books, 1919-1940 Y.W.H.M.S. Minute Books, 1924-1931 (This society merged in 1931 with the adult Women’s Group, W.H.M.S.) W.H.M.S. and W.F.M.S. - Minutes and Reports of Joint Meetings, Aug. 1939 - June 1940 (In August 1938, W.H.M.S. and W.F.M.S. became one organization. Minutes after this date are kept separately by each group but are combined meetings.)