CHURCH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
The intention of the Commissions and the United Methodist Historical Society of Ohio (UMHSO) is to recognize the founding date of the church. However, we leave it up to the congregation to use the date they have been celebrating as their anniversary. We have found that some of the dates various churches use to celebrate anniversaries are:
1. First circuit rider in the community
2 First organized “class meeting”
3. Year when the congregation first appears in conference/district records
4. Dedication of the first church building
The date considered to be “the” starting date can also be affected by congregational name changes and mergers. If the congregation has had name(s) changes or mergers, it should go back to the earliest name or the earliest start date of the individual merged congregations. The church may want to recognize and celebrate the intermediate name changes, building anniversaries or mergers; but, the age of the congregation should go back to the earliest date (see examples 1- 4 above).
It is the consensus of the UMHSO Executive Committee that the local church should continue to use the date they have been celebrating.
Recent Church Anniversary Certificates Presented
Canal Lewisville United Methodist Church
150th Anniversary celebrated on 7 June 2020
Ridgewood United Methodist Church
150th Anniversary celebrated on 22 September 2019
Keene United Methodist Church
200th Anniversary celebrated on 16 December 2018
Salem United Methodist Church of Wyandot County
150th Anniversary celebrated on 30 September 2018
The United Church of Berea
175th Anniversary celebrated on 30 September 2018
Shiloh United Methodist Church
175th Anniversary celebrated on 26 September 2018
Ontario United Methodist Church
100th Anniversary celebrated on 30 October 2017
Adamsville United Methodist Church
175th Anniversary celebrated on 17 September 2017
