ATWOOD – The congregation at Atwood Otterbein Church will celebrate the 98th anniversary of the building of their church at 306 E. Main St., Atwood, on Sunday at their 9:30 a.m. service. The congregation celebrates its Heritage Day each May.
The 147-year-old congregation, initially a United Brethren organization, purchased the village school house located across the railroad tracks south of the church location and conducted services in that building back then. In fall 1925, it became apparent that the one-room church was no longer adequate. At the time there were nine Sunday School classes meeting at the same time in the same room and the meeting room was inadequate for meetings of a large size. The congregation undertook study and research, according to a news release from the church.
In 1926, final approval to proceed with a new church building took place. Hobart Creighton and Pastor L. E. Eaton were selected to lead the building committee. Charles Rickel was hired to superintend the construction of the building. Groundbreaking was held June 21, 1926. The corner stone was laid Aug. 14, 1926, despite rain, with speeches given by former pastors S. M. Hill, J.C. Bailey and J. W. Lower.
The old church building was sold to M. H. Wolf for $1,000 on March 14, 1927. Funds from the sale of the old pews were used to purchase opera chairs for the choir and classrooms. Historical records of all the expenditures for building the church exist in church files.
Once the work was completed, the building dedication was held May 1, 1927. Superintendent Dr. J.A. Groves toured the new building the day before the dedication and reviewed with the building committee plans for retiring the indebtedness. The plan was to give folks up to five years to redeem their pledges with each pledge bearing a 6% interest.
Bishop H.H. Fout, from Indianapolis, conducted the dedicatory service. Two hundred and twenty-eight people attended the service with Hobart Creighton serving as superintendent. The choir led singing and Fout preached. The building committee gave the financial report showing the actual cost of building was $31,300 excluding the donated labor. Additional pledges were made during the service. The group was entertained at a noon-hour concert by an orchestra directed by Prof. Charles Rose following a meal served by the ladies of the church. Several other local ministers were present and brought greetings. In all, there were 21 ministers present.
During Rev. I. E. Longenbaugh’s pastorate (1939-1948) and in spite of World War II, the church mortgage was burned.
In 1938, the church was called United Brethren in Christ and remained so until Nov. 16, 1946, when the Evangelical and United Brethren churches merged. The name was changed at that time to Evangelical United Brethren Church.
While Stephen Gubi was pastor in 1964, the house and lot west of the church were purchased from Jack Lee for $3,500 to be used for a parking lot. The house was razed and later the Etna Bank purchased the lot on which to erect a branch bank. The parking lot was blacktopped and the church was given the privilege of using it. The church now owns the former bank building and parking lot, and it is used as the church office.
During the pastorate of Rev. Herbert Edwards, the United Methodist Church was created on April 23, 1968, when the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Church united to form a new denomination.
At that time, the Atwood church became Otterbein United Methodist Church with Dan Anglin signing the Certificate As To Change of Name on Dec. 8, 1968.
In 1970, a remodeling was done in the church kitchen and restrooms. In 1973, an addition was added to the west side of the church to house an elevator. The elevator is a memorial to Hobert and Esther Creighton.
In 1999, a new sign was placed in front of the church in memory of Elmer E. Hanes by his family. In fall 2021, the trustees updated the 1999 sign with an electronic one to make it easier to update especially in bad weather. The new sign features church activities and information relating to community events.
In July 2020, Pastor David Banning and wife Jackie began their ministry at the church during the Covid-19 pandemic. He continued the online Facebook videos of Sunday services began by the previous pastor, Jim Lawson. He added a radio ministry on FM 90.5 to supplement podcasts he also initiated to extend the church’s outreach.
On March 6, 2022, the congregation dedicated the new outdoor electronic church message center sign and the chancel updates completed prior to Christmas. It included a new Christ candle and advent wreath stand and two sanctuary monitors on either side of the chancel. Trustee Steve Creighton presented the improvements and trustee Chair Tom Groninger accepted the improvements as a sacred trust and pledged that they will be used reverently in loving memory and to honor dedicated saints who have contributed to the church.
In August 2022, members of the church congregation began a discernment process with consideration of the direction of the United Methodist Church (UMC) denomination and an effort to determine whether the church’s mission aligned with the continuing direction of the UMC. A discernment committee was created by the administrative board to lead the process, and they spent weeks researching available materials and communicating with each other regarding their findings.
After two September 2022 congregational meetings enabling members to hear both the UMC position and a speaker presenting information about why some churches were leaving the UMC denomination, several small discussion group meetings were held in November and January with the purpose of sharing information about UMC and the discernment process and to answer any questions members might have.
Following review by the administrative board, a charge conference to allow members to vote to remain with UMC or leave the denomination took place on April 13, 2023, at the church. After months of review of the church’s mission, the congregation voted unanimously to leave the United Methodist denomination effective July 1, 2023. The decision came with deep regret but much hope for the church’s future.
On April 16, 2023, the congregation convened a congregation meeting and in another unanimous vote chose the Global Methodist denomination from the others considered. After that a discussion of potential names for the church took place and a ballot vote selected the name Atwood Otterbein Church to be the new church name.
On May 1, 2023, the congregation’s United Women in Faith voted to disband from that organization as well and became an independent locally-focused women’s group. They established a new name, Sisterhood in Faith.
On June 8, 2023, the UMC District Conference delegates voted to approve the church’s disaffiliation with the United Methodist denomination effective July 1, 2023.
On July 2, 2023, the congregation celebrated their affiliation with the Global Methodist Church with a special service by Banning. Three new members were accepted and the baptism of three adults and two children took place. During the service, Banning presented the Global charter to lay leader, Curt VanDeWater. The service was followed by a congregational photo taken by local photographer Al Disbro and a meal in the Fellowship Hall.
Banning and lay leader Linda Stroup attended the Convening Conference and ordination service for the newly-established Global Methodist Church Great Lakes Conference, which includes churches from Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan. The Conference established the beginning of the denomination’s Great lakes Conference and took place Oct, 27-28, 2023. Banning was ordained during the special service on Oct. 28.
Atwood Otterbein Church’s mission is “... to spread the Word of God and win disciples for Jesus Christ; connecting ourselves to Jesus, and faithfully living our daily lives in relationship with Him and to each other.”
To fulfill the mission, the church provides Sunday services at 9:30 a.m. The family oriented congregation members come early for coffee and fellowship and stay after for snacks with friends and family. If unable to attend in person, members can view the Sunday services live-streamed on their Facebook page at Atwood Otterbein Church. Following the service, Patsianne Herrald conducts Bible Study in the Sanctuary. The church is accessible for wheelchairs or those needing other assistance.
On Wednesdays, folks gather for coffee in the Fellowship Hall beginning at 7 a.m., and Banning conducts Bible study most weeks on Wednesdays beginning at 6 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall or by Zoom. Summer months, the congregation meets at the parsonage for a campfire meal and fellowship. The men meet the second Saturday of each month for breakfast in the Fellowship Hall beginning at 7 a.m. Children are active during the church services and children’s Sunday school is provided.
Sisterhood in Faith meets monthly from April through December on the first Wednesday of each month at 1 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. The Sisterhood’s activities focus on local missions and service to the church including leadership for vacation Bible school and the Easter egg hunt. They host the Heritage Sunday meal and in the spring, a mother and daughter brunch. In the fall they host a community fun night and chili cookoff and conduct Halloween trick-or-treat at the church among other activities. In August, the group will host their second bus trip and this year will visit the Grand Rapids area. Their work is celebrated during Women’s Ministry Sunday.
Banning may be reached at 574-858-2291 or at [email protected]. More information may be found on the church website at www.atwoodotterbeinchurch.org.