History Of The Church
| Past Pastors [ Timeline ] 100 Year Anniversary Booklet |
This is a timeline of major events from 1856 to the present...
1856
Current Pastor: W. Slater
On December 22, 1856, area Methodists met at the Union Prairie School in Town of Metomen and voted to build a church in the village of Bungtown (now Brandon). The original building was to be fifty feet long by thirty feet wide. $1,418 was collected to fund the building project.
1868
Current Pastor: I. Searles
The Methodist Episcopal Sunday School was the largest in Brandon with 75 pupils. G.A. Russell was the superintendent.
1871
Current Pastor: G.F. Reynolds
The church was enlarged by cutting it in half down the center and 20 feet were added. A bell tower was also added, as well as the South entrance and gallery. The church was re-dedicated.
1876
Current Pastor: Thomas Walker
The Women's Foreign Missionary Society was organized with 10 charter members. The adjacent lot was purchased for $700 to build a parsonage. The money was raised in one morning service!
1884
Current Pastor: S.A. Olin
The Brandon Times reported that Brandon had a flourishing Methodist church with a building, pasonage, Sunday School, and Foreign Ministry Society.
1890
Current Pastor: Wm. Bennett
The Annual Conference voted to admit women as lay delegates to general conference.
1895
Current Pastor: I.M. Wolverton
The church was seriously damaged when lightening struck. The loss was reported at $1,000. Repairs were made, a 12' x 50' addition was put on the East side, and a new 50' tower was added to the Southwest corner. The stained glass windows were added.
1911
Current Pastor: John A. Collinge
Brandon and Ladoga Methodist Churches were put in the same charge.
1922
Current Pastor: F.P. Raby
A modern basement was built. The Building Chairman was J.E. Johnson. The Finance Committee Chairman was W.A. Turner. With much labor furnished by members of the congregation, the cost was $2,378.30.
1950
Current Pastor: Joseph Cheek
The Wurlitzer organ was purchased.
1952
Current Pastor: Gary Fritz
The following were given to the church in memory of deceased members: a new bell, brass candlesticks for the alter and an outside bulletin board.
1954
Current Pastor: Gary Fritz
The church heating system failed. The basement and sanctuary were completely modernized and a new furnace installed. $2,650 in cash and nearly $8,000 in pledges were raised on "Loyalty Sunday" in September.
1968
Current Pastor: Collette Stellmacher & Eugene Antrim
The Brandon Methodist Church and The Evangelical United Brethren Church of Brandon joined to form The Brandon United Methodist Church.
1976
Current Pastor: Stanley Hayes
The Brandon and Beaver Dam United Methodist Churches were put in the same charge.
1982
Current Pastor: Stanley Hayes
An office was added to the church on the southeast corner at ground level. The office was added for then Pastor Stanley Hayes, as he resided in nearby Fond du Lac and did not require use of the parsonage. With the addition of the church office for Rev. Hayes's use, the church parsonage was then rented out.
2003
Current Pastor: Matt Yates
The Sunday School was given a fresh look with bright murals on the west wall of each of the three basement classrooms. A "You Can't Outgrow God" banner was also added, and the tradition of marking the height of each Sunday School student (as well as other members of the congregation) on the support poles at the beginning of each school year was begun.
2004
Current Pastor: Matt Yates
Problems with the furnace prompted a vote to purchase two new furnaces - one to heat the upstairs of the church, the other to heat the downstairs Sunday School portion of the church. The option of installing central air conditioning at this time was discussed. With a generous pledge from one congregation member to cover a major portion of the cost of the air conditioning, the church soon had comfortable temperatures year round!
2008
Current Pastor: Laura Yates
The fact that our church was not wheelchair accessible had been a source of concern for several years. A vote to install an elevator in the church had previously been voted down. Our congregation was growing older, and with iur former Pastor Matt Yates now in a wheelchair, the need for handicap accessibilty became undeniable. A more economical lift was voted on and approved. The church office was removed to make room for the lift. The lift was installed and in January 2008 was opened for use.
This Page Last Updated: Thursday, January 14, 2010 2:52 PM
