Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church was established in 1817. Yes that's correct, we have been in existence for nearly 200 years as a church.
THE HISTORY OF WESLEY CHAPEL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
In writing the history of Wesley Chapel Methodist Church of New Albany, Indiana, one must include, to some extent, the history of all the Methodist churches in the city. Centenary and Main Street churches are direct offshoots of this church, and the other Methodist churches, indirectly, are indebted to it for their organization.
The town of New Albany was platted and lots sold in the year 1813.
The origin of Methodism in New Albany was a distinctive event around which was thrown the glamour of spiritual romance and the essence of genuine reawakening. It was in the month of October 1816, when New Albany was a struggling village of frame and log houses (not many of either), where the first religious worship was held. Harriet Reynolds, a widow, had come here from New Jersey, and, to add to her scant means of subsistence, had established a ginger cake and spruce beer business in the front room of her little home, which stood on the east side of Pearl Street, one hundred and twenty-five feet north of Main Street. The heavy forest had not yet been cleared off, but the line of the street was clearly defined. Mrs. Reynolds was a Methodist in her old home in New Jersey and had not forgotten God in her new home in the loneliness of her widowhood.
And so, on a bright moonlit evening of October 1816, as she sat in her home, she raised her voice to the Infinite One in song, “How tedious and tasteless the hours, when Jesus no longer I see”; and as she sang, Elam Genung, as he walked out to enjoy the evening, heard Mrs. Reynolds’ sweet voice and bent his steps to her little cake shop and entered it. Mrs. Reynolds ceased her singing, but Mr. Genung urged her to continue “that good old hymn” and joined her in the singing. Mr. Genung, also a Methodist, then proposed the singing of another hymn, and the offering of prayer. This was done, and several persons, attracted by the singing, entered the little cake shop. A second prayer was led by Obadiah Childs. This was New Albany’s first religious meeting and the power of God was manifest. The overarching great forest trees, the bright moonlight, the Spiritual Power, all conspired to render the scene one never to be forgotten. How true it proved – “The groves were God’s first temples,” especially in Indiana’s pioneer days, when the camp meeting was a place of wonderful spiritual visitation, and the ingathering of souls, washed pure by the blood of the Lamb of God, was practically a daily occurrence.
Prayer meetings were held weekly on Wednesday evenings until the organization of the First Methodist Episcopal Society in New Albany by Rev. John Schrader on June 20, 1817. Several weeks after the first prayer meeting in the cake shop, Obadiah Childs organized a Methodist Class Meeting to provide Christian fellowship for all the Methodists in the little town. These numbered eleven, all heads of families. Observing the rules of his old Discipline, he formed the class and opened a room for its meetings in his own home on the north side of Market Street just east of Bank Street. During the winter of 1817-18, the class grew to eighteen members. Quite a number of young men and young women, nonmembers, attended, and most of them afterwards became faithful members of the church.
Many years later, Rev. John Schrader, attending the Indiana Conference held in Wesley Chapel in (in 1871), by request, gave the following account of the organization of Wesley Chapel:
“I had heard with great pleasure and thankfulness to God, while assisting in a meeting at Gassaway’s (then Bethel) near Charlestown, Clark County that a good work for Christ had been inaugurated at New Albany; and so I mounted my horse, on the morning of June 19, 1817 and rode over to New Albany. This was on Saturday. I arrived in New Albany at noon and stopped at Hannah Ruff’s tavern, over on the west side of State Street. I inquired for Obadiah Childs and was shown to his home. He soon gave me all the details of the work here, and insisted that I should stay over Sunday, hold a sacramental meeting, and organize a Methodist Society. We then went to Hannah Ruff’s and asked her if we could use her dining room for the meeting on Sunday. She replied that we were welcome to the room. I went to my room in the tavern that night and prayed earnestly to God to be with me and help me in the work. The sacramental meeting was held in the dining room of Hannah Ruff’s tavern at two o’clock Sunday afternoon, June 10,1817, when for the first time in New Albany, the sacrament of the Lord’s supper was administered. Twenty-four persons took the elements of the broken body and shed blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Then I proceeded to organize the Society, twenty-seven persons signing their names to the roll. It was a precious, as well as a historic, occasion - that organization of the first religious society in what is now Floyd County. The next day, the members commenced to work for the erection of a church for themselves. The lot was procured, work commenced and pushed forward, and on November 25, 1817, I preached the sermon dedicating the church to the worship of Almighty God. By common consent, it was named Wesley Chapel. It was a high day for Methodism in New Albany.”
This first church was a frame building about 20x40 feet and was located on Lafayette Street between Market and Spring Streets. It was not lathed or plastered, and in cold weather the meetings were held in the home of Mrs. Hannah Ruff on State Street. It had plank seats around the sides and one end of the building so that the older folk could lean back against the walls in comfort while the preacher preached. The other seats in the church were split logs with long wooden pins driven into the round part for legs and had no back. Early to church was the custom of the times, not only to be there for the beginning of service, but also to secure a seat with a back. As the church had “sleeping pillars” then as now, at times the members or attendants found themselves suddenly awakened by a fall to the floor. Later this crude building was abandoned by the church, was moved to Main Street, and subsequently it burned.
All those who donated material, labor, and skill to the erection of the little frame church, long ago departed for their heavenly rest. Thomas Sinex, Daniel Seabrook, John Angell, George Evans (who did the carpenter work) lived lives of devotion to the Master.
The records for 1819 show that the Rev. John Schrader was the preacher in charge of a four-week J circuit - that is, there was preaching once in four weeks with class and prayer meetings held between.
Sixty-seven members was the strength of this church in New Albany in 1821.
About this time, the Legislature of the state passed a law regulating the election of trustees for churches. To quote from the record, “The members of the Methodist Church in the town of New Albany met at the house of John Bodger on the evening of the 11th day of June 1821, to elect trustees, after having given 10 days notice as the law required.” Rev. John Schrader acted as president and John Bodger, clerk. The following persons were elected: Benjamin Blackiston, Edward Brown, Sr., Peter Stoy, Robert Downey, and Thomas Sinex. These were the first trustees of the church in the town and they were elected, according to the record, “for the purpose of receiving any donations that may be made to church.” The later history shows that they not only received, but wisely expended these donations.
On October 18, 1826, the trustees bought the lot on the southeast corner of Market and Lower First Streets, on which to build a new church. The price paid was $81.00. The lot was 60 feet front by 100 feet deep and was then central to the population of the town.
In 1827, a one-story brick church of about 35x50 feet was built on this lot. The front of the building was about 40 feet back from the street with a large yard in front enclosed with a high, open fence having a fancy gate with a high, circular top. What a source of satisfaction and comfort it must have been for the congregation, who had been meeting in the crowded, unplastered church on Lafayette Street, to meet in the new, comfortable, and commodious brick church. They laid their plans broad and deep for the Lord; they made sacrifices to carry them out; they lived frugally and saved that they might give to the Lord, and He accepted their offerings. Much, yes, very much, of the subsequent welfare, prosperity, and morality of New Albany is due to the self-sacrificing men and women comprising this early Methodist Church. In 1833 or 1834, a wing, 15x50 feet, was added on each side of the original structure, making a building 65x50 feet. It was at this time that the steamboat men, many of whom attended there when home, named the church “The Old Ship of Zion.” “For,” said they, “she has her wings spread and is ready to sail away.”
It must be kept in mind that the ‘Old Ship’ (Wesley Chapel) was one of the most important charges in the Indiana Conference. It bears the proud distinction of being the scene of the organization of the Indiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. This important event took place October 17, 1832.
In 1835, the church, having been blessed with comparative prosperity, undertook a work that had such a salutary influence on the future both of the church and the town of New Albany that this history would be incomplete if mention were not made of it. Many of the members were those who in their youth had only limited means of education, yet they determined to build an educational institution in New Albany in order that their children might have the advantages of a better education than was then possible. Who can say but that this resolution was the planting of the seed which resulted in the building of Asbury University, afterwards known as DePauw University, only a few years later? This early church bought the lot adjoining the church property on the east, 60 feet front and 100 feet deep, and on this ground put up a frame building 60 feet front and 40 feet deep. It was divided into three rooms, two on the ground floor and one upstairs, with stairs at each end. It was called the New Albany Methodist Seminary. It was the school of the town and many hundreds of boys and girls received their best, and, in some instances, their only education there. The principals of this seminary were Marcellus Ruter, Rev. W.H. Goode, and George H. Harrison. Each had from one to three assistants. At that time, our present efficient public school system was unknown.
In 1838-39, there swept over the town one of the most powerful and far-reaching revivals ever known in its history. Meetings were held day and night for weeks. Hundreds crowded the altar of the church, and hundreds were saved.
The result of this meeting was that again the church outgrew its quarters. The trustees determined to build a new church uptown and Centenary Church was built in 1839, not by Centenary membership, but by the trustees of Wesley Chapel.
With the building and naming of Centenary, the Old Ship resumed its original name Wesley Chapel. Both congregations continued members of the mother church for two years, after which the property and membership were divided, and each became a separate organization.
A few years later, the Methodist Episcopal Church of Portland, Kentucky, by its own request, was annexed to Wesley Chapel in New Albany, due, probably, to the agitation then beginning to be felt over the slave question. Their desire to be identified with Wesley Chapel was probably an indication of their position on that issue, as some of the members chose to join the Methodist Episcopal Church South.
In 1850, the ‘Old Ship’ was again filled to capacity and preparation was made to care for the overflow. Two hundred members were set off to form Roberts Chapel charge, now Main Street.
In 1852, the question of the advisability of, or the necessity for, another building for the mother congregation was agitated. On June 9, 1853, a meeting was held at which the preliminary arrangements were completed.
Early in the history of the Church, the question as to the means of improving the singing engaged the attention of the Official Board. Up to that time the plan had been for some good brother or sister to start the tune and the congregation joined in the singing of the hymn, the preacher reading it out two lines at a time. The time had now come, however, when churches were agitated over organs and choirs; there was much opposition to their introduction, many old members not consenting to this “new-fangled singing”; but progress was the order of the day, and both the choir and organ were finally introduced into Wesley Chapel.
The first choir was organized in the ‘Old Ship’ about the year 1851, with Benjamin Deacon as leader. The proper place in the church for the choir seemed an uncertain and delicate question. In the present auditorium, their place was in the center of the room; afterwards, they were moved to the gallery; from thence to the “amen” corner on the left hand side; and from there to the rear of the room. With this last move, one of the members of the Official Board offered a motion that the choir be placed on wheels. With the installation of the first pipe organ, the choir was moved to its present position in the front of the church.
After the organization of the choir, they continued for a number of years to sing without instrumental help. The membership was about equally divided on the question of introducing an organ in the service, but the advocates of this innovation were finally successful. The first instrument was a small cabinet organ. The next one was of more pretentious, costing $500.00. This was used until the first pipe organ was installed in 1877. This organ was built by Pilcher of Louisville at a cost of $800.00. It was set up in I.B. Friend’s shop on Pearl and Oak Streets, and afterwards, was moved into the church. The next organ was installed in 1887 at a cost of $2,200.00.
At the June 9, 1853 meeting, it was determined that the new church with the lot should cost no more than $15,000.00 and of this amount they expected to realize at least $6,000 or $7,000 from the sale of the old church property. That church lot was bought in the fall of 1853 at a cost of $1,500. The building was commenced in the spring of 1854. Unusual care was exercised in the laying of the foundation. Over fifty barrels of cement, a material unknown here up to that time, were used. The walls were built very heavy. 532,000 hard bricks were placed in the building - no soft bricks were allowed to be used.
The Sunday School class rooms of the new building were completed by the latter part of December 1854. The last service ever held in the ‘Old Ship’ was on the last Sunday in December 1854. It was a very solemn occasion and all felt as though they were leaving home. The only parts of the old church used in the new building were the old seats, which were transferred to the class rooms, and the altar, which was placed in the Sunday School room.
That building was used for the first time on the first Sunday in January 1855. The same order of seating was observed as in the old church, the males on one side and the females on the other. Under no circumstances were they permitted to sit together. These restrictions continued until the main audience room was dedicated, when a few families dared to break the rule and sit together. The main audience room was completed in September 1855, and the church was dedicated to the service of Almighty God on the second Sunday in November 1855 by Dr. Clark.
The cost of the structure, including the lot and furniture, totaled $19,164.56. The old church property had been sold in the spring of 1854 for over $7,000, and this together with the subscriptions received, left only $800 to be raised on dedication day.
The church history for many years after 1865 is sketchy, due to the fact that important records covering this period were lost in the Ohio River Flood of 1937.
It is a known fact, however, that sometime in the 1870s, the pulpit furniture in the sanctuary was donated to the church by Mr. John Shrader. It consisted of five cathedral chairs, the pulpit, a marble-top table, and two pedestals - all of walnut and beautifully hand-carved. These handsome pieces survived the flood and are still at the church.
At two or three different times, there was much talk of merging Wesley Chapel with another Methodist Church. In 1910, the plans to merge Main Street Church with Wesley Chapel advanced so far as to be published in two local newspaper articles. In this instance, the plan was to abandon Main Street building and to have the two congregations worship in Wesley Chapel. Again in 1920, the plan was to close Wesley Chapel and unite with Centenary. Too many loyal members would not entertain the thought of closing the mother church and nothing came of it.
During the years 1922 to 1926, Wesley Chapel remodeled class rooms, redecorated the interior, placed new lights in the sanctuary, acquired new equipment, and tuck-pointed and painted the exterior of the building. The total cost of these improvements was $3,800.
In 1936, there was much agitation as to the advisability of closing Wesley Chapel altogether. A sufficient number of loyal members opposed the proposition and supported the move to continue its operation. Later developments have proved the wisdom of their determination, for by their devotion and hard work; Wesley Chapel has enjoyed steady, if sometimes slow, progress.
The church suffered considerably from the Ohio River Flood of 1937, but due to the foresight of its builders, survived with a minimum of damage to the structure itself. The water reached a stage of five feet on the first floor, inflicting serious loss on furniture and fixtures. Rehabilitation of the Sunday School rooms, the halls, and entire first floor of the parsonage was necessary.
The Woman’s Society of Christian Service, a merger formed by the union of the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society and the Woman’s Home Missionary Society and allied organizations, became effective in Wesley Chapel in 1940.
Early in his pastorate, about 1942, Rev. Carl Allinger organized the Methodist Youth Fellowship, which included the youth between the ages twelve and twenty-three.
Rev. W.A. Amerson became pastor of Wesley Chapel in 1946 when membership was low. After a short time the sanctuary was redecorated. Then in 1951, an educational unit was built for $30,000.00. Membership began to grow and in 1953 was nearly double what it had been before his arrival.
In September 1959, Wesley Chapel purchased the Carney property at 2212 State Street for a new parsonage along with two acres of ground. Rev. Lloyd Shannon was pastor at this time. On May 11, 1960, the Trustees purchased an additional acre of ground adjacent to the recently acquired property. Since remodeling and repairs to the old church would be quite costly, the congregation voted for re-location. On March 5, 1961, the old church was put up for sale, bringing $50,000 from the New Albany Tribune.
The last service in the old building was June 7, 1964, terminating 110 years of Christian work in the building. Services were held at the Masonic Temple during this four-month period.
Ground was broken for the new building on January 26, 1964, and the first worship service was January 24, 1965 with Bishop Richard Raines preaching and conducting the ceremony.
After serving for seven years at Wesley Chapel, Rev. Lloyd Shannon moved on to another church. Rev. Shannon led Wesley during a very exciting but difficult period as the church was relocated on State Street. Later, at his retirement, Rev. Shannon returned to serve as an assistant until his death in 1981.
Rev. Richard Armstrong then came to Wesley Chapel to serve what was to become the longest tenure as pastor of all the previous ministers assigned to Wesley Chapel. During his pastorate, both the church building and the parsonage were paid off by 1973. Other than the physical changes at Wesley, there was great spiritual renewal that occurred during this time. Wesley experienced several lay witness missions and revivals that were significant in the spiritual growth of the congregation. Wesley also saw an increase in youth involvement as the UMYF grew and flourished and became a real evangelistic outreach arm of the church.
In 1977, Rev. Huie Holloway was assigned to replace Rev. Armstrong. During the brief pastorate of Rev. Holloway, new Sunday School classes were started and many young couples found their way into Wesley Chapel’s fellowship. With the unexpected departure of Rev. Holloway in the fall of 1981, Rev. Lloyd Sawyer gave able leadership until the conference assigned Rev. John Thrasher to Wesley in January 1982.
The pastorate of John Thrasher was an exciting period in the life of the church. The church began having an annual mission conference where over $50,000 is raised annually. In addition the church with the inspiration of one of its young men raised nearly $30,000 to purchase an airplane for the Wings of the Morning that operates in Zaire.
As the church continued to grow, an additional worship service was added to Sunday morning and a dynamic Sunday evening service continued to meet the needs of the membership. Rev. Amerson returned to Wesley in 1984 on his retirement and served as the assistant pastor with special emphasis on visitation and evangelism.
During the mid-1980s, a Long Range Planning Committee was formed to look at the future and make plans as Wesley approached a new decade and century. A building committee was formed and the Dale property adjacent to the north was purchased in 1989. In the fall of 1989, a financial campaign led by Wesley’s lay people successfully raised over $700,000 as a part of “Sharing the Vision” program. Our Family Life Center, the fruit of these labors, was completed in January 1991.
In 1998, the Revs. Mark and Becky Suter came to Wesley Chapel as a clergy team. They brought with them, besides their two daughters Sarah and Emily, a new and fresh enthusiasm and new ideas. With their leadership, we looked to the future with great expectations.
In November 2000 Pastor Don Smith, came to be our directing pastor and brought his family: wife, Jane, children: Ben Leanne, Jabus and grandson, Jeremy. In the new milennium God would get our attention and begin a new journey of seeking new property for the church to move to and expand their facilities and ministry. We are in the final stages of selling our State Street property and moving to transitional locations until our new church building is built and open for service.*
Upon the retirement of Pastor Don Smith, retired Pastor Steve Seitz has become our interim pastor leading us in preparations for our move.*
The Indiana United Methodist Conference has also made us aware that we will be receiving a new lead pastor in July, Pastor Tony Alstott.*
Wesley has had, also, hundreds of outstanding lay persons who have been active ministers for their church. Wesley could not continue to be a “Church that Cares” without these lay people and other staff persons over the history. Wesley Chapel will continue to be a church that cares.
Sail on “Old Ship”, nor fear the gales
Our hopes and prayers will fill thy sails,
Until thy sails at last are furled
In a new and ransomed world.
* 2000+ additions- Annette Gadlage
previous compilation by, Sherley Kendal
previous Church Historian
resources: The History of Wesley Chapel Celebrating its 150th Year by Fannie Wolf, Helen Bence, Irma Mae Hubler, Florence Mann & Hazel Long
Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church was established in 1817. Yes that's correct, we have been in existence for nearly 200 years as a church.
THE HISTORY OF WESLEY CHAPEL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
In writing the history of Wesley Chapel Methodist Church of New Albany, Indiana, one must include, to some extent, the history of all the Methodist churches in the city. Centenary and Main Street churches are direct offshoots of this church, and the other Methodist churches, indirectly, are indebted to it for their organization.
The town of New Albany was platted and lots sold in the year 1813.
The origin of Methodism in New Albany was a distinctive event around which was thrown the glamour of spiritual romance and the essence of genuine reawakening. It was in the month of October 1816, when New Albany was a struggling village of frame and log houses (not many of either), where the first religious worship was held. Harriet Reynolds, a widow, had come here from New Jersey, and, to add to her scant means of subsistence, had established a ginger cake and spruce beer business in the front room of her little home, which stood on the east side of Pearl Street, one hundred and twenty-five feet north of Main Street. The heavy forest had not yet been cleared off, but the line of the street was clearly defined. Mrs. Reynolds was a Methodist in her old home in New Jersey and had not forgotten God in her new home in the loneliness of her widowhood.
And so, on a bright moonlit evening of October 1816, as she sat in her home, she raised her voice to the Infinite One in song, “How tedious and tasteless the hours, when Jesus no longer I see”; and as she sang, Elam Genung, as he walked out to enjoy the evening, heard Mrs. Reynolds’ sweet voice and bent his steps to her little cake shop and entered it. Mrs. Reynolds ceased her singing, but Mr. Genung urged her to continue “that good old hymn” and joined her in the singing. Mr. Genung, also a Methodist, then proposed the singing of another hymn, and the offering of prayer. This was done, and several persons, attracted by the singing, entered the little cake shop. A second prayer was led by Obadiah Childs. This was New Albany’s first religious meeting and the power of God was manifest. The overarching great forest trees, the bright moonlight, the Spiritual Power, all conspired to render the scene one never to be forgotten. How true it proved – “The groves were God’s first temples,” especially in Indiana’s pioneer days, when the camp meeting was a place of wonderful spiritual visitation, and the ingathering of souls, washed pure by the blood of the Lamb of God, was practically a daily occurrence.
Prayer meetings were held weekly on Wednesday evenings until the organization of the First Methodist Episcopal Society in New Albany by Rev. John Schrader on June 20, 1817. Several weeks after the first prayer meeting in the cake shop, Obadiah Childs organized a Methodist Class Meeting to provide Christian fellowship for all the Methodists in the little town. These numbered eleven, all heads of families. Observing the rules of his old Discipline, he formed the class and opened a room for its meetings in his own home on the north side of Market Street just east of Bank Street. During the winter of 1817-18, the class grew to eighteen members. Quite a number of young men and young women, nonmembers, attended, and most of them afterwards became faithful members of the church.
Many years later, Rev. John Schrader, attending the Indiana Conference held in Wesley Chapel in (in 1871), by request, gave the following account of the organization of Wesley Chapel:
“I had heard with great pleasure and thankfulness to God, while assisting in a meeting at Gassaway’s (then Bethel) near Charlestown, Clark County that a good work for Christ had been inaugurated at New Albany; and so I mounted my horse, on the morning of June 19, 1817 and rode over to New Albany. This was on Saturday. I arrived in New Albany at noon and stopped at Hannah Ruff’s tavern, over on the west side of State Street. I inquired for Obadiah Childs and was shown to his home. He soon gave me all the details of the work here, and insisted that I should stay over Sunday, hold a sacramental meeting, and organize a Methodist Society. We then went to Hannah Ruff’s and asked her if we could use her dining room for the meeting on Sunday. She replied that we were welcome to the room. I went to my room in the tavern that night and prayed earnestly to God to be with me and help me in the work. The sacramental meeting was held in the dining room of Hannah Ruff’s tavern at two o’clock Sunday afternoon, June 10,1817, when for the first time in New Albany, the sacrament of the Lord’s supper was administered. Twenty-four persons took the elements of the broken body and shed blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Then I proceeded to organize the Society, twenty-seven persons signing their names to the roll. It was a precious, as well as a historic, occasion - that organization of the first religious society in what is now Floyd County. The next day, the members commenced to work for the erection of a church for themselves. The lot was procured, work commenced and pushed forward, and on November 25, 1817, I preached the sermon dedicating the church to the worship of Almighty God. By common consent, it was named Wesley Chapel. It was a high day for Methodism in New Albany.”
This first church was a frame building about 20x40 feet and was located on Lafayette Street between Market and Spring Streets. It was not lathed or plastered, and in cold weather the meetings were held in the home of Mrs. Hannah Ruff on State Street. It had plank seats around the sides and one end of the building so that the older folk could lean back against the walls in comfort while the preacher preached. The other seats in the church were split logs with long wooden pins driven into the round part for legs and had no back. Early to church was the custom of the times, not only to be there for the beginning of service, but also to secure a seat with a back. As the church had “sleeping pillars” then as now, at times the members or attendants found themselves suddenly awakened by a fall to the floor. Later this crude building was abandoned by the church, was moved to Main Street, and subsequently it burned.
All those who donated material, labor, and skill to the erection of the little frame church, long ago departed for their heavenly rest. Thomas Sinex, Daniel Seabrook, John Angell, George Evans (who did the carpenter work) lived lives of devotion to the Master.
The records for 1819 show that the Rev. John Schrader was the preacher in charge of a four-week J circuit - that is, there was preaching once in four weeks with class and prayer meetings held between.
Sixty-seven members was the strength of this church in New Albany in 1821.
About this time, the Legislature of the state passed a law regulating the election of trustees for churches. To quote from the record, “The members of the Methodist Church in the town of New Albany met at the house of John Bodger on the evening of the 11th day of June 1821, to elect trustees, after having given 10 days notice as the law required.” Rev. John Schrader acted as president and John Bodger, clerk. The following persons were elected: Benjamin Blackiston, Edward Brown, Sr., Peter Stoy, Robert Downey, and Thomas Sinex. These were the first trustees of the church in the town and they were elected, according to the record, “for the purpose of receiving any donations that may be made to church.” The later history shows that they not only received, but wisely expended these donations.
On October 18, 1826, the trustees bought the lot on the southeast corner of Market and Lower First Streets, on which to build a new church. The price paid was $81.00. The lot was 60 feet front by 100 feet deep and was then central to the population of the town.
In 1827, a one-story brick church of about 35x50 feet was built on this lot. The front of the building was about 40 feet back from the street with a large yard in front enclosed with a high, open fence having a fancy gate with a high, circular top. What a source of satisfaction and comfort it must have been for the congregation, who had been meeting in the crowded, unplastered church on Lafayette Street, to meet in the new, comfortable, and commodious brick church. They laid their plans broad and deep for the Lord; they made sacrifices to carry them out; they lived frugally and saved that they might give to the Lord, and He accepted their offerings. Much, yes, very much, of the subsequent welfare, prosperity, and morality of New Albany is due to the self-sacrificing men and women comprising this early Methodist Church. In 1833 or 1834, a wing, 15x50 feet, was added on each side of the original structure, making a building 65x50 feet. It was at this time that the steamboat men, many of whom attended there when home, named the church “The Old Ship of Zion.” “For,” said they, “she has her wings spread and is ready to sail away.”
It must be kept in mind that the ‘Old Ship’ (Wesley Chapel) was one of the most important charges in the Indiana Conference. It bears the proud distinction of being the scene of the organization of the Indiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. This important event took place October 17, 1832.
In 1835, the church, having been blessed with comparative prosperity, undertook a work that had such a salutary influence on the future both of the church and the town of New Albany that this history would be incomplete if mention were not made of it. Many of the members were those who in their youth had only limited means of education, yet they determined to build an educational institution in New Albany in order that their children might have the advantages of a better education than was then possible. Who can say but that this resolution was the planting of the seed which resulted in the building of Asbury University, afterwards known as DePauw University, only a few years later? This early church bought the lot adjoining the church property on the east, 60 feet front and 100 feet deep, and on this ground put up a frame building 60 feet front and 40 feet deep. It was divided into three rooms, two on the ground floor and one upstairs, with stairs at each end. It was called the New Albany Methodist Seminary. It was the school of the town and many hundreds of boys and girls received their best, and, in some instances, their only education there. The principals of this seminary were Marcellus Ruter, Rev. W.H. Goode, and George H. Harrison. Each had from one to three assistants. At that time, our present efficient public school system was unknown.
In 1838-39, there swept over the town one of the most powerful and far-reaching revivals ever known in its history. Meetings were held day and night for weeks. Hundreds crowded the altar of the church, and hundreds were saved.
The result of this meeting was that again the church outgrew its quarters. The trustees determined to build a new church uptown and Centenary Church was built in 1839, not by Centenary membership, but by the trustees of Wesley Chapel.
With the building and naming of Centenary, the Old Ship resumed its original name Wesley Chapel. Both congregations continued members of the mother church for two years, after which the property and membership were divided, and each became a separate organization.
A few years later, the Methodist Episcopal Church of Portland, Kentucky, by its own request, was annexed to Wesley Chapel in New Albany, due, probably, to the agitation then beginning to be felt over the slave question. Their desire to be identified with Wesley Chapel was probably an indication of their position on that issue, as some of the members chose to join the Methodist Episcopal Church South.
In 1850, the ‘Old Ship’ was again filled to capacity and preparation was made to care for the overflow. Two hundred members were set off to form Roberts Chapel charge, now Main Street.
In 1852, the question of the advisability of, or the necessity for, another building for the mother congregation was agitated. On June 9, 1853, a meeting was held at which the preliminary arrangements were completed.
Early in the history of the Church, the question as to the means of improving the singing engaged the attention of the Official Board. Up to that time the plan had been for some good brother or sister to start the tune and the congregation joined in the singing of the hymn, the preacher reading it out two lines at a time. The time had now come, however, when churches were agitated over organs and choirs; there was much opposition to their introduction, many old members not consenting to this “new-fangled singing”; but progress was the order of the day, and both the choir and organ were finally introduced into Wesley Chapel.
The first choir was organized in the ‘Old Ship’ about the year 1851, with Benjamin Deacon as leader. The proper place in the church for the choir seemed an uncertain and delicate question. In the present auditorium, their place was in the center of the room; afterwards, they were moved to the gallery; from thence to the “amen” corner on the left hand side; and from there to the rear of the room. With this last move, one of the members of the Official Board offered a motion that the choir be placed on wheels. With the installation of the first pipe organ, the choir was moved to its present position in the front of the church.
After the organization of the choir, they continued for a number of years to sing without instrumental help. The membership was about equally divided on the question of introducing an organ in the service, but the advocates of this innovation were finally successful. The first instrument was a small cabinet organ. The next one was of more pretentious, costing $500.00. This was used until the first pipe organ was installed in 1877. This organ was built by Pilcher of Louisville at a cost of $800.00. It was set up in I.B. Friend’s shop on Pearl and Oak Streets, and afterwards, was moved into the church. The next organ was installed in 1887 at a cost of $2,200.00.
At the June 9, 1853 meeting, it was determined that the new church with the lot should cost no more than $15,000.00 and of this amount they expected to realize at least $6,000 or $7,000 from the sale of the old church property. That church lot was bought in the fall of 1853 at a cost of $1,500. The building was commenced in the spring of 1854. Unusual care was exercised in the laying of the foundation. Over fifty barrels of cement, a material unknown here up to that time, were used. The walls were built very heavy. 532,000 hard bricks were placed in the building - no soft bricks were allowed to be used.
The Sunday School class rooms of the new building were completed by the latter part of December 1854. The last service ever held in the ‘Old Ship’ was on the last Sunday in December 1854. It was a very solemn occasion and all felt as though they were leaving home. The only parts of the old church used in the new building were the old seats, which were transferred to the class rooms, and the altar, which was placed in the Sunday School room.
That building was used for the first time on the first Sunday in January 1855. The same order of seating was observed as in the old church, the males on one side and the females on the other. Under no circumstances were they permitted to sit together. These restrictions continued until the main audience room was dedicated, when a few families dared to break the rule and sit together. The main audience room was completed in September 1855, and the church was dedicated to the service of Almighty God on the second Sunday in November 1855 by Dr. Clark.
The cost of the structure, including the lot and furniture, totaled $19,164.56. The old church property had been sold in the spring of 1854 for over $7,000, and this together with the subscriptions received, left only $800 to be raised on dedication day.
The church history for many years after 1865 is sketchy, due to the fact that important records covering this period were lost in the Ohio River Flood of 1937.
It is a known fact, however, that sometime in the 1870s, the pulpit furniture in the sanctuary was donated to the church by Mr. John Shrader. It consisted of five cathedral chairs, the pulpit, a marble-top table, and two pedestals - all of walnut and beautifully hand-carved. These handsome pieces survived the flood and are still at the church.
At two or three different times, there was much talk of merging Wesley Chapel with another Methodist Church. In 1910, the plans to merge Main Street Church with Wesley Chapel advanced so far as to be published in two local newspaper articles. In this instance, the plan was to abandon Main Street building and to have the two congregations worship in Wesley Chapel. Again in 1920, the plan was to close Wesley Chapel and unite with Centenary. Too many loyal members would not entertain the thought of closing the mother church and nothing came of it.
During the years 1922 to 1926, Wesley Chapel remodeled class rooms, redecorated the interior, placed new lights in the sanctuary, acquired new equipment, and tuck-pointed and painted the exterior of the building. The total cost of these improvements was $3,800.
In 1936, there was much agitation as to the advisability of closing Wesley Chapel altogether. A sufficient number of loyal members opposed the proposition and supported the move to continue its operation. Later developments have proved the wisdom of their determination, for by their devotion and hard work; Wesley Chapel has enjoyed steady, if sometimes slow, progress.
The church suffered considerably from the Ohio River Flood of 1937, but due to the foresight of its builders, survived with a minimum of damage to the structure itself. The water reached a stage of five feet on the first floor, inflicting serious loss on furniture and fixtures. Rehabilitation of the Sunday School rooms, the halls, and entire first floor of the parsonage was necessary.
The Woman’s Society of Christian Service, a merger formed by the union of the Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society and the Woman’s Home Missionary Society and allied organizations, became effective in Wesley Chapel in 1940.
Early in his pastorate, about 1942, Rev. Carl Allinger organized the Methodist Youth Fellowship, which included the youth between the ages twelve and twenty-three.
Rev. W.A. Amerson became pastor of Wesley Chapel in 1946 when membership was low. After a short time the sanctuary was redecorated. Then in 1951, an educational unit was built for $30,000.00. Membership began to grow and in 1953 was nearly double what it had been before his arrival.
In September 1959, Wesley Chapel purchased the Carney property at 2212 State Street for a new parsonage along with two acres of ground. Rev. Lloyd Shannon was pastor at this time. On May 11, 1960, the Trustees purchased an additional acre of ground adjacent to the recently acquired property. Since remodeling and repairs to the old church would be quite costly, the congregation voted for re-location. On March 5, 1961, the old church was put up for sale, bringing $50,000 from the New Albany Tribune.
The last service in the old building was June 7, 1964, terminating 110 years of Christian work in the building. Services were held at the Masonic Temple during this four-month period.
Ground was broken for the new building on January 26, 1964, and the first worship service was January 24, 1965 with Bishop Richard Raines preaching and conducting the ceremony.
After serving for seven years at Wesley Chapel, Rev. Lloyd Shannon moved on to another church. Rev. Shannon led Wesley during a very exciting but difficult period as the church was relocated on State Street. Later, at his retirement, Rev. Shannon returned to serve as an assistant until his death in 1981.
Rev. Richard Armstrong then came to Wesley Chapel to serve what was to become the longest tenure as pastor of all the previous ministers assigned to Wesley Chapel. During his pastorate, both the church building and the parsonage were paid off by 1973. Other than the physical changes at Wesley, there was great spiritual renewal that occurred during this time. Wesley experienced several lay witness missions and revivals that were significant in the spiritual growth of the congregation. Wesley also saw an increase in youth involvement as the UMYF grew and flourished and became a real evangelistic outreach arm of the church.
In 1977, Rev. Huie Holloway was assigned to replace Rev. Armstrong. During the brief pastorate of Rev. Holloway, new Sunday School classes were started and many young couples found their way into Wesley Chapel’s fellowship. With the unexpected departure of Rev. Holloway in the fall of 1981, Rev. Lloyd Sawyer gave able leadership until the conference assigned Rev. John Thrasher to Wesley in January 1982.
The pastorate of John Thrasher was an exciting period in the life of the church. The church began having an annual mission conference where over $50,000 is raised annually. In addition the church with the inspiration of one of its young men raised nearly $30,000 to purchase an airplane for the Wings of the Morning that operates in Zaire.
As the church continued to grow, an additional worship service was added to Sunday morning and a dynamic Sunday evening service continued to meet the needs of the membership. Rev. Amerson returned to Wesley in 1984 on his retirement and served as the assistant pastor with special emphasis on visitation and evangelism.
During the mid-1980s, a Long Range Planning Committee was formed to look at the future and make plans as Wesley approached a new decade and century. A building committee was formed and the Dale property adjacent to the north was purchased in 1989. In the fall of 1989, a financial campaign led by Wesley’s lay people successfully raised over $700,000 as a part of “Sharing the Vision” program. Our Family Life Center, the fruit of these labors, was completed in January 1991.
In 1998, the Revs. Mark and Becky Suter came to Wesley Chapel as a clergy team. They brought with them, besides their two daughters Sarah and Emily, a new and fresh enthusiasm and new ideas. With their leadership, we looked to the future with great expectations.
In November 2000 Pastor Don Smith, came to be our directing pastor and brought his family: wife, Jane, children: Ben Leanne, Jabus and grandson, Jeremy. In the new milennium God would get our attention and begin a new journey of seeking new property for the church to move to and expand their facilities and ministry. We are in the final stages of selling our State Street property and moving to transitional locations until our new church building is built and open for service.*
Upon the retirement of Pastor Don Smith, retired Pastor Steve Seitz has become our interim pastor leading us in preparations for our move.*
The Indiana United Methodist Conference has also made us aware that we will be receiving a new lead pastor in July, Pastor Tony Alstott.*
Wesley has had, also, hundreds of outstanding lay persons who have been active ministers for their church. Wesley could not continue to be a “Church that Cares” without these lay people and other staff persons over the history. Wesley Chapel will continue to be a church that cares.
Sail on “Old Ship”, nor fear the gales
Our hopes and prayers will fill thy sails,
Until thy sails at last are furled
In a new and ransomed world.
* 2000+ additions- Annette Gadlage
previous compilation by, Sherley Kendal
previous Church Historian
resources: The History of Wesley Chapel Celebrating its 150th Year by Fannie Wolf, Helen Bence, Irma Mae Hubler, Florence Mann & Hazel Long