Centennial United Methodist Church

Collection

Identifier: RHC-RC-333

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Centennial United Methodist Church Records document the history of Methodism in Rockford, Illinois. The records are comprised of nine series: (l) Historical Records (2) Administrative Records, (3) Financial Records, (4) Memberships, (5) Church Groups and Committees, (6) Audio-visual, (7) Publications, (8) Artifacts, and (9) Oversize. The records date back to1831, but are predominantly from the late nineteenth century through the present day. Arrangement is by series and then loosely by subject and date within each series. The first series contains the historical records of the church. Included are biographical records, building records, pastor and reverend files, and clippings. The second series, Administrative Records, consists of minutes, annual reports, and correspondence and agreements from the administrative bodies of the church from 1877 to 2009. This section also contains conference reports (1858-2016), additional administrative correspondence (1951-2009), employee records, awards, and service to community organizations records. The third series, Financial Records, consists of ledgers, budget and treasury reports, building and construction funds, expense reports, and bonds. The General Fund Ledgers records are incomplete but date back to 1882, the year that construction began for the present day Centennial United Methodist Church (CUMC). This series contains several records documenting church development, renovation, and expansion, including the Memorial Chapel Fund (1944-1946), the Expansion Plan Building Fund (1950-1951), Education Work Area Budget (1986-1991), and the Brick Restoration Fund (1991-1995). The bonds are evidence of the financial issues facing the church, particularly the strain in the late 1920s documented by the 1926 bonds which were mostly purchased by members. Membership records comprises series four. Included is an incomplete record of church bulletins from 1883 to 2008 and directories from 1893 to 2006. The church newsletters, which date from 1942 to 2009, are mostly complete. This series also contains the membership, baptisms and marriages records from 1859 to 1980. Researchers may also find material related to member correspondence, member events and activities, and programs for baptismal, marriage, and memorial services within this series. The fifth series, Church Groups and Committees, documents the committees, societies, groups, and classes. Groups whin this series that are well documented with nearly complete records are women’s societies: Ladies’ Aid Society (1899-1931), Women’s Society of Christian Service (1888-1991), and United Methodist Women (1968-2009). Records for the Methodist Men from 1947 to 1959 are also a part of this series. Also included are records documenting the education and care of children: Sunday School (1886-1997), Little People’s Place (1989-1996), and Saturday Kids’ Club (1994-2006). Records related to mission work may also be found in this series. Records for CUMC Classes (i.e., Golden Rule, Friendship, Oxford, Builders, Whitman, and Joyful Noise) date from 1923 to 2007 and document the spiritual growth and commitment of its members. The sixth series, Audio-visual, contains scrapbooks, photographs, postcards, ephemera, and a photo albums capturing the development of church buildings as well as a history of congregation members, member activities, and church groups and events. The photographs in this series are loosely arranged in accordance with the collection’s series order (historical, members, and church groups and committees) and then by date. Publications comprise the seventh series, most of which are books related to the history of Methodism or books used for worship. Also included are two issues of Northwest Quarterly, a lifestyle and business magazine for Northern Illinois. The eight series, Artifacts, contains plaques, pins, commemorative plates, a communion set, a travel communion kit, and print blocks and type used for an anniversary celebration. A representative sample of The Reporter, newspaper of the Northern Illinois Conference of United Methodist, from 1989-2012 is also a part of this series. Oversize materials such as photographs and portrait drawings of reverends, architectural renderings, posters, maps, charters, and newspaper clippings make up series nine.

Dates

created: 1831-2016
Other: Majority of material found in 1880+
Other: Date acquired: 10/29/2012

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on access to the collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights in the collection belong to the Regional History Center; literary rights are dedicated to the public.

Biographical or Historical Information

The first Methodist sermon conducted in Winnebago County was by Reverend Samuel Pillsbury of the Fox River Mission was at the home of Henry and Mary Enoch, located 7.5 miles northeast of Rockford, in July 1836. On September 2, 1836, Reverend William Royal of the Fox River Mission preached a sermon at the home of Samuel Gregory, located 1 mile east of Rockford. At the end of the service Reverend Royal organized a Methodist Class consisting of five charter members (Samuel and Joanna Gregory, Daniel and Mary Beers, and Mary Enoch) founding the Methodist Church in Rockford. The first parsonage erected was in 1838 on First Street between Prairie and Lafayette Streets and became known as Rock River Conference. In 1846, the church sold its parsonage on First Street and had enough funds to purchase six lots ($325) on South Second Street where they would complete a brick sanctuary building on August 3, 1848 at a grand total of $7,000. A “grout house” parsonage was built south of the sanctuary building in 1849. On January 1, 1852 the Second Methodist Episcopal Church was establish because a group of approximately fifty members wanted a church closer to their home on the west side of Rock River. The original congregation was bestowed with the name First Methodist Episcopal Church. When the Second Methodist Episcopal Church purchased land on Court Street, this congregation was named Court Street Methodist Episcopal Church. The First Episcopal Methodist Church organized its first Sunday School in 1855. In 1858, eighty members of First Methodist Episcopal Church were dissatisfied with pew rental, so land was purchased at 607 East State Street and this congregation became known as the Third Street Methodist Church. The First and Third Street Churches reunited in 1876. On May 6 the new name of Centennial Methodist Episcopal Church was chosen to honor the 100th anniversary of the founding of the United States. Pastor Reverend Giles L. Wiley of First Methodist Church began teaching Bible class for members near Ninth Street in 1877. The congregation of approximately forty members became the Epworth Methodist Episcopal Church. The bought the old Swedish Methodist Episcopal Church on Ninth Street and became known as the Ninth Street Church. This congregation moved two more times, with the last move to Broadway, eventually becoming the Broadway United Methodist Church. In order to accommodate all of the members of the united congregation, the original church at South Second Street was torn down by June 10, 1882 and a new building was erected in its place at a cost of $37,000. Construction was completed and the church was open for services on the first Sunday in February 1883. The dedication of the church took place on September 9, 1883. The church was constructed in the Victorian Gothic style and one of its more striking features is the antique stained glass windows. From 1885 to 1887, funds were raised ($3,000) and a pipe organ was installed in the sanctuary. Extensive remodeling to the interior of the church was done in 1909, including the development of a narthex area at the rear of the sanctuary. A memorial chapel was created on the second floor in 1944 or 1945. The church went through two large construction projects in the 1950s. A new parsonage building was constructed at 508 North Vale Avenue in 1951. The end of World War II and the return home of service members resulted in an influx of young families so the Centennial Methodist Church, changed from Centennial Methodist Episcopal Church in 1939, raised funds to raze the parsonage at 225 South Second Street and build the Education Building as an annex to the original church. The Education Building was completed in 1956 and cost $200,000 to construct. In 1969, the Centennial Methodist Church unite with the Evangelical United Brethren Church to form Centennial United Methodist Church. Reverend William O. Risinger, pastor of Centennial United Methodist Church, began a ministry in 1976 to a group of Hispanic members that regularly met at the home or Mr. And Mrs. Jesse Garcia. In November 1978, Reverend Danubio Estrada was appointed as pastor for this congregation and services were regularly held in the chapel of the Centennial United Methodist Church. Centennial United Methodist Church experienced a decline in membership in the late 1960s and 1970s, yet the Church has remained important to the story of Rockford and committed to the downtown area. The Church celebrated in 180th Anniversary in 2016.

Note written by

Extent

20.00 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement Note

Arrangement is by series and then loosely by subject and date within each series.

Physical Access Requirements

Some of the items in the collection are fragile, such as scrapbooks, conference records, bound ledgers and minutes, and oversize materials, and it is at the discretion of staff whether photocopies can be made. Transcripts are available for the Church Records: Memberships, Baptisms, and Marriages from 1859 to 1915 (box 9). Photocopies of the originals will not be permitted.