Our History
Introduction
The story of the Goddard UMC is a small part of the story of Methodism. Although you'll have to look elsewhere for the broad sweep of our denominational history, a few important stories will give you a taste of our heritage.
History of Methodism in Goddard
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| Goddard church 1884-1915 |
Our history begins 10 years after the close of the Civil War. In 1875, Wichita was still a frontier town. Much of the Kansas prairie was still untouched by the plow, and the railroad was pressing toward the Pacific Ocean. The following year revival services were held in the Attica School House, one mile east and one-half mile north of the Goddard Road and Highway 54 intersection. The spring following those meetings a retired Methodist minister, Rev. J. N. Nessley, began preaching services and continued without pay for 3 years.
In 1882, plans were made to build a church in the Blendon settlement, the site of the revival, when it was discovered the railroad was going to pass through the area one and one-half miles to the south. Plans to build in Blendon were immediately abandoned and the church located instead in the settlement named for the railroad surveyor, Mr. Goddard. It was May 1884.
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| Second church 1915-1968 |
The present Goddard United Methodist Church stands on the site of the original. This first church was a one-room frame building of the New England type of architecture. It was completed and dedicated in May, 1884. The original church was torn down in 1915 and a new brick church was built and was dedicated on September 19, 1915.
The Methodist Church, built in 1915, was destroyed by fire August 22, 1968 by unknown arsonists. By 1970, a contract was given to Ed P. Kletchla, architect and contractor, to build a new sanctuary for $110,000.00. During the time the new church was being built, Morning Worship and Homebuilders Sunday School class met in City Hall, and the Coffee Cup class met in the Western Auto Store.
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| The present Goddard United Methodist Church |
The ground breaking ceremony was held November 8, 1970, and the building was completed in May, 1971.Rev. Lawrence Grove presided at the mortgage burning ceremony on a Sunday evening in May, 1976. The dedication service was held in October, 1976, with Pastor Dr. Wayne Blakely officiating.The new church was built of Silverdale cut stone and brick which matches those used in the Educational Building. The santuary has a seating capacity of 260 with overflow seating of 120 in the Fellowship Hall. The choir loft seats 32. It also includes a basement with a kitchen and three Sunday School rooms.
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| Bell from 1915 church |
The bell in the church yard was mounted as a memorial to: John Parks, Mytle Stoehr, Maggie Stroud, Ida Sterling, Eleanor Chamberlain - in a ceremony held July 4, 1975. It is from the previous church which was erected in 1915. Since there is no indication of funds for purchasing a bell at that time, it is possible this is the Big Bell from the original Goddard Methodist Church erected in 1884.
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History of Methodism in America
The first leaders of the Methodist movement in America arrived in 1760. They were Philip Embury and Robert Strawbridge, local Methodist preachers who came from Ireland. Strawbridge organized the first Methodist society in Maryland in 1763; Embury subsequently in New York in 1766. Later, another young man would come from England by the name of Francis Asbury.
With the opening of the Revolutionary War, nearly all the English clergy returned to England, leaving the Methodist societies without preachers or the sacraments. Never intending to begin a denomination distinct from the Anglican Church, necessity forced John Wesley's hand. In September 1784, the aging Wesley reluctantly began ordaining clergy for the Methodist movement in the colonies.
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| Francis Asbury |
Organizing the fledgling movement in America was deemed critical, so a conference of all the Methodist preachers was set for December 24, 1784. Called by Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury, 60 preachers, most of them single men under 30 years of age, met in Baltimore at the Lovely Lane Chapel. On this date and in this place The Methodist Episcopal Church was founded.
Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke were elected superintendents at this conference. After a session lasting 10 days, the preachers left for their widely scattered ministries. Many followed the wagon trails heading to the western frontier. In 1784, there were 83 traveling preachers and less than 15,000 members. By the time of Asbury's death in 1816, there were 200,000 members and more than 700 preachers.
Two other movements similar to Methodism also began in the colonies, but with a defference. The Evangelical Church and United Brethren Chuch began life ministering to Gernam-speaking immigrants. In our own century, these two groups merged in 1947 to become the Evangelical United Brethren Church. In 1968, the Evangelical United Brethren denomination merged with the Methodist Episcopal Church to form the United Methodist Church.
Back to topThe Wesleyan Movement
The United Methodist Church has its roots in the Wesleyan revival of the mid-1700's in the British Isles. At its heart, Methodism is a renewal movement, and in many places around the world, continues to be so. That movement, begun by John and Charles Wesley, is credited with sparing England the kind of bloody revolution that tortured France at the close of the 18th century, and later with ridding Britain of slavery. It was a truly powerful work of God whose effects were felt for generations.
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| Charles Wesley |
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| John Wesley |
The fact that it is renewal oriented springs from the experience of its founder, John Wesley. Raised in a parsonage home by godly parents, John never-the-less did not come by his vital faith easily nor early. Far from it. While studying at Oxford University in preparation for the Anglican priesthood, John formed the Holy Club. The members of this little band were committed to several spiritual desciplines, so much so that classmates soon ridiculed them as "methodists". The name stuck, and we are still Methodists today.
