Our Church History

Missouri Avenue was established in 1888 and quickly outgrew its facilities. This church was looking for a new location, and may have bought the land on Bessie Street for itself. We will never know. What we do know is that Missouri Avenue bought two lots in November of 1884. Then their wooden building burned in 1895, clearing the location where they were, so they rebuilt at that site. (And they built again around 1907 - the building that now serves as St. Andrew's United Methodist.)

Rebuilding in the same spot left them with two vacant lots over on Bessie Street with a deed restriction that it be used for "a house of worship." And that's where we come in.

The first building, dating probably from 1895 or 1896, was a classic Victorian clapboard. In the early photographs we see hitching posts and a gas light out front. The original small gothic pulpit from this church survives - proudly displayed in the entrance area of our church today.

By 1919 the pastor of Glenwood was complaining that the building was small and hard to heat in winter. In 1925 the thriving congregation moved a couple of blocks over to a fine new facility, brick and the popular style of the day. (This building, at the corner of Vickery and Riverside, later became the first home of Bethel Temple, and is now Central Christian Church.)

The Great Depression took its financial toll on Glenwood, which lost its new church to the mortgage company. The congregation was allowed to rent the property during the 30's, but this could not continue, for our Discipline requires that Methodists own their place of worship. With the great Uniting Conference of 1939 (when the Methodist church, divided north and south over slavery before the Civil War, reunited), our Conference had to have all of its churches in line with the Discipline. Glenwood was told it must either buy back its building or move out. The painful decision was made to move out.

With the new location came a new name: Ash Crescent Methodist. The attractive stone chapel, dedicated in 1941, served our congregation for over 20 years - a time of stability as a good neighborhood church - until the Great Divide" of 1962. Planning another move, the church could not agree on a new location. Half the members left to form Eastern Hills Methodist. Half remained, changing the name to St. Matthew in 1964. This division was more shattering than the loss of the great church building in 1939.

(The joyful reality today, of course, is that St. Matthew and Eastern Hills have now reclaimed their common heritage, recognizing and celebrating a unique relationship. In 1996, as part of a plan to enrich life and ministry for both congregations, our two "sister churches" were "linked on a charge," now sharing some aspects of ministry. This relationship has become a model of its kind.)

In 1982 we began the turn - around with dramatic growth, and we have moved steadily forward ever since. By the 1990's we needed more room for our great special services. We also wanted to create a worship area that would - of itself - give witness to the beauty and grace of Christ. Our building work in 1992 transformed our sanctuary.