Seward United Methodist Church celebrates 150 years

For 150 years, the Methodist Church has been serving the Seward community.

“I thought it was interesting - the church grew with the nation,” member Jeannie Jeary said.

The church will celebrate Sunday, Sept. 17, with a variety of activities. Ruben Saenz Jr., resident bishop of the Great Plains Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, will speak at both the 8:15 and 10:30 a.m. services. Members of 50 years or more will be recognized in both services, as well.

A new stained glass window, designed by JoEllen Axthelm, will be dedicated. Rachel Pozehl and Vicki Hiser cut the glass pieces for the window and taught church members how to build the mosaic.

Members will plant a maple tree on the southeast corner of the church, which will provide shade to the daycare.

The Seward Crossmakers have also designed a special cross to honor the celebration.

According to the church’s history, the first Seward-area sermon was preached in June 1865 by the Rev. Dr. McKesson near W.W. Cox’s home.

In 1867, the first class was formed by the Rev. Skaigs. The history describes him as “a wide-awake young fellow” who “worked faithfully for his church.”

The first church building was constructed at Third and Jackson streets in 1873 and dedicated in 1874. Its first pastor was Robert Robotham, but circuit riders also preached regularly, Jeary said.

The cornerstone of the second church, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was laid in 1889. The dedication in 1890 included all the main part of that church, the history said. It was located where the current fire department building is.

“It was the largest in town when it was built,” member Virginia Cattle recalled.

The sanctuary was two stories high and included a 60-seat balcony. The communion rail rolled out for people to kneel on, she said.

The church was decorated with walnut panels and etched class and included theater seating, so the seats in the back were higher than the seats in the front, she said. The sanctuary opened into the annex which included a full stage.

The church bought its pipe organ in 1916.

“We were very proud of the organ,” Cattle said.

An addition was finished in 1924 that included a kitchen and dining room.

The only drawbacks to that church building were that the restrooms were in the basement, and there was no parking, Cattle said.

Sunday school classes were available for people of all ages, and the Ladies Society of the Seward Methodist Church offered an opportunity for women to meet in monthly groups for fellowship.

“Sunday school used to be a big thing,” member Virginia Fraser said. “We’d have 300 people. Now if we have 40, it’s a lot.”

Frasier said the idea of a sabbath, or a day of rest, was very important to the early settlers. People usually had special clothes for Sundays, Jeary recalled.

“Church was the social center of their lives,” Fraser said.

In addition to Sunday school, the church conducted two-week Bible schools in the summer.

Jeary said the Ladies Social Union, which was formed in 1910, helped pay off the church debt. The union became the United Methodist Women in 1973.

Cattle remembered a quilt that was made to raise money for the first church. One of the names on that quilt was Mrs. John Cattle – but that wasn’t her. It was her husband’s great-aunt from England, she said.

The women also helped with the chautauquas in Seward, Jeary said. The original chautauqua was held on an old Methodist campground in New York.

The Women’s Christian Temperance Union, which supported prohibition in the 1930s, was also a Methodist organization.

“The church forbade all Americans to drink,” Jeary said.

Other fellowship opportunities are recorded in the church history, as well. The “mosquito camp” captured historian Nan Miller’s imagination. The Epworth League, which was the young people’s organization, met to camp southeast of town in July 1919. Those who attended had to walk to and from the camp, which was called “mosquito camp” because of “the abundant supply of mosquitoes,” the history said.

Music has been very important throughout the church’s history. The church has had a choir almost since the beginning.

“Methodists were known for their hymns and harmonies,” Jeary said.

“Seward has always had a good choir,” Fraser added.

Cattle said the fully robed choir would process into the sanctuary every Sunday.

Jeary said the church always performed Easter and Christmas cantatas.

“We sang some really great music,” she said.

Combine and grow

Church members began considering a new building in 1958. The church needed new mortar to keep the bricks in place, and the remaining tower was “in a dangerous condition,” the history said.

The church’s current site, on Fifth Street and Northern Heights, was purchased in October 1963. Groundbreaking was held June 23, 1968.

The Methodist Church joined with the Evangelical United Brethren in 1968. The EUB had existed in Seward since 1872. Originally the United Brethren Church, it combined with the Evangelical Church in 1946 to become the Evangelical United Brethren Church.

On Sept. 21, 1969, the new building for the Seward United Methodist Church was dedicated. The cornerstone was laid at an afternoon service.

The previous Methodist Church building was torn down. Some of the colored glass from its windows was saved and made into a wall hanging. The pipe organ was moved to the new church building.

“It was one of the few things we could save,” Cattle said.

The former EUB Church building is now home to Mighty Fortress Lutheran Church.

UMC today

Today’s membership is about 700. It currently has 56 members of at least 50 years. Cattle has been a member for 85 years.

Cattle was confirmed and married in the previous church building. Her children were also confirmed and baptized there, and her daughter Becky was married there, as well.

The church is home to FoodNet, which provides pantry items and fresh produce to anyone who wants it, and Bright Beginnings Day Care, which was opened in 2006.

The Seward United Methodist Women continue their annual bazaar, which was first held in 1952 in the former building.

Pastors are appointed to a church by the district superintendent, Jeary said. Fraser, whose husband TJ was a Methodist pastor, said they lived in eight different places.

Jeary said the longest-serving pastor in Seward was here for 11 years.

Jeary remembered the Rev. Springer and his wife who were the youth directors and took the young people to ball games.