Methodist

First - First Methodist/Methodist Episcopal
N Pinkney & E. Mifflin
Built 1849-1853
Dedicated September 11, 1853
Demolished ???


Second - First Methodist
203 Wisconsin Ave.
Built 1872-1887
Demolished 1975


Third -

Methodist History

The beginning of Methodism in Madison coincides with the beginning of Madison itself. Records show that when the foundation was laid for Madison as Wisconsin’s new capitol, there were only four family dwellings and two or three lodging houses, each with its own barroom. In November, 1837, it was in one of these barrooms that Rev. Salmon Stebbins, circuit rider of the Methodist Church, preached the first sermon in the capitol city of Wisconsin. By March, 1838, a log barn "church" was completed and Rev. Samuel Pillsbury preached his first sermon to 36 Capitol workmen and four families while several hundred Native Americans stood outside and listened.

A great need was felt for a church building, and a lot at East Mifflin and North Pinckney Streets was purchased. The foundation was poured by June 12, 1849, but since members of the congregation were few and their means limited, it was not until 1853 that the building was finally dedicated.

Methodism grew rapidly, and in 1863 the Methodist Episcopal Church Building Association made plans to build a $50,000 church. It wasn't until 1872 that the land on the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and East Dayton Street was purchased for $5000. Rev. P.S. Mather reported, "I stood on the walls of the foundation from seven to ten hours a day superintending the work, acting as master builder by day and studying my sermons by night." The cornerstone was laid on September 29,1873, but the stone was not marked, and it was impossible to tell just which stone it was.

For three years the walls of the new building remained unfinished and the floor timbers were exposed to the weather. Work resumed in 1876, and the walls and roof of the lower level made a meeting place. From that point on, efforts increased to gather money for the building fund. Fund-raising projects included public lectures and concerts, and a public excursion by train to Devil's Lake (many Madisonians had never ridden on a train and most had never seen Devil's Lake). Finally work was resumed and on November 20, 1887, the congregation met for the first time in the beautiful new sanctuary, located on the second floor of the new building. The congregation had now existed for 50 years.

During this time the church had active programs for youth and young adults, including a Baraca program for boys, and a Bethany program for girls. The programs included church school, social functions, and service aspects. The groups thrived and grew, thanks to the dedicated efforts of their teachers, until the beginning of World War I, when most of the young men enrolled in the military. The Bethany group continued to meet for over 50 years.

The programs of First church grew to a point that additional space became necessary. After several years of planning, the Oxford addition was built in 1924, costing $140,000. This addition still houses the first floor Parlor, Library, and Prayer Room, and classrooms on the second and third floors. During the Great Depression it was feared the building would be lost because the church had difficulty paying the mortgage. However, First Wisconsin National Bank forgave $1 of the mortgage for each $1 paid, and much of the building was rented to the state government. By 1945, the debt had been decreased from $140,000 to $30,000.

In 1953 the interior of the sanctuary was redecorated and extensive repair was made to the exterior. Some of the sandstone had to be replaced, and one of the stones being turned was hollow. The unmarked cornerstone had been found!

In the late 1950's enthusiasm was high in the church and the church membership was rapidly growing. As a result, the education annex was added to the building in 1960. The new fireside room, kitchen and fellowship hall proved to be a great asset, but the location of the sanctuary on the second floor continued to pose a problem for those having difficulty with the stairs. A long-time member of the congregation took it upon herself to raise the funds for an elevator which was then installed.

Nationally, a merger between the Evangelical United Brethren Church and The Methodist Church occurred in 1968. Since a church of each denomination was located on the same city block, a merger seemed warranted. However, the majority of the E.U.B. members transferred their membership to Trousdale (now Trinity) Church. The E.U.B. property was purchased for $90,000; another $10,000 was spent to demolish the building and grade the land for a new development by First United Methodist Church. At about the same time, the Board of Trustees was informed by the city building inspector that the old stone church structure was unsafe, and they were denied the option of repairing it. An ambitious financial campaign was begun in 1970 to obtain funds to reduce indebtedness on various properties held by the church and to complete payment for the land on which a new sanctuary could be constructed.

In January 1973, a church conference approved the building project for a new sanctuary. The decision to rebuild immediately was given a resounding endorsement when a financial building crusade in the spring of 1973 raised the necessary funds. On February 2, 1975, the new sanctuary was consecrated. The completed building project provided not only a sanctuary, but additional offices, classrooms, and a chapel in the lower level. A few of the stained glass windows from the old sanctuary were renovated and can be seen in our present chapel.

In 1987 First United Methodist Church celebrated its sesquicentennial---150 proud years of Christian presence in downtown Madison. Through a special financial campaign, the debt was paid off and building improvements were made.

At a church conference in 1989 a vote was taken to purchase a new organ for the sanctuary. After a year of thorough study and design, the organ was constructed. The Austin organ consists of 3,434 individual pipes weighing 25,830 pounds. It arrived in Madison on August 17, 1992, was assembled and voiced, and on Sunday, December 6, 1992, the organ was played for the first time in a worship service. In 1995 an accessibility addition on the east side of the church added new, attractive entry and narthex space, an elevator to all 4 floors, new food pantry space, and new handicapped accessible rest rooms. A memorial art glass window is the centerpiece of the entryway. Lastly, in 1999, the sanctuary was remodeled to improve acoustics, lighting and sight-lines. The modern sanctuary is a warm, flexible area, ideal for a variety of programs, and fully accessible for all.

Throughout our history First Church has helped Methodism grow in the Madison community. We were instrumental in the development of Methodist Hospital (now Meriter-Capitol), Meriter Retirement Center, Meriter Terraces, and Meriter Health Center. First Church has assisted ten other United Methodist congregations in getting established in the Madison community, oftentimes offering volunteers, financial assistance, and, in some cases, a dedication service for those joining the newly formed congregation.

This congregation has a long history of outreach. In the early 1950's our congregation adopted a Romanian refugee family and helped them get established in the Madison community. The end of the Vietnam War brought opportunities to serve two families of refugee boat people. It was in the 1960's that Margaret Brancel, a member of First Church, and her husband, Fred, felt called to become Methodist missionaries. They served in Angola, Rhodesia, and Zimbabwe. In 1971 the First United Methodist Preschool and Kindergarten was founded. It was created as an outreach ministry in downtown Madison, providing high-quality child care to families of varied economic and cultural backgrounds. A modest Food Pantry program began in 1986 to meet the needs of those in our area. It began with a few grocery bags in the church office and has grown to an office, a store area, and a part-time paid Director. In 1984 the Hispanic United Methodist Church was created. It was comprised of people from a variety of Spanish-speaking countries and was housed in our building until 1996.



Demolition of Methodist Church 100 year old (1975) First United Methodist Church (formerly the First Methodist Episcopal Church) in the process of being demolished. It stood at the corner of E. Dayton and 203 Wisconsin Ave, which is now a garden area.