aboutchrist

Church shortly after the close of World War II. I believe it is
beneficial for you to read an excerpt of their writing leading to the
establishment of this congregation. "We the committee members
recognize the responsibility placed upon us and the far-reaching and
eternal consequences of our recommendations for the kingdom of God.
As we studied each group we recognized that in each congregation
there is a heritage made sacred by the sacrifice and toll of many
consecrated souls, some of them your dear ones. At the altars your
children have been baptized; wedding vows have been exchanged; the
remains of dear ones have been brought for the last service of
devotion. These we understand and appreciate along with you. But your
vision of the Kingdom of God and your dreams for a strong Methodist
Church in Sutton has prompted you, while cherishing the past, to press
on with strong desire to show forth the spirit of Christ by becoming
united for service, united for worship, united for the advancement of
God's Kingdom."

It was with this that Christ Church United Methodist was officially
formed on March 1, 1949 when two congregations, First Methodist
Episcopal Church and ST. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church, South,
came together to promote a united Methodist witness to the people of
Sutton. This union came just ten (10) years after these two Methodist
bodies joined together with the Methodist Protestant Church in 1939,
healing division lasting more than 120 years among their parent bodies.
At the time these congregations united, it was decided that our present
building, though still under construction, would better serve the needs
of this new congregation. The congregation of Christ Church used the
former First Methodist building for worship while construction
continued on this building. Our new building was officially opened on
October 15th, 1950 with a debt of $15,000 against it. Through the
efforts of countless lay people and the efforts of their pastors this
debt, while substantial at the time was retired by Christmas 1955.

It's been a long time since Christ Church came together and in the
intervening years we have become Christ Church United Methodist
when the Methodist and Evangelical United Brethren came together in
1968. May it still be our goal as we move forward in this new century
so that we too are: "united in service, united for worship, united for
the advancement of God's kingdom."