Bellbrook United Methodist Church

Milestones in the History of the Methodist Church in Bellbrook Sugarcreek Township

·        1812 Methodists erect first log house of worship in the Sugarcreek Bellbrook area at Whites Corner in land donated by Thomas White

·        1819 Methodists move their house of worship to lot 20 on W. Franklin St. in a log-hewn building facing east.

·        1828 Bellbrook Methodists split into 2 churches, Methodist Episcopal and Methodist Protestant (MP). The MP church built a building in 1842. The building was demolished in 1934 after the MP church went defunct.

·        1828-1844 The Methodist Episcopal group moved to a new location at 91 W. Franklin St.  They occupied a former brick school building until the present sanctuary was built in 1844 at 47 E. Franklin St. A new Bellbrook resident from Virginia generously donated the $5000 for the construction of the new one room sanctuary.

·        1844-1922  Two Franklin Street entrances existed on the building, one for ladies, one for gentlemen. The church had one room that could be divided into four sections by sliding drapes. It was heated by two pot-bellied stoves. Outside toilets were at the back of the half-acre lot.

·        1922 The bell cupola was built to house a bronze bell purchased in 1921 from a church demolished in Spring Valley and donated by Dr. A.N. Vanderman who lived next door at 55 E. Franklin St.

·        1937 Two rooms were added south of the sanctuary.

·        1949 The original two front doors were closed in and the narthex was added.

·        1956 Three classrooms and basement and indoor plumbing were added to the church.

·        1989 Major reconstruction of the sanctuary took place when the roof was removed and rebuilt.  The truss joints were reinforced with steel plates. The basement under the sanctuary had new concrete foundation piers added and was insulated.  New steel I-beams were added to support the floor.  The residence at 62 E. Franklin St. was acquired with a $40K grant from the Conference.  The residence was demolished and the land was used for a parking lot in 2001.

·        2001 The sanctuary interior was rebuilt with the altar moved from the south wall to the north wall.  Windows were replaced and the shutters removed.  A central aisle was added and pews and chandeliers were replaced.  A new narthex and accessible bathroom was added.

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