West Addison United Methodist Church "In Ministry since 1824" Communion Celebrated on the First Sunday of the Month

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18 Church Street, West Addison, VT 05491 Church Office: (802) 877-3376 Sunday Worship 9:00 AM Rev. Jon P. Bly, Pastor

1824 - 1980 Compiled by Eleanor Pratt and Grace Hunt The first recorded Methodist activities in West Addison were in 1824.  The Reverend Cyrus Prindle was a circuit rider and it was arranged for West Addison to be included in his circuit.  The people in this part of town desired Methodist preaching and the meetings were held in the Chimney Point Schoolhouse now owned by Paul Nefflen.  The first sermon was preached in February 1824 by the Rev. Prindle who was on his way to Moriah, NY.  He had a 30 mile circuit and was appointed to preach at Chimney Point on Sunday at 5:00 once in four weeks.  He was engaged to preach for one year.  He was followed by the Reverend Hiram Meeker, who formed the first Methodist Society with the committee  of six persons in 1825.  This committee was comprised of Nathan Allen, P. Allen, John Benedict and wife, Cyrus Strong and wife, Pheby Strong.  It is of interest to note here that Mrs. Strong was born Pheby Walton in Weardale, England, in 1784 and was baptized in her infancy by John Wesley.  Nathan Allen lived south of the schoolhouse near Hospital Creek.  He was the first Sunday School Teacher and was later succeeded by John Benedict.  Brief mention is made of a quarterly meeting, probably held in 1828, with Buel Goodsell as Presiding Elder and Wesley Lake and Joseph Ames as Preachers.  There was also a revival meeting conducted by the Reverend Wesley P. Lake and forty to fifty persons were converted. Some records state that arrangements were made with the Congregational Society to hold Methodist services in the Old Academy.  This building had been moved from Lake Street to a location near the cemetery on the corner of Jersey Street.  During the administration of the Rev. W. W. Foster (1850) the Methodist Church at West Addison was built.  Trustees were Dariu Howard, John Strong, Judson Hurd and Orin Hoyt.  Building Committee were Orin Hoyt, John Strong, Judson Hurd, Aaron Hindes and Philo Bower. The deed states "The lot on which the church stands was given to the society so long as the church stands on the ground, afterward to be restored to the original owners."  This statement is still on record in the Land Records and deeds at the town clerk's office. Cost of the buildings was about $1300.  Sometime after 1880 the present church was altered by closing the gallery in front and building an addition at the rear.  In the writings in Child's Gazetteer, 1881-1882, it is stated that the church was erected at an early date, which did service till 1881 when the present structure was erected.  In a diary of Grace Hunt's father, it is stated that they attended a dedication of the new church in 1881 and then the following Sunday attended church at the school house, making it seem that the church was not quite ready to use. From church records there was a reorganization that took place in July 1841 under the Troy Conference.  The Reverend Charles H. Lovejoy is recorded as the first pastor.  The Rev. Lovejoy had a wide and varied experience, having served in New Hampshire and several charges in Kansas.  He also served as chaplain in the United States Army from 1862 to 1865.  He later returned to Kansas where he served as chaplain in the Kansas Legislature while it was still a territory.  He died in 1905 at the age of 94 years. In 1843 Mr. Lovejoy reported one hundred eighteen white and two colored members of the Methodist Church.  His salary was $234 plus $75 for "table expenses" for the year. The parsonage may have been built about 1850 as records of the Rev. Benjamin Cox show that he was a resident pastor in 1859.  This building was owned by Michael and Sally Angier and is now occupied by the Kachmar family.  Wilbur Pratt's Grandmother and Grandfather Atherton used to tell about papering the parsonage.  The Rev. Swatling was the last pastor to live there. Many improvements have been made in the building over the years.  The wood and coal furnace converted to oil.  Electricity came and then the pump organ was replaced by the purchase of the Estey organ in 1949.  It was a day of celebration when the note was burned and the organ payments fulfilled. The present piano in the rear of the church was given by Mrs. Sarah Herrmans.  Mrs. Bertha Loomis gave the wooden cross and candlestick holders that are on the altar.  Carleton Allis made the lectern which was given in memory of his grandparents.  The Rev. Lynwood Smith of Shelburne, Vt. made the chansel altar and these were done in the 1940's when the Rev. Harrison Davis was pastor.  The Rev. Davis thought the organization and building of the church was in the 1840's.  A 100 year celebration was held in 1940 and the church had a face lifting with new paint and the pews being arranged like they are at present.  In the 1950's Mr. Beebe from Moriah, NY did extensive work on the building. Grace Hunt has been the organist for this church many years, probably about 70 years.  She said she played occasionally when Ella Holcomb was organist. During the Rev. Cornelius VandenBrock's pastorate, the gold drapes were purchased and hung.  New hymnals and a pulpit Bible were Memorial gifts.  Memorial monies have purchased the carpeting for the church and the two pulpit chairs reupholstered. An organ fund has been established so that one day when the Estey organ has to be replaced it will be possible. Over the years Troy Conference appointed the ministers to have charges in Panton and Addison and sometimes in Bridport.  The records show that in 1933 the Rev. Frederick Adams was the first pastor to have both the Vergennes and West Addison charge. At present there are about 100 members on the Membership rolls. The building adjacent to the church is called the "Community House" and it was built in the early 1920's, carrying out the desire of the Rev. George Cornell (1915-20) and following a plan drawn up by the Rev. Anton Beza (1920-25).  It was dedicated on Labor Day in 1922 and for some years was used as a place to hold suppers, home talent plays, recreation for young people including basketball games.  It has more recently been renovated so as to be more easily used for suppers and meetings, the stage changed into a kitchen, and the high front gallery into a store room. Tri-town water was piped into the building and a gas hot water heater installed to help the ladies when dinners or suppers are held there. The parking lot has a marker dedicated to Charles Reed.  Trees have been planted in memory of Theodore Atherton, Martha Nuttall, and Ralph Hunt. The loving and caring for the West Addison parish had been furnished by many people for many years, and it is with a great hope that this lovely little church will stand for many generations to come. 1981 - 2000 Compiled by Virginia Mulliss, Jacqueline Provencher, Charles Reed, Mary Sleeper, Marilyn Smith, Marilla Webb and Will Webb During the past twenty years our church family and friends have continued to care for our church building and Community House.  They have reached out to others as well as helping one another in times of need.  The buildings have undergone many changes and improvements.  Old programs and ministries have been revived, and new ones begun. In 1987 ceiling fans were installed in the church.  Geehan's Decorating painted the inside of the church and vestibule.  New burgundy drapes were purchased from donations and hung at the windows.  The interior became very warm and inviting. During the summer of 1988 John Sweet built a ramp for handicap access to the church. In September 1989 church members voted to order thirty new United Methodist Hymnals using memorial funds. In 1992 thirty-five more hymnals were purchased with funds from the Marion Place bequest.  Also, the question of the western boundary survey was resolved with the new neighbors through a revised survey and quitclaim deeds.  Kelli and Bob Brigan donated the strip of land to the church in memory of friends, Mark Devino and Adam Prescott. In 1993 Mike Reed gave a used suspended furnace to the church which served well for several years. In 1995 one dozen metal chairs were purchased for the Community House. In 1996 Vacation Bible School and Sunday School restarted with the encouragement of Pastor James Bowen.  Dawn Reed and many other volunteers made these programs possible again.  Halloween parties, hayrides, and caroling became regular events again.  Many enjoyed and are still enjoying the then new weekly Bible studies. In the fall of 1996 many other changes took place.  The old spruce trees and others were cut down by volunteers and hauled away.  A power vent for the church furnace was installed because the old brick chimney was cracked and no longer worked properly.  The chimney was later taken down.  A new oil tank replaced a leaky one in the Community House cellar.  In addition, a fire insurance inspector asked the trustees to re-hang the inside and outside church doors to open outward and to install exit signs.  The carpentry work was done by Harbor Construction. Also, in 1996 the trustees voted to do some wiring and insulating work in the Community House after removing the suspended ceiling in the dining room area.  New wiring was strung for added outlets and a breaker box was put in by volunteers.  Lake Construction of Charlotte performed air sealing, insulating, and vapor barrier work.  In addition, the sump pump was lowered in the cellar. Roofs have  been repaired and painting has been done on the outside of the church and the front of the Community House throughout the last twenty years, and most recently in the summer of 1997.  At that time copper and slate were replaced on the steeple and it was also painted.  Jackie Provencher repainted the West Addison Methodist Church sign and it was re-hung on the front of the church. A thorough cleaning "bee" was held in April 1997 in the Community House.  The young adults washed  the ceilings, walls, floors and windows.  The bathroom was painted and new curtains were hung at the windows.  Three new metal tables were purchased from proceeds received by the sale of some old Community House furnishings. In the winter of 1998 a problem developed with the church furnace and members voted to purchase a new suspended furnace.  Tim Dow installed it.  Also, members voted to purchase eight Marvin aluminum clad thermopane windows from Flanders Building Supply to replace the old drafty ones in the church.  R.C. Volk Construction installed them.  In 1999 the UMW purchased an 80 gallon electric water heater and had it installed in the kitchen.  Palmer Electric of Middlebury and volunteers finished the wiring job in the Community House.  Two ceiling fans were wired, and a new entrance cable was run from the meter to the breaker box. This year of 2000 finds a new refrigerator in our kitchen purchased by the UMW.  In July an anonymous donor bought a beautiful new organ for our church.  It is a special gift that will be enjoyed for decades to come.  It is a joy to hear our organist, Ethel Bahre, play the organ every Sunday. Throughout the past twenty years many in our church family have faithfully worked on different projects and kept things running smoothly.  Our seventy year member, Charles Reed, has served us well, seeing that many repairs were done and the heat turned on and off as needed. The United Methodist Women's group has worked hard to support our church.  Recently, someone asked how many years the group had been serving chicken pie suppers/dinners.  The answer was "more years than anyone can remember." We are very thankful for all the memorial contributions given to our church that have made our repairs and improvements possible.  With so many working together great things are accomplished.

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