New Waterford UMC to mark 150th year at service, program

STAFF REPORT

NEW WATERFORD — New Waterford United Methodist Church, 46925 S. State St., will celebrate 150 years of worship.

A service will take place at 10:45 a.m. Sept. 27. A luncheon will follow at noon along with a program with former pastors. “A Place To Be Connected To God and Each Other” is the theme.

The public is invited to attend. Committee members are Carol Turney, Marge Roberts and Eileen Esterly. For information, call (330) 457-7436.

The church was started in May 1858 in a barn in New Waterford. In 1859, the meeting house was built and dedicated. There were 20 members. By November 1879, 100 members worshipped.

The Sunday school was started in 1879.

In 1906, the parsonage was built at a cost of $2,200 raised by the Ladies Aide Society.

In 1920, the building was moved back and turned with a new sanctuary being added at a cost of $10,000.

In 1959, eight new classrooms were added, also a library, and a study for the pastor.

Membership has grown over the years. The church worked together to send two teams to Haiti to build a school and church.

In 2004, work was started on a new fellowship hall and new Sunday school rooms.

Many events took place to raise money for the project.

The work was completed in 2005. The next phase will be to finish the sanctuary.