About Us

The Allegan United Methodist Church is a caring, dynamic community of faith, where all people are invited to encounter God and celebrate the Risen Lord. Through God we grow spiritually, emphasize the our individual relationships with Christ and others, and simultaneously serve and change with the needs of the community.

We have 320 official members. An average of 150 people attend church each Sunday, including members, those who regularly attend and visiotrs.

History of the Church

The history of the Allegan United Methodist Church extends back in time to the founding of Allegan as a village in 1836. The first Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in the same year and met for worship in a school house on Hubbard Street.

In 1839, the Methodist society outgrew the school house, so property was purchased on the corner of Trowbridge and Walnut streets. A building was erected later that year at our current location. The building was spacious enough to attract the Circuit Court away from the school building and hold sessions in the new building as well. The build was also the first Methodist Church building in western Michigan. At that time, all other Methodist churches were in the Detroit area.

The building lasted 14 years before being destroyed by fire in 1853. A second wooden structure was resurrected from the ashes of the first. The new edifice was more like the "early American" church building. The exterior was painted white and the main entrance was on Walnut Street. It was the first church to have a square tower housing a bell.

With the turn of the century came the sale and removal of the white, wooden church building and preparations for the present stone building. The new church was dedicated on Sept. 4, 1905.

Since that time the building and congregation have grown and stretched, but the commitment to the work of Christ in the Allegan community has not changed. Though we've experienced fire, rain, war, growing pains, and many personal tragedies, we are still offering Christ's love to all.

 

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