Church Anniversary Celebrations

The intention of the Commission and the Ohio Methodist Historical Society (OMHS) is to recognize the founding date of the church. However, we leave it up to the congregation to use the date they have been celebrating as their anniversary. We have found that some of the dates various churches use to celebrate anniversaries are:

1. First circuit rider in the community
2. First organized “class meeting”
3. Year when the congregation first appears in conference/district records
4. Dedication of the first church building

The date considered to be “the” starting date can also be affected by congregational name changes and mergers. If the congregation has had name(s) changes or mergers, it should go back to the earliest name or the earliest start date of the individual merged congregations. The church may want to recognize and celebrate the intermediate name changes, building anniversaries or mergers, but, the age of the congregation should go back to the earliest date (see examples 1- 4 above). 

It is the consensus of the OMHS Executive Committee that the local church should continue to use the date they have been celebrating.

Is your church celebrating a milestone anniversary of one hundred years or a twenty-five-year increment after that? If so, let the OMHS help you celebrate. A board member can attend your celebration to present a certificate. Churches with milestone anniversaries are also recognized each year at the OMHS Convocation and Annual Meeting. 

For additional information contact:
OMHS Membership Secretary Meg Sondey at [email protected] 

Recent Church Anniversary Certificates Presented   

• University Circle UMC, 100th Anniversary, February 28, 2026
• Lytle UMC, 200th Anniversary, 2025
• Fields UMC, 150th Anniversary, 2025
• Ross Community UMC, 200th Anniversary, Fall 2025/Early 2026
• Bowling Green Trinity UMC, 150th Anniversary, October 10 -12, 2025
• Shelby First UMC, 200th Anniversary, October 5, 2025
• LaPorte UMC, 200th Anniversary, September 13 - 14, 2025
• Powell United Methodist Church, 200th Anniversary on January 26, 2025
• West Salem United Methodist Church, 175th Anniversary on October 11, 2024
• Wyandot Mission Church, 200th Anniversary of building on June 2, 2024
• High Street United Methodist Church - 175th Anniversary on April 7, 2024
• Franklin First United Methodist Church – 225th Anniversary on September 24, 2023
• Monroe United Methodist Church - 200th Anniversary on September 17, 2023.
• Brecksville United Methodist Church -200th Anniversary on October 8, 2023
• Painesville UMC – 150th Anniversary at their present site on October 15, 2023

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