Church History

Main Church Building

Our Past, Present, and Future

The first Methodist church building in St. Charles was built and paid for by Mrs. Catherine Collier in the year 1820. Mrs. Collier had come here from Philadelphia, having been widowed with two small sons. She invested the sum of money left to her by her husband in two cows and began a dairy.

She was a very devout Methodist, and it was not long after her arrival here that she was busy organizing a church and holding a leadership position in planning for the construction of a church building. The first building was a frame church built on the north side of Jackson Street between First and Second Streets. At that time and for several years afterwards, services were held in the church by “missionary preachers.” Mrs. Collier invited other Protestant groups to use the building for services following the Methodist services.

The congregation soon outgrew this first building. According to the records of the St. Charles County Recorder, in October of 1831, Mrs. Collier acquired a lot of ground now known as 617 South Main Street, upon which a new church building was built for the Methodist congregation. This church was built with handmade bricks. The walls were built 18 inches thick, which made the building easy to heat in the winter and cool in the summer. It is believed to be the oldest building of any denomination still standing in Missouri. A commemorative plaque was placed at the sight in 1996, in celebration of the congregation’s 175th anniversary. The building currently is used for offices.

In the minutes of the St. Louis Conference for the year 1832, the name “St. Charles” appears for the first time in the records of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Rev. Jerome Berryman was appointed pastor of the St. Charles Methodist Episcopal Church. First United Methodist Church maintains a list of all the pastors who have served the church since Rev. Berryman.

In her will, which was filed with the Probate Court in 1835, Mrs. Collier devised and bequeathed to the Methodist Episcopal Society the lot at 617 South Main Street. The building on South Main was used by the congregation until 1852 when a larger building became necessary. The lot of ground on the corner of Fifth and Clay Streets was purchased for the sum of $500.00 in 1853 and the Clay Street Methodist Episcopal Church was built. The congregation moved into the new building in 1855 and occupied it until 1896 when the property was sold.

In 1895, the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, purchased the building located on the corner of Fifth and Washington Streets. This was the property of the German Evangelical Protestant St. Paul’s congregation and was sold for $2,950.00. Improvements were made over the years and a parsonage was built. The membership of the congregation grew to 575 members.

The church continued to grow during the ensuing decades. In 1939, the Fifth Street Church, along with other churches of the denomination, became part of the merger of the three largest branches of Methodism to become The Methodist Church. Tragedy descended upon the Fifth Street congregation in January of 1953 when the church was completely destroyed by an explosion and fire. In April of 1953, the trustees acquired property at the corner of Eighth and Clay (now First Capitol Drive) Streets for $25,000.

Plans were developed and construction began on a brick church of colonial architecture that would blend in with the historic flavor of St. Charles. The cost of the building was approximately $385,000. By October 1954, the structure was completed and the congregation moved in. The church school and congregation grew in size, and in 1959 and 1960, a three-story education building was constructed for approximately $140,000.

During the 1960’s, First United Methodist Church grew in membership and attendance. Sunday School attendance averaged 550 per Sunday, one of the largest in the St. Louis area. In 1970, an addition was made to the education building. The 21st century was entered with yet another addition, a beautiful atrium, used for congregational gatherings and fellowship, and an administration and education wing.

In order to reach the diverse community of St. Charles County, EnterLife, a contemporary worship service, was begun in 2001. This service is held in the Multi-purpose Room simultaneously with the 11:00 traditional service in the sanctuary. EnterLife incorporates contemporary music, drama, video and Power Point presentations to share the gospel in a new and exciting way.

First Church has an assortment of programs and activities available each day for both church members and non-members. The members at First Church are firm in their belief that God has a mission for this congregation and that its greatest years of service are yet to come.