 
In 1838 the first Ashland Methodist Church building was
erected. Built of hewn stone, it was located on ground now occupied
by the county courthouse. Born out of the strong heritage of committed
servants like John Wesley, The First United Methodist Church has
been a pillar in the Ashland Community for over 180 years. Located
at the North Corridor entrance to the city, Ashland First has always
been a strong visual presence in Ashland as well as spiritual influence
to thousands.
A gracious, two-story brick
structure, with a belfry and spire, built in 1847 at the southeast
corner of the Church and Fourth Streets, was the second Methodist
Church building. It cost $4,000. In 1862 membership was 209. Years
later this church burned and a new modern church was built at
the corner of Sandusky and Cottage Streets. It was dedicated in
1888 and was said not to be excelled by any other church in the
conference.
Revival meetings were very
popular a number of years ago. They were held in the winter season
and lasted several weeks. The local minister preached every evening
except on Saturday.
In 1929 the cornerstone
was laid for a large education building to accommodate the increasing
Sunday school attendance. The W.D. Stem Class was the number one
chartered Sunday school class in the country.
During a devastating fire
in September 2002, our educational wing suffered irreparable damage.
We were forced to examine facets of Ashland First's position and
existence in our community that we had never before considered.
Our beautiful sanctuary was miraculously spared. Using this historical
structure as the anchor point, the congregation overwhelmingly
voted in favor of maintaining our presence in the downtown district
and replacing the building damaged by fire.
Thirty-seven months of visioning,
dreaming, planning, and shell construction have brought us to
today. We are turning a new page in the history of Ashland First
United Methodist Church. As we continue our journey of faith,
we eagerly anticipate what God has in store for us. Looking back
with praise and thanksgiving for all He has done in the past,
we are filled with gratitude for His faithfulness to us throughout
the life of this church, and we look forward with confidence and
trust for what lies ahead. God has given us a unique opportunity
at Ashland First to have a positive impact on thousands of lives
for many generations into the future.
After the fire in 2002,
Ashland First's commitment to outreach did not falter, even with
space restrictions encountered during demolition and construction.
Because our old building sometimes presented challenges for doing
the Lord's work with efficiency and comfort, what first appeared
to be a tragedy of horrific magnitude, quickly transformed into
a unique opportunity to fulfill God's mission with modern and
expanded facilities.
Our Administrative Board
has adopted a five-year Ministry/Business Plan. Through the combined
efforts of the Lay Leadership Team, Finance Committee, Trustees,
SPRC, and programming staff this plan provides a compass/map to
guide Ashland First through the remainder of this decade. The
plan outlines our model for spiritual growth along with new and
expanded ministries for adults, youth, and children. In addition
it sets forth a strategy for Fiscal stewardship development, staffing,
and physical plant needs.
|
