History

THE HISTORY PROJECT is seeking your story.  Have you seen God in this church?  What event was memorable for you? Please write three paragraphs about your experience on the “Tell Me Your Story” form and return it to Nancy Dickerson or the church office ( 7747 Mayfield Road ,Chesterland , OH 44026 ).  Thanks for sharing your story!

1805 – Three families from New York settle on the west bank of the Chagrin River.  More settlers – many of whom are Methodists – follow and settle Mayfield Township, building grist and lumber mills.  Traveling Circuit Riders lead “class meeting” worship services in log cabin homes or outside.

1809 – Reverend Davidson leads the first Methodist class meeting at the Elijah Sorter cabin (on the west side of SOM Center Road near what is now Ridgebury Boulevard).

1835 – Eleven members organize a church and get a charter, becoming one of the first organized religious societies in Cuyahoga County.

1841 – The church forms a Sunday school with the Presbyterian Church.

1843 – A new church is built (at site of present Mayfield Village Town Hall) to accommodate a congregation of seventy.  The first Methodist Episcopal Sunday School is established.

1851 –A larger church is built on southwest corner of Wilson Mills Road and SOM Center.

1859 – A parsonage is built on Wilson Mills Road.

1869 – Forty people are baptized at revival services and church membership grows to 120.

1890 – The church is awarded an Epworth League charter for youth.

1906 – The church structure is raised to add a basement.

1935 – Mayfield Methodist Episcopal Church celebrates its 100th year anniversary.

1939 – Three religious denominations, the Methodist Protestant Church, the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the Methodist Episcopal Church South, unite to form the Methodist Church.  The Methodist Youth Fellowship group is organized.

1945 – Fire breaks out in the church one hour before a congregation of about 200 would gather for Sunday services.  Senior Pastor Reverend Amendt and arriving church members run into the burning building and save what they can – the Cross, the Bible, a baptismal fount, the hymnals and some furniture.  Workers battle the blaze for three hours, but the fire destroys the church structure, leaving only the foundation.  One of the hymns scheduled for that morning’s service is “The Church’s One Foundation.”  That evening church leaders decide to rebuild the Church on the same foundation.  The Woman’s Society of Christian Service (later called United Methodist Women) work tirelessly to help raise money to pay off the mortgage and furnish the new Church building.

1946 – The church sponsors Boy Scouts of America programs.

1948 – The church is rebuilt and re-dedicated.

1956 – The primary entrance, library, crib room, office, and Sunday school rooms are built.

1958 – A new parsonage is built and a second parsonage is purchased.  Membership now includes 500 families with 300 children attending Sunday school.

1968 – The Evangelical United Brethren Church unites with the Methodist Church.  The Church is renamed Mayfield United Methodist Church.

1972 – The women’s group, active at the church since 1876, decides to call themselves “United Methodist Women.” 

1976 – Rev. Donald Huffman portrays a Circuit Rider in Bicentennial Parade.  James and Barbara Foster and choir director Ray Minor produce touring religious musicals.  A third parsonage is purchased near the site of the old Elijah Sorter cabin.

1980 – The steeple is placed on top of educational wing.

1981 – The chancel is remodeled.

1983 – The church offices and Fellowship Hall are built.

1984 – Mayfield Church celebrates the 200th anniversary of Methodism in the United States.

1985 – Rev. Don Cummings becomes Senior Pastor.

1992 – The church begins a Contemporary Worship service.

1993 – Rev. Coralee Cox is appointed Pastor of Discipleship Ministries.  The parsonage property at 1146 SOM Center is sold.

1994 – The Small Group Ministries are formed.

1995 – Search and Evaluation Committees form to “dream big” about new church programming and making improvements to the church building.

1997 – At the Leadership Conference, plans are discussed to build a new church structure.

1998 – A special bequest to the church begins funding for the “Cornerstone” project.

1999 – The decision is made to build the new Church at a different site and the “Cornerstone Fundraising Campaign” begins.

2000 – The property for the new site in Chester Township is purchased.

July 15, 2001 – The congregation celebrates with a ground blessing ceremony at the new site

April 4, 2004 - Begin worshipping in the new church

   
The early church in Mayfield Township

The early church in
Mayfield Township



Fire destroys the church 1945

Fire destroys the church
1945


Laying the Cornerstone for the rebuilt church 1947

Laying the Cornerstone for the 
rebuilt church
1947

 

Construction continues on the rebuilt Church June 1947

Construction continues on the rebuilt Church
June 1947

 

The new steeple in 1980

The new steeple
1980

 

The current church in Mayfield, Ohio 2001

The current church in Mayfield, Ohio
2001

 

The new church in Chester Township, Ohio

The new church in
Chester Township, Ohio
Expected completion  - April 2004