FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH NEENAH-MENASHA
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Our History in a Nutshell
PictureFirst United Methodist Church 1938 to present
First United Methodist Church was founded in 1849 and came from out of a group of Protestants who had begun to worship in 1845 under the leadership of Reverend O.P. Clinton, a Congregationalist Pastor with the American Home Missionary Society.  Beginning with a group of just 12 individuals, which included Territorial Governor James Doty and Harrison Reed who owned most of what is now Neenah and Menasha, Clinton began to hold worship services in his home and it was out of this group that the Congregational Church was born in 1847, the Presbyterian Church in 1848, and the Methodist Church in 1848.

For the first fifteen years, the Methodist Church worshiped in the Yale Building on Wisconsin Avenue while saving money to build a church of their own.  In 1864, this became a reality when with $700 and 54 members they bought the Congregationalist church's building at the corner of Oak and Doty Streets.  The church continued to grow and in 1874, now with 175 members, they moved again to the Presbyterian church's building in the 300 block of Wisconsin Avenue.  As Neenah prospered so too did the church and in 1903 land was purchased at the corner of Doty Avenue and Commercial Street.  The new facility was completed three years later in 1906.

PictureFirst Methodist Church 1906 to 1937
The new church facility was a blessing to the growing congregation.  The sanctuary could seat 350 people and the semi-circle shape allowed worship in the round.  Completed for the cost of $25,000, it was truly a wonderful place to worship and from out of which to do ministry.  In 1922, the Wesley Hall Gymnasium was added to complete the building described as one of the "finest structures of its kind in the valley."

But in the early morning hours of Wednesday, November 17, 1937 disaster struck as a fire started and swept through the building in a matter of minutes.  Within three hours, despite the best efforts of fire fighters from Neenah, Menasha, and Appleton, it had burned to the ground.  By noon of that day all that was left was smoldering pile of bricks.

Losses from the fire totaled $75,000 with only part of the loss covered by insurance.  The church leaders decided to rebuild as soon as possible on the same site but due to the lack of insurance proceeds to not include the gymnasium.  The cost of rebuilding was $63,000 of which insurance paid $36,000.  The new building was dedicated on February 19, 1939 and the mortgage on it was burned on April 15, 1943.

Since that time two additions have been added.  The first, the Sunday School addition, which included ten classroom on three levels, was dedicated on January 31, 1965.  The second was undertaken to make the church fully accessible to all and brought with it an elevator, a handicap accessible restroom, and our Commons which is used for many purposes but especially for fellowship times.  This addition was dedicated on March 24, 1991.

Our Senior Pastors
2017-         - Rebecca Henry
2012-2017  - Mark Geisthardt   
2011-2012 - Grace Imathiu          
2007-2011 - Bob Hays    
1999-2007 - Gordon Lind            
1993-1999 - Lynn Kollath            
1991-1993 - James Reutler
1985-1991 - Welsey Falk               
1984-1985 - Harold Riebe            
1984-1984 - Perry Saito
1976-1984 - Robert Firary            
1971-1976 - Donald Stannard     
1964-1971 - David Hinshaw         
1962-1964 - Guy Nelson               
1958-1962 - Clarence Kelley        
1953-1958 - Norman Ream          
1948-1953 - Roy B. Steen             
1939-1948 - W.A. Riggs  
1935-1939 - Henry Johnson         
1934-1935 - Wesley Perry            
1932-1934 - Earnest Matthews  
1927-1932 - T. Reykdahl                
1922-1927 - Ira Schlagenhauf     
1914-1922 - Charles Heywood   
1909-1914 - Fred Turner              
1906-1909 - Mark A. Drew 

1901-1906 - E. Garrett   
1897-1901 - John D. Cole              
1895-1987 - John Schneider        
1893-1895 - J.H. Tippet  
1890-1893 - S. Joliffe      
1887-1890 - J.S. Lean      
1884-1887 - T.C. Wilson
1883-1884 - C.M. Heard                
1881-1883 - G.W. Horton             
1879-1881 - L.F. Cole      
1877-1879 - J.J. APlin      
1875-1877 - J.T. Woodhead         
1874-1875 - W.J. Olmstead          
1873-1874 - M.G. Bristol               
1871-1873 - J.H. Waldron             
1869-1871 - Thomas Walker        
1868-1869 - L.L. Knox     
1866-1868 - T.C. Wilson
1863-1863 - C.W. Brooks              
1861-1863 - A. Foster     
1860-1861 - Samuel Lugg             
1859-1860 - C.G. Lathrup            
1856-1859 - Albert Baker             
1850-1856 – Circuit Riders            
1849-1850 – William Sampson    

 

Our Associate Pastors
2008-2019  Tony Fuller        
2005-2008 - Paola Benecchi      
2008-2009 - Kevin Dembinski   
2003-2009 - Evelyn Mingle        
2000-2004 - Amber Woolover   
1998-2000 - Patricia Knutson    
1993-1998 - Nancy Twitchell      
1988-1993 - Mark Klaisner           
1978-1979 - David Mangun          
1972-1978 - Bob Hays    
1968-1972 - Paul Francis              
1965-1968 - Tom White
1963-1965 - Carol Smith              
1961-1963 - James Scott               
1959-1961 - Donald McClain        
1956-1959 - Ira Schlagenhauf

 

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The three cornerstones representing the three building programs that gave First Church the facility that it has today.  We thank all those who over the course of our 160+ year history have been part of making us who we are today!

First United Methodist Church Neenah-Menasha
In-Person worship Sunday mornings at 9:00 am 
​or livestreaming on Facebook at 9:00 am.
108 W Doty Ave, Neenah, Wisconsin  54956
 Phone: (920)725-0166     Email: [email protected]
  • Welcome
  • Our Location
  • Sundays at First Church
    • Online Worship
    • Music
  • Online Giving
  • Ministry & Teaching
    • Children & Youth
    • Adult Education
    • Ministry Teams & Opportunities
    • Supper and Service
  • Missions
    • Our Local Missions
    • Beyond the Fox Valley
    • Dora Hansen Charitable Trust
  • About Us
    • Staff
    • Contact Us
    • Prayer
    • Newsletter
    • This Month's Calendar
    • History
    • What is a Methodist?
    • Links
  • Employment Opportunities
    • Part-time Position - Nursery Attendant