First United Methodist, the city's first organized congregation, looks to the future
By Marci Laehr Tenuta
Sunday, November 20, 2005 2:04 AM CST
The roots of Racine as an industrial town, a port of trade, and an invention capital, may run deep, but historically this city was also known for its Methodist church. First United Methodist Church was the very first organized congregation in the Belle City, and once was responsible for Racine becoming known as a religious destination.

In pioneer days, according to a historical booklet written for First United Methodist's sesquicentennial celebration, it was commonly said, "Go where you will in Wisconsin, you will find someone who was converted in the Methodist Church of Racine."

The Rev. Brad Van Fossen, the church's current pastor, said that came from popular and enthusiastic revivals the Methodist Society - as it was known then - held here. The very first revival, a four-day event, was held in August 1838, Van Fossen said. The book "The Methodist Church and Early Racine," written by historian E.W. Leach in 1912, says that first camp meeting was held on the property of William See, who owned a sawmill.

See provided the lumber for platforms to be built for the revival. People camped in tents on his meadow. People came from 100 miles away, Van Fossen said. The attendance was recorded at around 1,000 people, which was about 10 times Racine's population then. That first camp meeting was so well received, the Methodist Society started holding them regularly.

"They often had revivals," Van Fossen said.

The pioneers According to historical texts, See was a devout Methodist and lay minister, who came from Chicago to Racine somewhere between November 1834 and January 1835. He arrived here with three other men, Stephen Campbell, Paul Kingston and Edmond Weed, shortly after Gilbert Knapp laid claim to the territory.

The other men were also Methodists, and together they founded the Methodist Society in the area.

The actual organization of the first church is recorded as happening in the fall of 1836 by Samuel Pillsbury, who was sent by the Illinois Annual Conference to the Root River Mission, which was Racine. He was the first preacher regularly stationed here and lived on the east side of Main Street, near Seventh Street. Van Fossen pointed out that this bit of history is interesting considering that the church is now located at 745 Main St.

The church buildings In addition to the revivals, the early regular gatherings of the Methodist Society in Racine were held in private homes and tent camps. There is probability that they built a small log cabin for religious meetings but, as the congregation grew, services were held in rented buildings. In 1845, the Methodist Episcopal Church congregation built its first permanent church building on Barnstable Street, which is now College Avenue. The land had been deeded to the church by Benjamin and Nancy Jones for $75. The colonial-style church held 300 people and was heated by cast iron wood stoves.

It cost $5,000 to build.

After an addition to the building in 1857 still didn't provide the room needed for the growing congregation, the church board purchased property at Main and Eighth streets in 1870. The church built a gothic-style building for $40,000, which was dedicated on July 16, 1871.

In 1882, eleven years after it was built a horrible fire burned the new church down. The building was engulfed in flames, and the towering spire at the top fell into the middle of the church.

Fortunately, the fire burned from the inside out, and spared the walls of the church. This prompted the congregation to quickly decide to rebuild, without a new spire.

The reconstruction project cost just under $20,000. The new church was dedicated on Feb. 4, 1883. The First United Methodist Church that stands at 745 Main St. today was built in the early 1900s after officials and other members decided, after much heated debate, to raze the existing church.

 S.C. Johnson, one of the most liberal benefactors to the church, proposed that he and the pastor raise half of the money needed from outside sources for the new church building, which they were successful at accomplishing, and helped fund the building that was dedicated on Oct. 18, 1914. The church's historical booklet says Johnson also lived to see the last mortgage that contractors held against the church board burned.

Since 1914, the First United Methodist Church building has undergone several extensive remodeling and redecorating projects. The most recent was five years ago, when a new entrance to the church was built on the north side.

The people Members of First United Methodist have a lot of pride in their congregation and its roots in Racine. The church's current membership is about 280 people.

"Some of the senior folks remember being brought here as children, and are now in their 80s and 90s," Van Fossen said.

Carol Feest, church secretary for 24 years, said her family has four generations attending First United Methodist right now. Her grandparents were members there too.

"There're families who have been here many, many years," she said. "I'm very proud that this is the oldest church in Racine."

Van Fossen said the pride in their history in this community is something many of the congregation members have, as well as the pastors who have served there.

"They keep their pastors for a very long time," he said. Although Van Fossen himself has only been the pastor at First United Methodist for five months, he said many of his predecessors had lengthy stays at the historical church. The Rev. Clarence Seidenspinner served as minister there from 1940 until his death in 1967.

Commitment to change About five years ago, before they embarked on a large remodeling job, church members discussed whether to stay in their current Downtown location and remodel, or move to another site. "There was some heated discussion about that," Feest said.

The outcome, obviously, was to stay. "We're committed to Downtown," she said.

With that commitment comes change: Change in the way the church serves the community, and change in the way it serves the congregation. Although members hold their history close to their heart, it can not be said that First United has remained stagnant.

Seven years ago the church began hosting the Empty Bowls fundraiser, which benefits Homeward Bound, a local homeless shelter for women and children. The church also partners with area churches to provide a sandwich lunch program and is a member of the Downtown Cooperative Parish.

Less than a year ago the church also began offering services in Spanish, which are led by the Rev. Ana Luisa Chacon. "That's gone well," Van Fossen said.

"We want to serve this population," Van Fossen said, the businesses in the area, as well as the neighborhoods.

Feest said the church has often offered assistance to neighbors who need it, and members feel that's important. For example, Van Fossen said, not too long ago a woman who had just been released from the Racine County Jail needed help getting home to New Jersey. She had come to serve a few weeks in jail to clear an old sentence, she but didn't have a way to get home. The woman had an apartment and family waiting for her.

First United Methodist and First Presbyterian joined up to get her the money for a bus ticket. Van Fossen drove her to Milwaukee to catch the bus, and she was able to get home.

"Being right across the street from the jail, we get people who have nothing," Feest said.

Van Fossen said what the church would like to do is go from being a helping hand to the people in the neighborhood to having neighborhood folks be part of the congregation.

"How do we go the next step so that we're their church and not just a helping hand?" Van Fossen asked. "That's a challenge. It would be something new."

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