Our Story

Central Methodist Episcopal Church was an outgrowth of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, which was located in an area "around a dam located in the present North Lansing." On January 23, 1861, Central Methodist Episcopal Church was officially organized. After the organization, the property deeded to the First Methodist Episcopal Church was in turn deeded to the Central Methodist Episcopal Church. On February 21, 1861, the original contract was made for a church building at a cost of $3,465. The building was dedicated on August 4, 1863. On December 2, 1871, lot 7, to the rear of the church, was bought by the Ladies Aid Society for the purpose of building a parsonage.

On May 2, 1889, the cornerstone was laid by S.R. Fisk, president of Albion College, and in it was placed a history of the church by C.E. Thompson. The finished building was dedicated on April 20, 1890 by Bishop L.W. Joyce. One week earlier, circuit preacher Rev. Louis Coburn, preached the last service in the old church building. The Board of Trustees received many requests from groups wishing to use the new church building, soon June 20, 1890, the Trustees "moved that hereafter the use of the church shall not be granted for any purpose whatsoever outside of the customary purposes unless by action of the Board of Trustees." The following are some groups who have used the church:

District WCTU convention
Ingham County Teachers Association
the Salvation Army
Independent Lecture Company
YWCA, high school graduation service in 1896
the Holiness League
State School Superintendents,
Federation of Women's Clubs
the City Sunday School Association.

Evidence that the church building was not large enough to meet the needs of a growing congregation is in Trustees minutes dating to 1867. On September 2, 1882, a new church lot, Lot 6 in Block 95 was purchased for $2,500. This lot is the current location on the Northwest corner of Capitol and Ottawa. The additional Lot 5 was obtained in a property swap with the Potter family. By March 20, 1888, eight designs had been submitted for the church, and the one submitted by A.B. Jennings of New York City was selected.

By the time the church building was under construction, Elijah E. Myers, architect of the State Capitol building, had been chosen as architect, Israel Gillett, a member of the church, was the supervising architect, and H.W. Coddington, of Kalamazoo, was the builder. Final cost of the building was $34,030, and the total cost, including stained glass windows, furnishings and lighting was $41,842.

The stone finally decided upon for the exterior was Ionia sandstone and red oak was used for the interior woodwork. The windows, pews, woodwork and chandeliers today are the originals. The architectural style was a modified Romanesque and the size of the building was 86' wide and 127' long. The sanctuary ceiling was 33' high. The church building contains memorial stained glass windows which were donated by members of the congregation, principally in memory of loved ones.

Weddings
In the Board minutes of October 29, 1895 appears: "the use of the church will be granted free of charge for a wedding when both parties are members in good standing in this church or if one of the persons is not a member of this church is a person of good moral character."

THE TEMPLE HOUSE
At the First Quarterly Conference held on November 8, 1921, the pastor, Dr. C. Jeffares McCombe introduced a proposal from Richard H. Scott, church member and an official with the Reo Motor Car Company: For several years Richard and Gertrude Scott had considered the church improperly equipped to do the work that it should do in the community, that the church should be operating to render a seven day weekly service to build up the physical and social life of the people as well as deal with the spirits and morals. Mr. Scott then placed before the conference, plans that he and architect Lee Black had been working on for many months. He proposed building a Community House on the lot just north of the church lots, acquired from Mr. Robert Holmes. The proposal was accepted. The basement of the new community house would be used for a large banquet hall, two auxiliary dining rooms and a tea room. There was to be a janitor's apartment of five rooms. On the main floor were to be an auditorium, offices, Sunday School rooms and a lounge. The second floor was to be devoted largely to the use of the ladies and their church activities. In addition, there was to be a balcony to the auditorium and classrooms. The third floor was to be for the men, including a recreation hall to be used for basketball and other sports. Also on this floor was a room for the exclusive use of the Boy Scouts. Further, there was to be a two lane bowling alley. On a smaller fourth floor there was to be a dormitory to be outfitted for young men who found themselves stranded in the city and in need of lodging. The first‐floor fellowship hall was originally fitted with movie‐style seating, but these seats were removed in the 1950s. 90 of the original seats are on the second‐floor balcony.

The cornerstone of the Temple House was laid on Decoration Day, May 30, 1922. The Temple House was dedicated on May 6, 1923, with Dr. Marion LeRoy Burton, President of the University of Michigan giving the dedicatory address. The building was valued at $250,000.

Three other events occurred in the early 1920's. First was the purchase of a new Moeller Pipe Organ in 1921 at a cost of $15,000; a new console for the organ was later installed in 1951 at a cost of $5,000. Second was the donation of the illuminated revolving cross atop the church tower by Mr. & Mrs. Joseph H. Burton, dedicated in 1922. Third was the first radio broadcast of a service on November 9, 1924 by WREO, the Reo Motor Car Company's radio station.

IMPROVEMENTS (1988‐90)
As the centennial of the church neared, the church chancel was restored somewhat to its pre‐1955 appearance. The chancel was rebuilt in 1988 with new furnishings, including new reading stands, high‐ backed chairs, a marble altar and communion rails were made removable to create a stage for various activities, and a space was designated for later installation of a new organ. In 1991 a new Jaeckel Pipe Organ was installed and dedicated. It has a tracker (mechanical) action with 30 to 50 stops. It combines a mix from medieval to modern sound to reproduce music from the Renaissance to the present. The cost of the organ was $600,000. It contains 3,168 pipes in sizes from less than one foot to 16 feet. The organ pipes were once again configured across the front, with the choir facing forward.