Russellville United Methodist Temple

Through Christian Education we invite people to be transformed as the are inspired and challenged to:

• Know and experience God through Jesus Christ
• Learn, claim, and live God's promises
• Grow and serve as Christian disciples

The United Methodist Temple offers a numbber of learning and growth oppurtunities.  Sunday School classes are one of these and offer a unique opportunity to get to know others in a small group setting.  They are a great way to establish and strengthen relationships with members of the church family and grow closer to one another and to Jesus Christ.

Youth and Children's Classes

Nursery: We offer love and care in our nursery for all children from infants up to age 3.  The nursery is located on the 1st floor of the education building, 1st door on your left.  Your kids will love our Nursery worker, Shawna Lamb.

Pre-School and Kindergarten: All Children from and ages 3 to 6 are welcomed in our pre-school and kindergarten class.  Joann Edler teaches them in the first classroom on the left on the 2nd Floor.

1st - 5th grade:  This exciting age group for learning about God is led by Phil and Laurie Holloway and Rod Owens.  They use the Hands On Bible curriculum which includes lots of games and activities to make the Bible come to life.  They meet in the classroom at the end of the 2nd floor hallway.

6th - 12th Grade: The group of youth members looks at a wide range of topics throughout the year as they work to determine their own Christian identity and figure out how to live as Christians in today's culture.  There is no lecture in this class - interactive games and activities kick off discussion each week.  They are led by Jeff Bright.  They meet on the 2nd classroom on the left on the 2nd floor.

Adult Education

Upper Room Class: This loving, caring class is made up of people from a wide range of ages and stages in life.  This long-standing class is taught by Evelyn Richardson, based on the Adult Bible Series.  They gather in the last classroom on the right side of the 1st floor.

Chapel:  Gloria Robinson leads this class using the Adult Bible Study curriculum.  They meet in the chapel which is located on the 1st floor of the education building directly behind the sanctuary.

Parlor: The Parlor Class meets in (Guess!) the Parlor on the 1st floor across the hall from the sanctuary.  Tracy Hann leads this diverse group in discussions of that day's sermons and related scriptures.

New Spirit Class: You will find this group at the far end of the hall on the 2nd floor.  Their purpose is to grow closer to God and to one another through the study of the Bible and living as Christians in today's world.  Class members share leadership.

Other Short-Term Classes:  At various times throughout the year class lasting from six to eight weeks covering a variety of topics are offered.  Previous offerings have been United Methodism 101, the Sacraments, and the Social Principles.

The Temple Choir is resuming practices and has many plans for Fall and the Christmas season. We hope that you will come and be a part of this loving, caring, supportive group of the church.

Organized in 1808, The United Methodist Temple is the oldest congregation in Russellville. The church was formed in the aftermath of the Great Revival that began in Logan County in 1800 and then spread across America. The first meeting of the Methodist Society was in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Josiah Emmit on the corner of Spring and Center (Now Fourth) Streets with ten charter members.

In 1818, a church building was erected on the corner of Summer and Bibb (now Eighth) streets, partially financed by and on land donated by Maj. Richard Bibb, a Revolutionary War veteran and a Methodist Minister. This site later became part of the Logan Female College campus. The college was owned and operated by the Methodist Episcopal Church South from the mid 1800's until 1931. The Russellville Middle School is located on this site today.

The Caldwells, Mortons and Barclays were among the strong early Methodist Families.

The present building, completed in 1854, was originally red brick. It had a high steeple in which hung a bell that was rung every Sunday morning. When the church was remodeled in 1917, the steeple and bell tower were removed, a vestibule with three doors was added, and the bricks were faced with white stucco.

The beautiful stained glass windows, each depicting an event in the life of Christ, were installed during the 1917 remodeling, each dedicated to the memory of outstanding ministers and laymen. The story goes that a reporter for the local newspaper, in writing an article about the church, observed that the windows and the columns in front made it look like a temple. His description caught on , and the Russellville Methodist Church became known as the Methodist Temple.

The African American families who attended the church built their own place of worship in 1872 – Bank Street African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.

Further remodeling took place in 1929 and an annex was added. The Educational Building was constructed in 1962.

The first organ in the church had to be hand pumped. During the 1917 remodeling project, the women of the congregation accepted the opportunity made possible by Andrew Carnegie to match the amount they raised toward the purchase of a pipe organ. The Methodist Temple became the first church in Russellville to have a pipe organ. In 1973 when a new pipe organ was installed, the display front of the old organ was retained above the choir loft as a decorative piece of the church’s history.

In the 175th year of the Methodist Temple (1983), Rena Milliken wrote and published an illustrated history of the church and its people. This book is available in the church’s library. A supplement, covering the following twenty-five years, is being written and a 200th birthday celebration will take place throughout 2008.

With its long tradition of worship and service, The United Methodist Temple welcomes with “Open hearts, open minds and open doors”.