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 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”.
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Church History
