Church: Medford United Methodist

Contact: R. Lipprandt
Email: bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Alderson, Bahrenburg, Barker, Brenneman, Chatterson, Davis, DeLap, Dunn, Gibson, Graves, Hall, Harris, Holmes, Holverson, Ingham, Kundert, Langendorff, Latton, LaVinn, Marks, Mills, Moats, Morgan, Pitcher, Russel, Sainty, Sample, Smith, Speer, Stair, Sywulka, Warner, Welch, Wilkenson

----Source: Medford Area Centennial Book, 1874 - 1974, Medford United Methodist, pages 77 & 79

The first sermon preached in the Town of Medford was in 1875 and was conducted by a Methodist woman, Mrs. Pitcher, in the sawmill of James Sample. The first organized church group was also Methodist.

The first church building (1879) was on Park Avenue and the second (1921) was located on the site of the old Winchester Hotel (South Main Street), purchased and razed to supply lumber for the new Methodist church building. Excess razed building material from the Winchester was also used to build other churches and parsonages all over Northern Wisconsin.

1875 through 1879: As mentioned previously, the first sermon was preached by Mrs. Pitcher. Information of her is scarce as is information of any pastors serving Medford Methodists through this time period.

1879 through 1882: The first Methodist church building was built on Park Avenue with Reverend Charles Barker as pastor. Church services were held in the Park Avenue site until the new building was constructed on South Main Street (1921). This is the same church building that is being used today.

1882: Reverend Charles Barker served the church.

1887: Reverend O. H. P. Smith served the church.

1890: Reverend H. B. Brenneman served the church.

1893: Reverend J. W. Speer served the church.

1901: Reverend W. F. DeLap served the church.

1903: Reverend P. J. Stair served the church.

1905: Reverend S. W. Ingham served the church.

1906: Reverend J. A. Hall served the church.

1907: Reverend R. D. Dunn served the church.

1910: Reverend John I. Sainty served the church.

1912: Reverend J. Wilkenson served the church.

1913: Reverend J. B. Gibson served the church.

1914: Reverend Thomas Harris served the church.

1916: Reverend J. F. Morgan served the church.

1918: Reverend J. H. Chatterson served the church.

1920: Reverend Nelson J. Alderson served the church.

1921: A large hotel called the Winchester, was located on the South Main Street site until 1920 when the hotel was sold to District Superintendent Kundert, who had it razed and used the lumber and materials to build churches and parsonages all over Northern Wisconsin.

The local Methodist church was built with lumber from that hotel. Reverend Alderson, A. J. Latton, L. D. Russel and Ross Davis were on the building committee for this new church. The local Methodist Episcopal Church continued to grow and spread the Gospel in the city of Medford.

1923: Reverend David LaVinn served the church.

1926: Reverend James A. Moats served the church.

1930: Reverend Donald Mills served the church.

1933: Reverend Peter Holmes served the church.

1935: Reverend Calvin Graves served the church.

1936: Reverend A. Langendorff served the church.

1942: Reverend Henry Holverson served the church.

The Medford Methodist Episcopal Church has the distinction of sending one of the first missionaries to Tanganyika, East Africa, Emil Sywulka. Emil died in 1944, but left three sons who continued their fathers work. Another African Missionary came from a former Medford Methodist pastor, Reverend Henry Chatterson, namely his son, Leonard.

1946: The Medford Congregational Church voted to merge with the local Methodist Episcopal Church and the name changed to Christ Church, Federated

1949: Reverend Douglas Marks served the church.

1957: Reverend Gordon Welch served the church.

1962: Reverend William Warner served the church.

1967: Reverend Henry Bahrenburg, Jr. served the church.

1968: There was a national merger of the United Brethren and Methodist Churches throughout the country and the official name of United Methodist Church was adopted.