The history of the Cedar Creek United Methodist
Church goes back more than 150 years. Methodist missionaries traveled
the territory by horse and preached in private homes, stores or wherever
there was room to congregate. The deed for the first Methodist church in
Cedar Creek is dated 1847. The first member was John Day Morgan.
In 1849 land was donated to the trustees of the
Cedar Creek School and church with the distinct understanding it was to
be used only for "preaching and teaching". Three years later they had
their first resident minister, I. J. John.
In 1886 two acres of land where the church now
stands, was purchased from John Wilhelm Voss. Over the years, small
wooden structures were built to house the church but were destroyed
either by fire or storm. Around the turn of the century the Woodmen of
the World, an insurance and fraternal organization, built a two-story
building on the back of the land. School and church were held on the
first floor and their meetings were held on the second floor.
In 1890 the Cedar Creek Methodist Church was at its
peak with 110 members. As people went off to war and moved away, the
membership declined.
The congregation in 1910 built the current
sanctuary. In the 1950's, the old Woodmen building was torn down and the
materials were used by the congregation to build the rooms at the back
of the sanctuary to be used for Sunday School.
In 1987 the church purchased the two acres next
door. In 1990 the fellowship hall was built under the leadership of
Elliott Ransom and in 1992 Julia Alexander bequeathed her mobile home to
the church. The house next door and the acre it was on were purchased
from Vineta Mitcham. That house was relocated behind the fellowship hall
and remodeled and is now the Cedar Creek Child Care Center.
Many dreams have been fulfilled. The church now has
a nursery, Sunday School classes for all ages, adult bible study, adult
game night, UMW groups, Methodist Men, MYF and sponsors one of the
largest Scout programs in the area. The church also has bazaars that
have raised funds each year for special projects such as the current
building project.
God heard our prayers and knew our list of needs
was long because he not only blessed us with new, involved and dedicated
members every year but he doubly blessed us with caring pastors to help
us accomplish His missions.
