200 Anniversary

Sunday March 30, 2025 (Combined Worship Service at 10 am)

Join us for the presentation of the Proclamation of "Sidney First Methodist Church Day in Sidney" by Mayor Barhorst.

Sunday June 15, 2025 (Combined Worship Service at 10:30 am at Tawawa Park)

Join us at the "river" for a worship service which will mimic a period service of 1825.

Sunday October 12, 2025 (Combined Worship Service at 10:00 am)

Join us for a formal worship service and celebration with Bishop Jeff Greenway, of the Global Methodist Church, sharing the message.

Shared on January 5, 2025

Five years after the town of Sidney was platted, in the fall of 1825, Joel Frankenberger heard that a Methodist preacher was staying in Sidney overnight at Hinkle’s tavern. He hurried home, shared the joyful news with his wife, changed into clothing more suitable to greet such an important person as a preacher, and went to the tavern.

There he found Levi White, a Methodist Circuit Rider, who was on his way to a conference in Columbus. Joel welcomed him warmly, invited him to spend the night at his home, and while there, to preach a sermon. Reverend White agreed and he was conducted to the Frankenberger home on North Ohio Street.

Joel ran excitedly from house to house in the small community of Sidney, urging all to come to his home to hear the Reverend White’s message. It isn’t known how many attended to hear Levi White preach, but it is known that a class of eight was organized that night, the first Methodist congregation in Sidney.

By 1826, the group had grown to thirty-two. With no meeting place, Joel offered his home during the winter months and during the summer, they would meet under a large Elm tree on the west bank of the Great Miami River.

The Northwest Territory was established in 1787 and was the nation’s first post-colonial organized incorporated territory. From this territory, Ohio became a state in March of 1803. Twenty-two years later, the Sidney First Methodist Episcopal Church was birthed.

During the late 1700(s) and early 1800(s), the Methodist Episcopal Church circuits were supported and discipled by appointed Circuit Riders. These traveling preachers were also known as Horse Preachers. The Methodist Conference in 1804 limited the time the circuit rider could travel a specific area to no more than two years. Levi White, a Methodist Circuit Rider just passing through Sidney, was asked to preach to a gathering of people by Joel Frankenberger. Levi agreed and preached at what became the birth-day of the Sidney First Methodist Episcopal Church in the fall of 1825.

Shared on February 9, 2025

200 Hundred Years of Methodism in Sidney- celebrating throughout the year. During our existence as a Methodist church, we have had 75 Lead Pastors. We have a record of most of the dates of service for these clergy. Many of our early clergy were circuit riders who may have only preached here once, or maybe a limited number of times.

Levi White was the first Pastor. He stopped for the night at Hinkle’s Tavern in Sidney and Joel Frankenberger found him and invited him to preach the first sermon in Sidney in 1825. In winter, the new Methodist church met at Frankenberger’s home and in the summer, by the Great Miami River. No matter how idyllic the River bank, or how convenient the Frankenberger home, the Methodists were well aware their congregation could not prosper or grow unless a more suitable place of worship was provided.

In November of 1827 (two years after the first service), Frankenberger, along with several others, were appointed to investigate a possible meeting house in Sidney. Early in 1829, it was announced that a lot had been purchased on the southeast corner of North Street and Miami Street. Each of the four committee members that found the property contributed $4 for a total purchase price of $16. In 1831, a small meeting house was built. Years later, this church was sold to the newly organized Baptist congregation, and that congregation remains there today.

In 1867, Rev. Wells began urging a new church be built on Poplar Street. Seven years later in 1874, the Poplar Street Sidney Methodist Episcopal Church was dedicated with Rev. Wykes as the pastor. In 1890, Rev. William Lance served for 2 years – interestingly, he had been a drummer boy in the civil war. Rev. J. W. Jones served for 2 months in 1917-but he died soon after arriving in Sidney and had only shared 3 sermons with the congregation.

Dr. Ross Wilhide, the founder of Tar Hollow Christian Adventure Camp, served here for the longest amount of time at 14 years. A close second was Dr. David Chivington serving for 13.5 years.

In 1992, when Dr. Carl Wiley left Sidney First, a detailed plan was in place for a new education/administrative wing, and by 1994 the new addition was constructed and dedicated.

Shared on March 30, 2025

During our 200 year history as Methodists in Sidney, one of the more striking and visible occurrences was 111 years ago when the style of our building architecture changed from the Gothic style to the Spanish Mission style, to signal our desire to be a missions focused congregation.

While our church had been located at our Poplar Street location since 1874, several small remodeling efforts over the years lead to a major remodel beginning in 1913. Here is what was published in the SDN in March of 1934:

“The final service in the old church was planned for Sunday, March 30, 1913 just after Easter. All during this week special services had been arranged each evening by various groups of the congregation. However, on Easter the 23rd, the elements loosed their wrath and for three days poured fourth upon the earth a torrent of rain. By mid week, the Great Miami River was out of its banks and all thoughts of a farewell service were forgotten and all efforts of the church were turned to relief.”

In March of 1913, the citizens of the Miami Valley, including Sidney, experienced a natural disaster unparalleled in the region’s history. Over 3 days, 11 inches of rain fell. The Great Flood of 1913 forever changed the Upper Miami Valley, including Sidney.

After the water receded, and over the next year, remodeling of the church was conducted. Again from the SDN article:

“On the last Sunday in March in 1914, the new and remodeled Sidney Methodist Church building was thrown open for the purpose of public worship for the first time. This marked the culmination of efforts extending over a period of three years.” So, the end of March, 111 years ago, is a major milestone in our history!