Celebrating of 170 years of Methodism

Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Former leaders of the Nevada United Methodist Church who came for the celebration, the Rev. Scott Hall of St. Louis and Shirley (Mrs. Paul) Rundel of Bolivar. Those in attendance also shared memories of the church and of the Centenary Church, which stood where the Nevada McDonald's is now located.
Some of the women and girls wore sunbonnets to the 170th celebration of Methodism in Vernon County, held Saturday evening at the United Methodist Church, 500 S. College St., Nevada.

Members and friends of most of the active United Methodist Churches of Vernon County gathered on the front lawn of the Nevada United Methodist Church on Saturday night, Oct. 1, to celebrate 170 years of Methodism in the area with group singing, reading histories of the different churches and visiting.

Between the musical numbers the Rev.Ralph Scott read histories of all the present and past congregations or Methodist "classes" that were organized in the county. In addition to the Nevada congregation there were members from the Moundville, Bronaugh, Horton, and Metz United Methodist Churches present in addition to Shirley Rundel from Bolivar who with her husband, the late Paul Rundel, served the Nevada church from 1983 to 1998. The Rev. Scott Hall, from St. Louis, also joined the evening celebration and presented the sermon on Sunday morning. He served the Nevada Church from 1990 to 1998.

On Sunday morning a group picture of the entire congregation was taken prior to the beginning of the worship service which included recognizing the fact that in addition to 170 years of Methodism in the county, it was the 50th anniversary of the present church building on South College Street in Nevada. Dr. and Mrs. Dan Evans (1978-1983) were among other honored guests.

The men's chorus of the Nevada United Methodist Church entertains the crowd at the celebration of 170 years of Methodism. Left to right are Rick Thompson, Jay Bowmaster, Robert Palmer, Jim Shannon, Dave Kilmer, Bob Ebert and John Scarborough.

An overflow crowd enjoyed the dinner following the service.

Ruth Weltmer tells Sheryl Mowry that she joined the Avola Methodist Church in 1926 as a child, was married in the Centenary Methodist Church in Nevada in 1941, and attends regularly at the now 50-year-old Nevada United Methodist Church.
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