The History of Williamsville United Methodist Church

Williamsville Methodist Episcopal Church 1857-1903
Mary Prather Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church 1903-1939
First Methodist Church of Williamsville 1939-1968
Williamsville United Methodist Church 1968-Present
The Williamsville Methodist Episcopal Church was originally part of a circuit with Fancy Creek, Wolf Creek, and Sherman. The Williamsville Church was organized in 1856 and built in 1857. The church was a frame structure 35 feet long and 55 feet wide. Sometime after the original building was built, a bell and belfry were erected. The bell is still being used at the present. The Church property embraced half a block with the house of worship on one corner and the parsonage on the other.
At the end of the 19th century, Mr. J. F. Prather gave the church $5,000 to be matched by the congregation for a new church building. The church was to be called the Mary J. Prather Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church in memory of his mother. The money was raised and the church was built for a cost of $12,000. In 1902, the congregation moved into the new building. A beautiful pipe organ was installed as a gift from Will Council in memory of his parents, Mr. And Mrs. Wesley Council.
In 1950, a basement was dug under the entire church to expand the recreation facilities, install a kitchen, and a new furnace. The lighting system was replaced and an electronic organ replaced the pipe organ.
The Allen organ was installed in May 1951, with plans for an organ dedication recital set for Sunday, July 1. However, on Wednesday, June 27, a tornado swept through the community, wrecking about twenty homes. The Methodist Church was the hardest hit. About one fourth of the building was destroyed along with extensive damage to contents. The congregation moved into the community high school building where all services were conducted for about eight months.
On Sunday, October 26, 1952, the Williamsville Methodist Church observed a double celebration, the dedication of the restored and remodeled building, debt-free, and the fiftieth anniversary of the erection of the church.
The Rev. Jonathan Drake was pastor at the time of the Centennial celebration in 1953
The education wing was added to the present building to provide additional classroom and office space in 1964 while the Rev. Burt McIntosh was minister.
The dedication and mortgage-burning took place in 1971 with the Rev. Arno Hutchinson as pastor. In 1972, the sanctuary was remodeled. New pews and carpet were installed. The carillon unit and chimatron and a kitchenette in the “green room” were installed and dedicated in 1976 in memory of various church members.
In 1978, the stained glass windows behind the choir loft were repaired and new storm windows placed over them for protection. Storm windows were also put on the south windows of the church building.
The first Methodist Episcopal Church parsonage was built in 1861 under the service of the Rev. A. Sloan. This structure is west of the present parsonage and now a private dwelling. Another parsonage was built later between 1886 and 1888 closer to the church. This structure provided residence for the pastors for over 100 years.
In 1988, it was decided to build a new parsonage for the Revs. Daniel and Kelligay Crede, to repair and clean the remaining stained glass windows in the church, add a pitch roof to the education building, and also to do some renovation to the sanctuary. New carpeting was installed in the front of the church, new altar rails, and refinishing of all the furniture and woodwork. In July 1988, the old parsonage was demolished and the new one was begun. On March 19, 1989, a consecration service was held for the new parsonage.
A new Allen Organ was installed June 9, 1991. Proceeds from the sale of Sara Jones’ property were designated toward the organ.
With the appointment of Dr. Kathleen Lossau, the church installed a chair lift and ramps were built to the church and parsonage. The church and parsonage were now handicap-accessible.
In June 2006, Rev. Dick Piscatelli, a retired minister, was appointed to the church as a “half-time” pastor. He is serving at present.
WILLIAMSVILLE (UNITED) METHODIST CHURCH
MINISTERS ON RECORD
1858 Rev. W. F. Short 1942 Rev. T. R. Jones
1860 Rev. D. Bardick 1943 Rev. D. R. Lemkaw
1861 Rev. J. Slater 1945 Rev. M. L. Sullins
1861 Rev. W. F. Bennett 1947 Rev. Charles Withrow
1863 Rev. L. Smith 1955 Rev. D. Mann
1865-67 Rev. George Stevens 1956 Rev. Jonathan Drake
1867 Rev. W. H. Rayburn 1959 John Cavitt
1868 Rev. John Barger 1959 Rev. Burt McIntosh
1869 Rev. O. H. P. Ash 1966 Rev. James Canny
1870 Rev. M. M. Davidson 1967 Rev. H. Simpkins
1871 Rev. G. B. Goldsmith 1970 Rev. Arno Hutchinson
1873 Rev. H. E. Adams 1974 Rev. Harold Flessner
1875 Rev. C. A. Obershain 1978 Rev. Vic Ramsey
1878 Rev. W. E. Johnson 1983 Rev. Gay Crede
1878 Rev. George B. Wolfe 1984 Rev. Dan Crede
1881 Rev. James W. Sinnock 1991 Rev. Tom Wilber
1881 Rev. Fred Joynt 1995 Rev. Howard White
1884 Rev. A. Sloan
1886 Rev. J. B. Colwell 2000 Dr. Kathleen Lossau
1888 Rev. M. B. McFadden 2006 Rev. Dick Piscatelli
1892 Rev. T. B. Wright
1895 A. D. Moon
1898 Rev. Walter Aiken
1903 Rev. W. A. Boyd
1905 Rev. W. W. Theobald
1906 Rev. W. G. Lloyd
1910 Rev. E. E. Williams
1913 Rev. E. V. Young
1915 Rev. E. T. Harman
1919 Rev. E. S. Vorbeck
1922 Rev. R. Ennis
1925 Rev. J. S. Thorpe
1930 Rev. J. R. Ford
1931 Rev. L. S. Ellison
1935 Rev. Paul C. Wilson
1939 Rev. R. H. Duling