(Hinton) — The very first church founded in Plymouth County will celebrate 160 years of existence this Sunday. Members of the congregation of the Melbourne United Methodist Church located at 28987 Jade Avenue, of rural Hinton plan to acknowledge their church’s founding with a celebration. Beth Odor is the current pastor of the church, and says the church was originally part of the Evangelical United Brethren denomination until the EUB merged with the Methodist to form what is known today as the United Methodist Church. Odor offers a brief history of the church.
Odor says the church added on to its building in 1961, and in 1962 the congregation constructed the parsonage. Odor says the church usually attracts around 30 people each Sunday for worship services. She says there are some names of today, such as Spies and Bogengrief, that have a connection with their ancestor family members that first founded the church. Odor says everyone is welcome to attend Sunday’s celebration.
She says the church will sell some commemorative Christmas tree ornaments depicting the church, and it will also hold a silent auction as part of Sunday’s anniversary celebration.
The celebration of the Melbourne Methodist Church will begin at 1:00 p.m.
