The Strongsville United Methodist
Church has been a congregation on the move, growing
and changing to meet the spiritual and other needs of
the community. It is a group that responds to Christ's
call to go forth to minister to all people.
Strongsville was part of the
Western Reserve lands intended for New England settlers,
so many of the people at the first class meeting of
the Methodist Episcopal Church were originally from
Connecticut. The first meeting in the spring of 1819
was at the home of the Jonathan Pope family. Huntington
Bank now occupies this site at the corner of routes
42 and 82.
The activity of the new settlement
of Albion, which had a busy mill and several businesses
that attracted population, prompted members to move
the church there. Albion was located in the area generally
bounded by Albion, Pearl and Whitney Roads. Later, a
major fire destroyed most of the settlement.
After the railroad was built
through Berea, church membership declined until only
about ten families remained. Members decided to move
back toward the original location, building just north
of the Strongsville town center on the west side of
route 42.
An annual activity at this location
was an annual lawn fete that lasted until World War
II, an event that was later taken over by the Chamber
of Commerce and became the yearly Homecoming festivities.
In the early 1950's the church
added a new educational wing behind the old white frame
church, impelled by increasing growth and new young
families. By 1960, the church realized a new building
was needed and voted to build a new sanctuary to seat
511, breaking ground April 30, 1961. This new facility
was outgrown by 1983, and an atrium was built to provide
more classrooms and meeting space.
By the end of the century, space
was again at a premium and the church, after prayerful
consideration, purchased property at the northeast corner
of Webster road and Route 82 to build a new facility.
On November 9th, 2007 we moved into our new location
at 13500 Royalton Road in Strongsville, Ohio.
We invite you to be a part of
our church family as we worship God, grow in our faith,
serve a needy world, and celebrate the love of God in
our midst.
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