Our mission statement is:
Russiaville United Methodist Church is a caring and supporting community of faith.
Our vision for 2020 is to be an inviting and welcoming community of faith.
We are an open congregation, welcoming all who desire to worship with us.
We believe in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, God as our Creator and the Holy Spirit as our Sustainer of faith.
We support our church, our Pastor and church leaders.
We are under the guidance of our:
Bishop: Julius Trimble
Conference Superintendent: Chris Nunley.
Leadership & Staff
Pastor C. Anne Girton Kumeh
is a graduate of Christian Theological Seminary and an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church. She has been a missionary to Liberia through the General Board of Global Ministries from 2000 – 2003 and also served as a NGO in Liberia from 2010 – 2014. She is married and has two grown children and 8 grown step-children. They are grandparents to 30 and have 2 great grands.
Bobbie Deardorf
is the Administrative Assistant. She is here to answer your questions, reserve space for your event, and tend to all the details. She is a former beautician and EMT trainer. On Wednesday you will find her in the Food Pantry with other volunteers.
Nancy Hobson
is our talented musician. Worship services would really be dull without her around to pep things up. She is also chair of the Worship Committee and coordinates all the special services and events relating to Worship.
History of Russiaville UMC
The Russiaville Methodist Church was established in the 1840’s when a number of early settlers from Ohio, Southern Indiana and the Southeastern states were coming into the township to set up permanent homes.
Among these rugged pioneers were the Ratcliffs, Dixonns, Wilsons, Floyds, Lambs, Jeters and Fortner who followed Joseph Taylor the first white man to come to the Russiaville area.
Russiaville’s early residents were intent upon establishing religious and education as soon as they were settled. Those of the Methodist faith opened their homes for meetings, the first of what was held in the home of Solomon and Benoni Fortner. Sermons were heard only occasionally when a circuit minister happened along.
In 1861, the Order of Odd Fellows Lodge and the Methodist people erected a two story building on the site of the present Methodist church. The lodge used the upper story and the Methodist people used the lower floor. In 1881 a foundation was put under the building to keep the hogs out from under it. On an early Sunday morning, April 27, 1902, the church burned to the ground.
In 1903 the Lodge deeded their half of the property to Frankin Fortner, who gave it to the church. The contract for the new building was for $5300. On Sunday, October 11, 1903, dedication services were held. This structure and all its contents burned on the evening of January 9, 1942 with an estimated loss of $40, to $50,000.
The congregation used the Russiaville school building from January 1942 until September 1942 at which time the services were transferred the the John Burress residence on East Main Street. This home was located where the east end of Stout’s Funeral Home now stands. (This home had been left to the church in the Burress estate). Services were held there until the property was sold February 12, 1946, at which time the congregation moved back to the school. Because of the war, much delay and difficulty was endured before a new building could be erected. But on Sunday evening June 16, 1946, the first preaching service was held in a colonial styled brick church.
On Sunday evening, April 11, 1965, at about service time, a tornado leveled a large part of town. The Methodist church was damaged, but not destroyed. After a week services were resumed in spite of the rubble. The Christian Church congregation, and the Baptist Church Congregation also held their services in the Methodist Church.
While the damage was being repaired, some redesigning was also being done. The steeple was changed and also the front of the sanctuary.
On Christmas morning 2000, this building was burned to the ground and was replaced with the present structure, two years later, a the total price of $1,300,000. The first service was held July 15, 2002.
On May 8, 2008, a service was held for the burning of the mortgage. This current building lends itself greatly for use by the community. Western Buddy Bags are packed here, a community food pantry is also housed in this building and the Community Vacation Bible School. Several other groups utilize the building because of its accessibility.