Our History

Union United Methodist Church – Quincy, Illinois

Union United Methodist Church traces its roots to the German Methodist movement in Quincy in the mid-1800s.

Beginnings: A German Methodist Society

(1845)

In 1844, a movement began to establish a Methodist society for Quincy residents of German ancestry. On March 8, 1845, the First German Methodist Episcopal Church was officially organized with 28 members. Reverend Phillip Barth was sent from St. Louis to serve as the congregation’s first pastor.

The church’s first building was erected in 1846 at 514 Jersey Street. As the congregation grew, a stronger structure was built and dedicated on December 31, 1854.

Growth and Relocation

Under the leadership of Reverend Franz Piehler, the congregation relocated from Jersey Street to the corner of 8th and Kentucky Streets. There, an impressive brick church was constructed, designed by architect George P. Behrensmeyer.

On March 23, 1902, the church was renamed Kentucky Street Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1921, the 43rd St. Louis Annual Conference was held in that building, marking an important milestone in the church’s regional influence.

The Bethel Church and Union

(1873–1925)

In 1873, 39 members of the First German Methodist Episcopal Church formed a mission congregation at 12th and Jefferson Streets. This church became known as German Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church, with Reverend J. H. Thomas serving as its first pastor.

In 1925, the Bethel and Kentucky Street congregations reunited, forming Union Methodist Episcopal Church. The unified congregation remained at the 8th and Kentucky location until 1958. The former Bethel building was later sold to Bethel Assembly of God and was ultimately demolished in 2022 after a new structure was built on the property.

A New Location: 11th & State

In 1954, land was purchased at 11th and State Streets for a new church home. The site had previously been the location of John Wood’s residence (the city's founder and later Governor of Illinois) and later housed Chaddock School and St. Peter’s School.

The cornerstone was placed in 1958. The building was consecrated on March 15, 1959, and the first worship service was held on Easter Sunday, March 30, 1959.

Becoming Union United Methodist Church

In 1968, the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church united nationally, forming The United Methodist Church. With this merger, the congregation became Union United Methodist Church, the name it proudly carries today.

Now, more than 180 years after its founding, Union United Methodist Church continues its mission of worship, service, and community outreach in Quincy. The church is currently led by Pastor Marty Pressey.

Union United Methodist Church History

Union UMC traces its history back to October 1844. The Rev. Ludwig Jacoby, presiding elder of the St. Louis Area of German Methodist Episcopal (M.E.) Church, assigned a pastor to Quincy, IL. The First German M.E. Church was formally organized in March 1845. The German speaking congregation built a church building at 524 Jersey St in July 1846. However, that structure proved to be too small and a larger one was erected on the same site and dedicated on December 31, 1854.

            In 1873, due to the growth of the city and an increase in German immigrants, the First German M.E. Church started a mission church called Bethel M.E. Church at 12^th and Jefferson in Quincy.

            The First German M.E. Church is the “mother” church of Sunset Home. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Pfeiffer, members of First M.E. Church, opened their home for elder care. In May 1890, they donated their home at 418 Washington St. to the St. Louis Conference for the purpose of continuing elderly care.

            In 1892, the First German M.E. Church purchased a lot at 8^th and Kentucky and built a new parsonage. In 1901, they began constructing a new church building. On March 23, 1902, the building was dedicated and the church on Jersey St. moved into it, becoming the Kentucky Street M.E. Church.

            In 1925, after opting for English rather than German and being served by the same pastor, Rev. John Emory Tuschoff, the Kentucky Street and Bethel churches united, becoming Union M.E. Church and worshiped at the Kentucky Street location. The church building at 12^th and Jefferson was sold shortly thereafter to the Assembly of God church. In 1939, upon the unification of three branches of Methodism (The Methodist Episcopal Church, The Methodist Protestant Church, and The Methodist Episcopal Church, South), the word Episcopal was dropped making the new name Union Methodist Church.

            By 1952, it became apparent the Kentucky Street location was too small to house the growing congregation. The property at 11^th and State was purchased from St. Peters Roman Catholic Church in 1954. The buildings at this site had originally been the home of Chaddock College, then Chaddock Boys School, and finally as a parochial school. The existing buildings were razed and construction on the new building began in 1958 and was consecrated on March 15, 1959. The first worship service was held in the building the following Sunday. The decision to build a new building and the fundraising for it were overseen by Rev. Stanley K. Jensen who was the pastor from 1947 to 1972, twenty-five years.

            On November 16, 1946, The Evangelical Church and The United Brethren Church (Wesleyan Methodist churches) united to become The Evangelical United Brethren Church. In 1968, The Evangelical United Brethren Church and The Methodist Church united, thereby creating The United Methodist Church. With the unification, the Union Methodist Church became the Union United Methodist Church.

            Since the uniting of the Kentucky Street and Bethel churches into Union, there has been twenty-three pastors. Fifteen of them have served as United Methodist pastors. As we continue to look to the future of ministry and the church, we see new opportunities and new ways of reaching people. How will God work through the Union United Methodist Church?

Pastoral Appointments