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Urania United Methodist Church (Urania, La.) records

 Collection
Identifier: LACUMC-2023-032

Scope and Contents

This collection documents the activities of Urania United Methodist Church. It includes administrative records, meeting minutes, charge conference records, Woman's Society of Christian Service records, and Sunday School records.

Dates

  • 1955 - 2014

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Physical rights are retained by the Centenary College of Louisiana Archives and Special Collections. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.

Biographical / Historical

Urania United Methodist Church (Urania, La.) is located at 6577 Tannehill Drive, Urania, Louisiana.

Religious services began by 1906 with revival services held under a tent in the woods. They were led by Sisters Perdue and Bartlet. By 1912, Methodists (and other denominations) began holding services at the Woodmen of the World building on Main Street. Sister Perdue (a Methodist) and a Baptist minister each preached there once a month. The congregations later separated, with the Methodists forming the Urania Methodist Protestant Church. They continued to meet in the same building. Sunday School was held in the afternoon every Sunday.

In 1926, they decided to build their own structure. After the theater at Urania burned down, that location was selected for the church. The Hardtner family (who owned the Urania Lumber Company) had the company build the church in 1927. The church arranged to repay the debt in monthly payments. Numerous fundraising efforts were made. Henry Hardtner matched donations from area merchants. The church was built in memory of Sister Bartlet, who had moved to California.

Sister Perdue (who lived in Atlanta, Texas) would take the train to Urania once a month to hold services. The lumber company paid her salary for many years. She served the church until 1939.

The church was left without a pastor after the 1939 merger in Methodism, and some members joined other churches.

In 1956, the church was remodeled. Local residents used 35 varieties of (native) hardwoods in the sanctuary. The lighted cross on the wall was placed in memory of long-time member C.E. Tannehill. Bishop Walton led the dedication service for the remodeled church in the early 1960s.

When the Urania Lumber Company was bought by Georgia-Pacific in 1968, the land was deeded to the church (1969).

Urania United Methodist Church disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church in 2022.

Source: Timothy Hebert, “The Historical Register of the Louisiana Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church,” (Louisiana: Louisiana Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, 2004), page AL-58.

Extent

0.5 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This collection is organized by subject, then chronologically.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Unknown person mailed collection to Alexandria District Office, then transferred by Sheila Foreman (Alexandria District Office administrative assistant) in 2023.

Title
Finding Aid to the Urania United Methodist Church (Urania, La.) records
Author
Riane Faas and Chris Brown
Date
2023
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Centenary College of Louisiana Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
2911 Centenary Blvd.
Shreveport LA 71104 US
(318) 869-5462