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Jennings United Methodist Church (Jennings, La.) records

 Collection
Identifier: LACUMC-2023-056

Scope and Contents

This collection primarily documents the activities of Jennings United Methodist Church (Jennings, La.) and its predecessor First United Methodist Church (Jennings, La.). It includes membership records, church and charge conference records, administrative board records, church council records, trustee records, and finance committee records. The membership records dated 1895-2014 (folders 2-6) are photocopy facsimiles of membership cards.

Also included are records of a separate congregation located within the same city -- Jennings Methodist Episcopal Church South (Jennings, La.). This consists of a photocopy facsimile membership book containing pastors (1902-1917), marriages (1903-1910), baptisms (1907-1910), and members (1905-1910).

Dates

  • 1895 - 2023

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

Jennings United Methodist Church was located at 710 North Cary Avenue, Jennings, Louisiana.

In the fall of 1888, Rev. P. A. Drown arrived from the Ohio Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church to organize a church. The church's roll as it was organized in December 1888 lists 19 members. Work soon began on the church, which was completed the following year (1889). That church burned down in 1893 but was immediately rebuilt. The (Gulf) Annual Conference for the north branch of Methodism met often in Jennings (one of the largest congregations in the Conference).

In the mid-1940s, plans began to construct new facilities. The old church was sold. Services were held at the Masonic Hall while the education building was built. The education building was completed at the end of the decade and fundraising plans began for a new sanctuary. On October 2, 1955, the first service was held in the new sanctuary. Rev. Crichlow and Bishop Paul E. Martin led the service. The dedication service led by Rev. William F. Mayo and Bishop Aubrey G. Walton was later held on February 14, 1965. In 1958-59, the old parsonage was torn down and a new brick home was constructed. By the mid-1970s, the church was outgrowing its walls again. The facilities were renovated in 1978.

On May 31, 1998, the Trinity United Methodist Church merged with the Jennings congregation. Trinity was founded by Rev. E. J. Church in 1897 as a United Brethren Church. The first church, made of wood with a unique covered entrance and bell tower, was built in 1902. Classrooms were added in 1926 and 1951.

A new church and classrooms were built in 1962. The dedication service for the sanctuary, chapel, and classrooms was held on December 17, 1962. The church became the Trinity United Methodist Church after the 1968 merger. Since both churches were now the same denomination and only three blocks apart, the congregations merged their resources to become one.

Jennings United Methodist Church disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church in May 2023.

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 LC-25.

Extent

1 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

Arranged in two series:

Series 1: Jennings United Methodist Church (Jennings, La.), 1895-2023

Series 2: Jennings Methodist Episcopal Church South (Jennings, La.), 1902-1917

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Unknown person dropped off collection at Louisiana Conference Office of the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church, then transferred by Rhonda Whitley (Ministry Coordinator, Congregational Development and Transformation) in 2023.

Title
Finding Aid to Jennings United Methodist Church (Jennings, La.) records
Author
Beth Vogler and Chris Brown
Date
2024
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