John Wesley, a priest in the Church of England, was the founder of Methodism. For a time he was a missionary in the colony of Georgia. He returned to England where he eventually preached to large groups of the poor, who did not usually attend formal worship services.
The Methodist Episcopal Church was established in this country in 1784. The term "episcopal" indicated that bishops head the governing body of the church. The first bishops were Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury.
Local churches in a geographic area are under the guidance of a Presiding Elder, now known as a District Superintendent. Several districts form a Conference. In 1800 the New York Conference included Connecticut, parts of Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire, and New York east of the Hudson River including Long Island.
A bishop presides at a yearly meeting called an "Annual Conference." This meeting originally was only for the clergy, but later was expanded to include lay people.
At first the work of carrying the Gospel to the people was done by Circuit Riders. These men were assigned an area which allowed them to preach at each "church" once every two to six weeks, depending upon the size of the circuit. Local Methodists formed societies and met regularly in small classes, usually in homes. When the Society became too large to meet in homes, they met in schools or other public builds. Eventually the Society was large enough to be able to build a structure of their own.
In Red Hook the first known circuit rider was Rev. J.B. Matthais who served 1827-28. Christina Mowl had been a member of the Milan congregation and when she located in Red Hook, she opened her home for Methodist meetings. Her home also welcomed itinerant preachers or circuit riders.
A Mission church received financial aid from the Conference. Red Hook contiued toreceive "mission" aid until 1860.
In 1840 Red Hook became a station which allowed the pastor to live in the community. Services were held in "Francher's Hall." The first Methodist building erected was located on Division Street, later called Graves Street.
The first building on the present site at Church and West Market Streets was erected in 1849. The building was Tudor Gothic design, prefabricated and shipped by water from Bridgeport, Connecticut to Barrytown and transported overland to Red Hook. The cost was $1,700.
Property was purchased on Cherry Street for burying ground.
Membership in 1854 was 53 and there was an $800 indebtedness. In 1858 the value of the church was $1,500 and the parsonage $1,000.
In 1866 an organ was purchased and in 1867 the interior of the church was improved with seat cushions and a marble-slab table was purchased for an altar. The old furnishings were transferred to the parsonage.
The first written history was undertaken by Rev. John Sellect and is recorded in the Membership Record of 1868. Earlier records had been kept in two small blue books. These books were lost to the congregation in 1915.
Newspaper accounts relate the desire to build a new parsonage in 1889. On further study it was decided to renovate and enlarge the existing structure. The pastor and his family were in the improved parsonage by December.
By 1893 a larger sanctuary was needed. The building wa removed and the present structure erected. During construction the congregation of St. Paul's Lutheran Church invited the Methodists to share their church. One week the collection wen to the Lutherans, the next to the Methodists.
The new Mehodist Episcopal Church building was dedicated on Thursday, February 8, 1894 with three services. The bell was given by Edward Martin. The total cost of the new church was $10,004.
Over the years mention was made of fences, sheds and barns being improved or removed. Payments to the parsonage family included produce grown by the church members as well as a very modest cash salary.
Conveniences we take for granted today were included in the improvements made to the church and parsonage. A bathroom was installed in the parsonage in 1901. About the same time gas lighting was installed in the church to replace kerosene lamps. Electric lighting was installed in the parsonage in 1914 and in the church in 1916. In 1930 a new hot water heating system was installed in the parsonage.
In 1905 Miss Susie Gedney became the first woman elected to the Officail Board and continued to serve for thirty years. She instituted the envelope system to improve the financial standing of the church.
The national merger of three Methodist denominations in 1939 created a new church called "The Methodist Church." The governing organization is still under the direction of bishops.
Rev. William R. Phinney left the Red Hook church to become an Army Chaplain during World War II.
In 1947 a new organ was given in memory of Mrs. William Treibel and her son Franklin Treibel. The widening of West Market Street in the 1950's reduced the size of the front yards at both the church and the parsonage.
In 1966 Rev. Russell E. Sargent roade a horse from Red Hook to Bridgeport, Ct, the site of the New York Annual Conference. This took several days and included stops at churches along the way for preaching. Rev. Sargent portrayed Rev. Freeborn Garrettson on this commemorative ride to celebrate the Methodist Bicentennial.
In 1968 the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church joined to become the United Methodist Church.
Population growth resulted in the need for increased space for the Church School. In 1967 an education building was added and old church school rooms were remodeled. The increased space not only provided for church school use, but also allowed outreach activities to the community. For a time the church sponsored a Coffee House for area youth as well as a food program for shut-ins called "Meals on Wheels."
At present the church serves the community by providing space for the Church Street Community Nursery School, which has just celebrated it's 50th year, and by hosting a Food Pantry, a member agency of the Regional Food Bank.
The Red Hook Methodist Episcopal Church, Methodist Church and United Methodist Church reflect our need to worship and our commitment to serve all.
The new Mehodist Episcopal Church building was dedicated on Thursday, February 8, 1894 with three services. The bell was given by Edward Martin. The total cost of the new church was $10,004.