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| History of St. Mark United Methodist
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1874 -Founding of the “Union Church”
1901 -Building destroyed by fire
1903 -Construction of new sanctuary
1924 -New educational annex
1951 -Name changed from Seneca Methodist Episcopal to Saint
Mark Methodist
1956 -New parsonage
1958 -Purchase of property at present site on Quincy Road
1960 -Dedication of debt-free building
1967 -Construction of present parsonage
1968 -Name “United” added to Saint Mark United Methodist Church
1975 -Merging of Newry United Methodist and Saint Mark United
Methodist churches
1986 -New kitchen, conference room, classrooms, and music suite
1996 -Construction of atrium and gymnasium
1997 -Opening of Saint Mark Child Development Center
The vision and planning of a small group of seventeen people in the fall of 1874 resulted in the first Methodist congregation in Seneca. The Baptists, Presbyterians, and Episcopalians shared what was referred to as the "Union Church" until the Methodists bought their interest in the building.
On October 7, 1901, the original frame building, along with the parsonage, was destroyed by fire. The new sanctuary that was built was dedicated in 1903. In 1924, an educational annex was constructed for Sunday school classrooms, and in 1951, the name of the "Seneca Methodist Church" was changed to "Saint Mark Methodist Church".
As the congregation continued to grow, the parsonage was razed to make room for a new educational building. A lot was bought on the comer of North Poplar and North 3rd Streets, and a parsonage was erected in 1956. In 1958, the church and property at the comer of North Fairplay and North 2nd Streets were sold to Brown's Funeral Home. The congregation purchased four and one-half acres of land on Quincy Road for the erection of a new church.
The Gothic structure, with Flemish glass windows, seated about 400 people, and was adjoined by a large educational building. The debt-free building was dedicated on June 22, 1960. During the spring of 1967, the church was air-conditioned, and a new parsonage was built on two lots south of the church on Ben Hilda Drive.
On April 23, 1968, the Saint Mark Methodist Church changed its name to The Saint Mark United Methodist Church when the Methodist Church united with the Evangelical United Brethren to become the United Methodist Church in America. On April 20, 1975, the Newry United Methodist Church merged with the Saint Mark congregtion.
A new wing that included a new kitchen, church offices, a parlor, a conference room, a library, a music room and four classrooms was consecrated in December 1986. The membership continued to grow rapidly, and stained glass windows in the sanctuary were installed in 1991-92. The Saint Mark Center, which added an atrium, classrooms, family life center, an enlarged kitchen and serving area, elevator access, additional restrooms, a youth lounge and a covered drive-through for inclement weather, was consecrated on October 6, 1996.
A Child Development Center (CDC), providing high quality childcare, opened its doors on June 2, 1997.
With vital programs such as our Wednesday evening Church Fellowship Night, METS (Meet-Eat-Travel-Serve is a travel and service group for older adults), SMURF (Saint Mark United Repair Force that offers home repair assistance for needy persons), UMW (United Methodist Women is a women's service and missions group), Men for Christ (weekly bible study group), Feeding the Homeless (a weekly feeding of needy persons), Chancel Choir, Handbells, Wings for the Lord Youth Choir (7th-12th grades), children’s choirs and many other ministries, Saint Mark continues to be a church that reaches out to the congregation and the community. (Please click on the blue links above to see descriptions of these groups and programs.)
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