Guide to the Records of the Pacific Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church (Pittsburgh, PA), 1902-1916
- Repository
- Heinz History Center
- Title
- Records of the Pacific Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church (Pittsburgh, PA)
- Creator
- Pacific Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Collection Number
- MSS#323
- Extent
- .25 cubic feet (1 box)
- Date
- 1902-1916
- Abstract
- The Pacific Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church had its beginnings as a Mission Church. The Mission was begun when a member of the Emory Methodist Episcopal Church in the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh saw a need for a Methodist congregation in the Garfield section of Pittsburgh. The Mission gained support for the purchase of a lot and construction of a building from Christ Methodist Episcopal Church, located on the border of East Liberty and Shadyside Sections of Pittsburgh and the Church Union of Pittsburgh. A lot was purchased in 1896 at the corner of North Pacific Avenue at Dearborn Street. The first worship service held by the Pacific Avenue congregation occurred on January 26, 1896. The Records of the Pacific Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church contain only materials on its Sunday School. Folders 1 thru 4, contain lose items found originally in the 1908 Sunday School Record book.
- Language
- The material in this collection is in English.
- Sponsor
- This finding aid has been encoded as a part of the Historic Pittsburgh project a joint effort of the University of Pittsburgh and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Funding for this portion of the project has been donated by the Hillman Foundation.
- Publisher
- Heinz History Center
- Address
- 1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org
History of the Pacific Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church
The Pacific Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church had its beginnings as a Mission Church. The Mission was begun when a member of the Emory Methodist Episcopal Church in the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh saw a need for a Methodist congregation in the Garfield section of Pittsburgh. The Mission gained support for the purchase of a lot and construction of a building from Christ Methodist Episcopal Church, located on the border of East Liberty and Shadyside Sections of Pittsburgh and the Church Union of Pittsburgh. A lot was purchased in 1896 at the corner of North Pacific Avenue at Dearborn Street. The first worship service held by the Pacific Avenue congregation occurred on January 26, 1896.
The Church building was erected in 1897 and was dedicated by Dr. Daniel Dorcherster, Jr., pastor of Christ Methodist Episcopal Church. The first pastor to be appointed to serve the Pacific Avenue Congregation was Reverend Nathan L. Brown. The church prospered in the first decades of its existence. The membership reached its highest level at 300 in the 1920s. However, after that time it began to dwindle.
In 1939 the Methodist Episcopal Denomination united with the Methodist Protestant and Methodist Episcopal, South Denominations to form the Methodist Church. After which Pacific Avenue dropped the word Episcopal from its name as well.
In 1968, the Methodist Denomination and the Evangelical United Brethren Denomination united to form the United Methodist Church. This created another United Methodist Church in close proximity to Pacific Avenue Church, which was the Stanton Heights Church. In 1971, Pacific Avenue shared its pastor with the Stanton Heights United Methodist Church. Again in 1991, Pacific Avenue Church shared its pastor with the Walton United Methodist Church of Pittsburgh's South side. By 1994 the membership had fallen to 48 and the church disbanded that year.
Scope and Content Notes
The Records of the Pacific Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church contain only materials on its Sunday School. Folders 1 thru 4, contain lose items found originally in the 1908 Sunday School Record book. Folders 5 thru 8, contain the Record books for the Sunday School Classes. Each of these books contain this information: hymns that were sung; subject of the lesson; scriptural text used; names of guests; how much money was contributed; number of students in the Primary, Bible and Main school; and the name of the Recording Secretary. Also included, in separate sections are the Attendance of Officers & Teachers and the Cash Account Ledger. The 1908 Record Book also contains the minutes of the Sunday School Board for that year. The 1914 Record Book does not include any information in the Cash Account Ledger section.
Arrangement
The Records of the Pacific Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church are housed in one archival box.
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
These records came in two accessions and were combined into a single collection at the time of processing in 2000.
Accession # 1999.0102 Library & Archives Purchase
Accession # 1999.0164 Gift of David R. Grinnell
Preferred Citation
Records of the Pacific Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church (Pittsburgh, PA), 1902-1916, MSS# 323, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
Processing Information
This collection was processed by David Grinnell in December 2000.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Doug MacGregor on September 26, 2001.
Conditions Governing Use
Property rights reside with the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or publish, please contact the curator of the Archives.
Subjects
- Pacific Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Sunday school -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh