From Sacred Halls To New Horizons
- Chris Hughes
- Sep 12, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 27
Since 1901, a brick sanctuary for believers in the Christian religion stood at the corner of King and Broad Streets in Lancaster, Ohio. On December 1, 1901, the Broad Street United Brethren Church opened for worship under the leadership of Reverend Mark Hart and was deemed unsafe for occupancy at the end of 1909.
The Lancaster Gazette posted an article on April 9, 1910 stating, "Unfortunately, through some error in construction, soon discovered by the congregation, they were led to realize that rebuilding was only a question of time. But undaunted by what to many congregations would have been hopeless discouragement, they set to work hanging over a wrecked building, realizing that as soon as the debt was paid, the building must be torn down and another more substantial one be erected. For nine years, the old church had served its purpose under the existing conditions. Now upon the same sacred spot, the congregation will build a new and more modern building to need the needs of the present opportunities." As the new sacred building was nearing completion, Reverend C.C. Allton was appointed as the new pastor. Bishop J.S. Mills, a member of the wider United Brethren denomination in Southeastern Ohio, was honored for his accomplishments throughout his ministry career when the new church was built. The new place of worship was to be named "Mills Memorial United Brethren in Christ Church," and one of the main three stained glass windows in the sanctuary was memorialized for Mills with the "Jesus, The Shepherd" stained glass window on the Broad Street side. The new building was completed after one year of construction and was dedicated on May 21, 1911. In 1946, there was a denominational merger, and the church became known as Mills Memorial Evangelical United Brethren Church.
Since the opening of the new church building, various improvements have been made, including new materials, flooring, an altar pad, air conditioning, and more. In 1965, the church was repainted, and new doors were installed. In 1966, ground was broken for a new education unit east of the sanctuary, off King Street. This three-floor project included a fellowship hall, multipurpose room, recreation/dining areas, a stage, a chapel, a church office, a pastor's office, classrooms, restrooms, and more. The annex was also designed to become a sanctuary wing.
Two short years later, in 1968, a merger took place between the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Church. Some members of the Mills congregation did not agree with the merger and attempted to stop the proceedings, though they ultimately did not succeed. Through court disputes, ownership of the property was ultimately granted to the Methodist Church. A large group of congregants left the church, leaving Mills Memorial United Methodist Church with a debt of $180,000 and 89 remaining members. At the time of the split, Reverend Harold Sturm, arguably one of the most successful leaders in the church's history, was brought in to heal the wounds from the split. Through Reverend Sturm's leadership, the debt was paid off in 10 years, and the mortgage was burned on May 21, 1978. Various ministries were created and successfully run by members of the church and the pastoral staff. Reverend Sturm served faithfully for over two decades, from 1968 until 1990, often serving at other places of worship after his time at Mills. He never forgot a face, name, or detail about his congregants.
From the mid-2000s, attendance began to fall from the 140-160 range until the church suffered a major decline in the late 2010s. Just prior to COVID-19, membership had dropped to roughly 25 members, and by the end of 2021, Mills Memorial United Methodist Church ceased to exist as a place of worship. Due to a lack of comprehensive maintenance in the final years of operation, parts of the church fell into significant disrepair, including the air conditioning, boilers, some wall structures, flooring, and paint, which started to chip.
The gallery below features over 50 photographs I took during my first walk-through of the church in 2023 after it had closed for worship.
In 2022, the property at King and Broad Streets was sold to private investors, who began developing concepts for the site. In September 2023, a consignment store,All Saints and Co. Consignment Boutique, opened in the basement of the education wing of Mills Memorial, All Saints and Co. Consignment Boutique utilized remnants of the church for decorations, fitting rooms, displays, and more. This exciting boutique began to bring people into the building again. At the end of July, All Saints and Co. Consignment Boutique announced that they would be moving to a new location in September, which led me to investigate what was next for the property.
Based on the information I have gathered, the owners of the property are planning to turn the former church into an event center and restaurant. There is a possibility for additional businesses, but I have not heard anything further at this time. As developments occur on King and Broad Streets, I will keep a watchful eye for exciting news to share. This long-enduring church building hosted many memories and religious experiences for those who worshiped there. It will now transition from sacred halls to new horizons.
The gallery below features over 100 photographs I took on my last walk-through of the church before major construction started.
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