Redeemer Church History

Redeemer United Methodist Church was formed by the merger in 1970 of the DeWitt Methodist Church and Emanuel Methodist Church. The new congregation built a multi-purpose unit on land owned by Emanuel Methodist Church at the corner of Schavey and Clark roads in 1977. On May 15, 1994, the new sanctuary, education wing and offices were consecrated. In 2004, work was done to add classrooms for the Children's Ministry, and the original section of the church was renovated into a Student Center.

DeWitt Methodist

The DeWitt Methodist Church's roots can be found in the Methodist circuit riders who traveled by horseback starting and visiting "classes" in homes and school houses during the early settlement of mid-Michigan. The first Methodist class in DeWitt was formed in 1836 by Rev. Isaac Bennet. In 1841 DeWitt became a part of the Mapleton Circuit which included most of Clinton County and parts of Shiawassee and Ingham Counties.

The first parsonage was built at DeWitt in 1846. In 1851 the DeWitt Circuit was formed with classes in DeWitt, Riley, Olive, Victor, and Watertown.

The first Methodist church in DeWitt was a wooden structure built in 1866 on North Bridge Street. In the mid-1890's the old church was sold and moved a block east by the corner of Main Street and Bridge Street. The new church was built in 1896 on the site of the old one. Fire destroyed the church building in 1927 and a new one was built at the same location in 1931.

In 1970 DeWitt Methodist Church merged with Emanuel Methodist Church and formed Redeemer United Methodist Church. Construction of a new church began in 1977 next to the old Emanuel Church building at Schavey and Clark roads. The congregation moved into the first phase multi-purpose unit and the old church building was sold. It is currently the home of the Mount Hope-DeWitt church. As the church continued to grow, the congregation purchased additional land and began a major building project in 1992. A new sanctuary, offices and education wing was consecrated on May 15, 1994.

               
               DeWitt Methodist Church (c1951)

DeWitt Circuit (pdf - requires free Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Emanuel German Methodist Church
Corner of Schavey and Clark Roads, DeWitt, MI

Emanuel German Methodist Church traces its' beginnings to the missionary work of Rev. Jacob Krebiehl of Ann Arbor, who began holding services in the Allen School House on the southwest corner of Clark and Airport Roads in 1853. The church later met at the Hurd Schoolhouse on DeWitt Road and was a part of the Lansing circuit.

On November 28, 1871, under the pastorate of Rev. C. F. Heitmeyer, the church purchased land for a new church on the northwest corner of Clark and Schavey Roads. The building was begun in the spring of 1872 and completed for a sum of $2,117.54. The dedication service was held on August 10, 1872. In 1877 Emanuel split from the Lansing circuit and became a separate charge. In 1881, during the pastorate of Rev. Conrad Wehnes, the parsonage was built on land to the west of the church that had been purchased on February 7, 1872. On December 22, 1881, land was purchased across Clark Road, south of the church. This land was used to stable horses during services. As the        Emanuel German Methodist Church (c1921-1923)
church continued to grow, the building was added                    *Note the parsonage to the left
onto in 1893 and 1897.

During the early years of the church all songs, sermons, and materials were in German. Men sat on the right side of the church and women on the left. After World War I English began to creep into the services and younger couples broke with tradition and began sitting with each other. English replaced German in services beginning in 1928.

In September of 1933 Emanuel left the German Methodist Episcopal Conference and joined the Michigan Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. From 1933-48 they shared a pastor with the DeWitt Methodist Church. Around noon on Palm Sunday, 1944 a fire destroyed
            Emanuel German Methodist Church Interior             the church. After clearing the rubble, a new
                From a postcard of an unknown date                  building was erected on the same foundation.                                                                                      Services were held in the parsonage until the                                                                                      new building was completed on July 20, 1947.

                       

Emanuel German Methodist Church (c1923)                   Emanuel Methodist Church (c1960)       
*Note that Schavey and Clark are two-track roads                                                                          

In 1948 Emanuel was placed in a circuit with Gunnisonville where it remained until 1967 when it once again was paired with the DeWitt Methodist Church. At that time talks began in earnest about a possible merger of the two congregations. In 1970 the merger took place and the new combined church became Redeemer United Methodist Church.

Redeemer United Methodist Church built a new building in 1977 north of the old Emanuel building on 4 acres of land which the Emanuel Church had purchased for possible future expansion in the early 1960's. The old parsonage was sold and moved in 1988. Redeemer United Methodist Church continued using the old church building as a Sunday School until 1994. At that time the stained glass windows from the old church were removed and incorporated into the new Redeemer Church sanctuary. The building was decommissioned and demolished in 1997.