One of Becker’s oldest church is closing its doors.

 

Sort of.

 

Becker United Methodist Church voted  May 20 to end  their Sunday services effective July 1. But, the church will remain where it is and will be used by members in a variety of ways.

 

Membership records will be transferred to the Community United Methodist Church of Monticello. The Becker UMC building will turn over to the Monticello Church, however the title/deed will not be released until some work is done to the existing structure.

 

Sunday, members of the Becker church gathered for their final service of celebration and remembrance, followed by a hearty meal and fellowship.

 

After an invitation to worship and a spirited prayer, Pastor Ken Felska shared his thoughts and remembrances of his time as pastor followed by sharing from Pastor Mary Kitchall and congregant Bill Gulbrandson.

 

The tiny, wood-paneled and stained-glass windowed church on  2nd Street SE has seen many worshippers come and go in its 130-year history. The United Methodist Church was created  April 23, 1968, when the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Church united to form a new denomination. But, Methodism dates back to 1736 and the leadership of John and Charles Wesley. United Methodists share a historic connection to other Methodist and Wesleyan bodies.

 

Many others stepped to the podium Sunday to share their thoughts and remembrances of their church they’ve called home for numerous years including Pastor Jim Beard (Elk River UMC), Nita Wells, Bev Edling, Barb Listul, Pastor Becky Lundeen, Barb Gulbrandson, Pastor Ingrid Bloom, Mary Jansky, Ramona Moore, Elaine Schroeder and many others.

 

Ten stained-glass windows adorn the main level of the 100-120 pewed church. Some of the windows displayed remembrances of past worshippers and their families and some identified classes at the church.

 

Sunday, the day was warm and the church even warmer as several large fans were set on “high” to circulate the tepid air in the sanctuary. The wood floors show their history with black, grated vents spaced throughout the room and the altar area features a blood-red carpet below the three-foot cross.

 

Music emanated from the grand piano to such epic hymns such as Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art and Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee, played exquisitely by the church’s pianist, Annie Aleshire.

 

Towards the conclusion of Sunday’s celebration service, different representatives of the congregation gathered around the pews, the baptismal font, the pulpit and the altar and read petitions to God and thanks for His endowments.

 

They closed with the song, We Are The Church. A reminder that a church is its people, not the building they gather in.