25 Finding aid prepared by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories using data provided by the Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church. Last updated on February 03, 2015. Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church
Table of Contents Summary Information...3 Biography/History...4 Scope and Contents... 4 Administrative Information... 5 Controlled Access Headings...6 Collection Inventory... 7 - Page 2 -
Summary Information Repository Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church Creator Trinity-Chelten United Methodist Church (Philadelphia, Pa.) Title Trinity-Chelten United Methodist Church records Call number 25 Date [inclusive] 1891-2004 Extent 3 linear feet General Physical Description note 6 boxes, 4 volumes, 2 folders Language English Abstract Trinity-Chelten United Methodist Church in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia was established in 1970 as a merger of Chelten Avenue United Methodist Church (founded as Chelten Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church in 1886) and Trinity United Methodist Church (organized as Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church in 1900). The merged congregation met in the Chelten Avenue church building until it was discontinued in 2004. The Trinity-Chelten United Methodist Church records, 1891-2004, are largely composed of records from Chelten Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, although some materials relate to Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church or the merged congregation. It includes Quarterly Conference records, trustee minutes, official board minutes, administrative board and council minutes, Charge Conference materials, membership and vital records (marriages, baptisms, funerals), - Page 3 -
and a small amount of financial documents, church histories, photographs, and other materials. Biography/History Methodism is a protestant Christian faith based in the teachings of John Wesley (1703-1791), who preached "practical divinity," emphasis on Christian living, and putting faith and love into action. The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1784 in Baltimore, Maryland with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as its first bishops and held its first general conference in 1792. In May of 1939, the Methodist Episcopal Church; the Methodist Episcopal Church, South; and the Methodist Protestant Church united to form the Methodist Church (U.S.). In 1946 the Church of the United Brethren in Christ (New constitution) and the Evangelical Church united to form the Evangelical United Brethren Church. In 1968 the Methodist Church (U.S.) and the Evangelical United Brethren Church united, forming the United Methodist Church (U.S.). Originally the Haines Street Mission at Stenton and Haines Streets, Chelten Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was established in 1886. Its first chapel was built in 1887, and moved to 2145 E. Chelten Avenue at Wister Street in 1891. In 1898, a meeting was held to establish a Methodist church in East Germantown (then Sommerville) for the African American community who previously traveled to the only black Methodist Church in Germantown, Janes Methodist Episcopal Church at East Haines Street and Belfield Avenue. In 1900 this was accomplished when Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church was formally established. The congregation met in various homes and existing buildings until a church site was purchased on Woodstock Street. A cornerstone was laid in 1907. In 1970, Chelten Avenue United Methodist Church and Trinity United Methodist Church merged to become Trinity-Chelten United Methodist Church. The congregation met in the Chelten Avenue church building until it was discontinued in 2004. Scope and Contents This collection, dating from 1891 to 2004, is largely comprised of records from Chelten Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, although some materials relate to Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church or the merged congregation, Trinity-Chelten United Methodist Church. It includes Quarterly Conference records, trustee minutes, official board minutes, administrative board and council minutes, Charge - Page 4 -
Conference materials, membership and vital records (marriages, baptisms, funerals), and a small amount of financial documents, church histories, photographs, and other materials. A folder-level inventory for the collection is available. Administrative Information Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church Finding aid prepared by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories using data provided by the Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church. Sponsor This preliminary finding aid was created as part of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories. The HCI-PSAR project was made possible by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Access Restrictions Contact Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church for information about accessing this collection. Immediate Source of Acquisition Note The Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church is the repository for records of member churches when they close. Processing Information Note Summary descriptive information on this collection was compiled in 2012-2014 as part of a project conducted by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania to make better known and more accessible the largely hidden collections of small, primarily volunteer run repositories in the Philadelphia area. The Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories (HCI-PSAR) was funded by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. This is a preliminary finding aid. No physical processing, rehousing, reorganizing, or folder listing was accomplished during the HCI-PSAR project. In some cases, more detailed inventories or finding aids may be available on-site at the repository where this collection is held; please contact Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church directly for more information. - Page 5 -
Existence and Location of Copies Trinity-Chelten United Methodist Church records Some church records at the Historical Society of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church, particularly membership and vital records, are available in digital form through Ancestry.com or on microfilm at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and/or the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania. Controlled Access Headings Corporate Name(s) Chelten Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church (Philadelphia, Pa.) Trinity-Chelten United Methodist Church (Philadelphia, Pa.) United Methodist Church (U.S.) Geographic Name(s) Germantown (Philadelphia, Pa.) Philadelphia (Pa.) Subject(s) City churches Methodism Methodists - Page 6 -
Collection Inventory Box Folder Record of Contributions, 1939-1942 (Includes names of members). 1 1 Record of Contributions, 1945-1955 (Includes names of members). 2 1 Family/Household Roll (Trinity Church), c. 1955 -c. 1990). 3 1 Membership Certificates, 1971-1997. 3 2 Membership Certificates, 1990-1991. 3 3 Miscellaneous Membership Notes, 1972-1991. 3 4 Membership Transfer Records, 1991-1999. 3 5 Marriage Licenses, 1971-1991. 3 6 Marriage Record, 1973, 1974, 1983. 3 7 - Page 7 -
Baptism Records, 1923-2001 (incomplete). 3 8 Funerals, 1978-1997. 3 9 Membership List, c. 1950, 1968, 1972, 1974, 1980, 1981, 1983, c. 1990. 3 10 Articles of Incorporation, 1994. 3 11 Annual Budgets, 1953, 1967-1969, 1980, 1983-1985, 1990-1992. 3 12 Special Leaders' Meeting, 1995. 3 13 Council on Ministries, 1971, 1976-1978. 3 14 Council on Ministries, 1987-1991. 3 15 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1942-1943. 4 1 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1943-1944. 4 2 - Page 8 -
Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1944-1945. 4 3 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1945-1946. 4 4 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1946-1947. 4 5 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1948-1949. 4 6 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1949-1950. 4 7 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1950-1951. 4 8 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1951-1952. 4 9 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1952-1953. 4 10 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1953-1954. 4 11 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1954-1955. 4 12 - Page 9 -
Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1955-1956. 4 13 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1956-1957. 4 14 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1957-1958. 4 15 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1958-1959. 4 16 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1959-1960. 4 17 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1960-1961. 4 18 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1961-1962. 4 19 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1962-1963. 4 20 Quarterly Conference (Chelten Ave.), 1963-1964. 4 21 Quarterly Conference, Miscellaneous Reports (Chelten Ave.), 1949-1969. 4 22 - Page 10 -
Quarterly Conference, Miscellaneous Reports, 1971-1992. 4 23 Charge Conference, 1994. 4 24 Charge Conference, 1995-1996. 4 25 Charge Conference, 2000-2002. 4 26 Charge Conference, 2003. 4 27 Minutes, Chelten Avenue M. E. Church Corporation, 1917-1956. 4 28 Trustee Minutes, Chelten Avenue M. E. Church, 1891-1917. 5 1 Trustee Minutes, Chelten Avenue M. E. Church, 1934-1936. 5 2 Trustee Minutes, Chelten Avenue M. E. Church, 1937-1939. 5 3 Trustee Minutes, Chelten Avenue Meth. Church, 1939-1941. 5 4 - Page 11 -
Trustee Minutes, Chelten Avenue Meth. Church, 1944-1956. 5 5 Trustee Minutes, Chelten Avenue Meth. Church, 1963-1965. 5 6 Trustee Minutes, Chelten Avenue Meth. Church, 1967. 5 7 Trustee Minutes, 1982-1985. 5 8 Trustee Reports, 1995-1997. 5 9 Official Board Minutes, Chelten Avenue M. E. Church, 1901-1910. 6 1 Official Board Minutes, Chelten Avenue Meth. Church, 1946-1959. 6 2 Official Board Minutes, Chelten Avenue Meth. Church, 1968. 6 3 Official Board Minutes, Chelten Avenue Meth. Church, 1969. 6 4 Administrative Board Minutes, 1983-1984. 6 5 - Page 12 -
Administrative Board, Charge Conference Minutes, 1984-1989. 6 6 Administrative Board, Charge Conference Minutes, 1990-1993. 7 1 Administrative Board, Charge Conference Minutes, 1994. 7 2 Administrative Council, Charge Conference Minutes, 1995. 7 3 Administrative Council, Charge Conference Minutes, 1996. 7 4 Administrative Council, Charge Conference Minutes, 1997-1998. 7 5 Administrative Council, Charge Conference Minutes, 2000-2002. 7 6 Administrative Council, Charge Conference Minutes, 2003. 7 7 Dora Kommer Legacy, 1949. 7 8 Historical materials, 1951-2004. 7 9 - Page 13 -
Anniversary Books, 1981, 2001, 2002. 7 10 Worship Bulletins, 1924-2002 (selected). 7 11 Photographs, pastors, 1912, 2002. 7 12 Special Events, 1981-2003. 7 13 Box Fold Church register, 1893-1922. 1 Church register, 1923-1964. 2 Church register, 1964-1968. 3 Church register, 1942-1968. 4 - Page 14 -
Box Fold History file. 1 History File Scope and Contents note Trinity: History-Undated, Historical Sketch 1875, Correspondence Re: Information for Archives 2004, 1950 directory, newspaper article on City Recreation Centers, 2000 Restorative Justice newspaper article History file. 2 History File Scope and Contents note Chelten Ave: Request for Information, History of Church essays (2), List of Church Records in Archives (1893-1968), 40th Anniversary 1886-1926, July 1923-Service bulletin, 1923 directory, 1926 directory, 1940 directory, 1 Picture - Page 15 -