Community Connection:As we move forward in our quest to build our church with open hearts, open minds and open doors, we have made a commitment not only to our members but to the St. Elmo community.
Over the course of the last 126 years, St. Elmo United Methodist Church has had a strong presence in the St. Elmo community. The church began as a Sunday School class in 1883 with two people attending and Rev. W. J. Drinnon as the teacher. Rev. W. J. Drinnon remained with the church and became the first pastor of what was then the St. Elmo Methodist Episcopal Church, South (MECS). The church met in the log schoolhouse.
In October 1886, Col A.M. Johnson donated property at the corner of St. Elmo Avenue and 42nd, formerly Georgia Avenue and 2nd, for the "house of Divine worship.' Building fund contributions quickly followed and the building was erected and occupied by 1887. Original members of the St. Elmo MECS included Presbyterians, Methodists and Episcopalians. The original church building still stands and is the home of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. St. Elmo MECS held services at the location until 1922.
Property was purchased at both corners of Alabama Avenue & 46th and 47th streets presumably for a new church location. Then in 1914, the first of three lots were purchased for $1800 at St. Elmo Avenue and 47th. The cornerstone was laid in 1921 for the structure housing today's sanctuary, class rooms and church offices. The parsonage was built in 1925 on the lot adjacent to the sanctuary.
Enrollment for Sunday school in 1890 was 100, in 1907 it was 200 and in 1922, Sunday school enrollment was 300. For the next 40 years, enrollment fluctuated between 300 and 400. Decline in the enrollment began in 1970s and is credited to the sharp economic downturn that hit Chattanooga with the closing of many foundries. Many present members of the church today have been enrolled and attended St. Elmo UMC all their lives.
St. Elmo UMC's first year at the Annual Conference was 1883-1884. In 1939 the Methodist Episcopal Church, South joined with several other Methodist divisions to form The Methodist Church. In 1968, the Evangelical United Brethren (EUB) Church and the Methodist Church became The United Methodist Church.
Presently, Reverend Dr. Mark Dowell is the pastor of St. Elmo. He has been in the ministry for over 20 years. Reverend Mark is currently assigned to St. Elmo UMC through the Holston Conference. He received his doctorate through The University of the South.
Youth, Children, WIM,, the B.R.I.M., puppet programs,camps, food pantry/clothes closet, bus ministry, Interfaith Homeless Network and bookdrive are among the many projects we bring to our local community. Reaching beyond the borders of the United States all the way to Nicaragua, we are sharing the good news that through Christ we can find a life that is whole, healthy and free.
Information contained in this summary is taken from St. Elmo United Methodist Church, A History by Roy L. Howard.
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