The congregation was organized through a series of Bible Study meetings that were held in Rathburn Cabin in 1845.[2] Early church services were also held in cabins in the early years. The first church building for the congregation was constructed in 1848 on Fifth Street, south of Walnut, and a larger brick structure was built on the same site in 1856. Four years later the congregation lost ownership of the building and had to rent the basement of the building for three years while the main sanctuary was used as a public hall for concerts, lectures, and the like. Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church and First Church merged in 1880, leaving First as the only downtown Methodist congregation.[3] The congregation dedicated a new church on Ninth Street in 1881.
By 1906 the congregation numbered a thousand members even after it had founded 11 other Methodist congregations in the city.[3] The groundbreaking for the present church was begun in 1905, and the cornerstone was laid during a ceremony on July 21, 1906.[2] The church building was dedicated on June 14, 1908.[2] A major restoration of the building was completed in 1940 with a new chancel and altar, rose window, a new pew arrangement, and a renewal of the pipe organ. The education wing was built in 1954. A new Reuter organ was added in 1962-1963 as was the marble backdrop and the Celtic Cross. In 1980 a historical mural was dedicated in the west balcony. The dome and the sanctuary were renovated in 2007.
The congregation hired the prominent Des Moines architectural firm of Proudfoot & Bird to design the present church. Because the estimated cost of $175,000 was too high, some of the decorative details of the planned church were not executed. The Neoclassical-style building features a symmetrical plan in monumental proportions, a large pedimented portico supported by Ionic columns, plain exterior surfaces of Bedford stone, and a Roman glass and copper dome that is capped by a Latin cross. The building's proportions are said to match those of the Pantheon in Rome.[3]
Pipe organedit
The church's pipe organ is Reuter Organ Company Opus 1412 installed in 1963.[4] It is located in chambers on the sides of the sanctuary with no visible pipes. The instrument has a traditional style console in a fixed position, and it has a roll top. It features electro-pneumatic chests, three manuals, four divisions, 62 stops, 50 registers, 62 ranks, and 3,435 pipes. The manual compass is 61 notes, while the pedal compass is 32 notes. The drawknobs are in vertical rows on angled jambs. The balanced swell shoes/pedals are standard AGO placement. Rounding out the features are adjustable combination pistons, AGO Standard (concave radiating) pedalboard, reversible full organ/tutti thumb piston, reversible full organ/tutti toe stud, combination action toe studs, coupler reversible thumb pistons, and coupler reversible toe studs.
In 1992, First United Methodist Church joined with seven other churches in the Des Moines area and created the Churches United Shelter (now the Central Iowa Shelter), to combat homelessness in the area.[5]
first, united, methodist, church, moines, iowa, first, united, methodist, church, located, downtown, moines, iowa, united, states, been, listed, national, register, historic, places, since, 1984, first, methodist, episcopal, church, which, original, name, firs. First United Methodist Church is located in downtown Des Moines Iowa United States It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1984 as First Methodist Episcopal Church which is its original name 1 First Methodist Episcopal ChurchU S National Register of Historic PlacesShow map of IowaShow map of the United StatesLocation10th and Pleasant Sts Des Moines IowaCoordinates41 35 21 3 N 93 37 52 1 W 41 589250 N 93 631139 W 41 589250 93 631139Arealess than one acreBuilt1908ArchitectProudfoot amp BirdArchitectural styleClassical RevivalNRHP reference No 84001295 1 Added to NRHPApril 12 1984 Contents 1 History 2 Architecture 3 Pipe organ 4 Charity work 5 References 6 External linksHistory editThe congregation was organized through a series of Bible Study meetings that were held in Rathburn Cabin in 1845 2 Early church services were also held in cabins in the early years The first church building for the congregation was constructed in 1848 on Fifth Street south of Walnut and a larger brick structure was built on the same site in 1856 Four years later the congregation lost ownership of the building and had to rent the basement of the building for three years while the main sanctuary was used as a public hall for concerts lectures and the like Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church and First Church merged in 1880 leaving First as the only downtown Methodist congregation 3 The congregation dedicated a new church on Ninth Street in 1881 By 1906 the congregation numbered a thousand members even after it had founded 11 other Methodist congregations in the city 3 The groundbreaking for the present church was begun in 1905 and the cornerstone was laid during a ceremony on July 21 1906 2 The church building was dedicated on June 14 1908 2 A major restoration of the building was completed in 1940 with a new chancel and altar rose window a new pew arrangement and a renewal of the pipe organ The education wing was built in 1954 A new Reuter organ was added in 1962 1963 as was the marble backdrop and the Celtic Cross In 1980 a historical mural was dedicated in the west balcony The dome and the sanctuary were renovated in 2007 The congregation went through two name changes in its history In 1939 it became First Methodist after the Methodist Episcopal Church Methodist Episcopal Church South and the Methodist Protestant Church merged to form the Methodist Church In 1968 another change to First United Methodist Church occurred when the Methodist Church merged with the Evangelical United Brethren Church 3 Architecture editThe congregation hired the prominent Des Moines architectural firm of Proudfoot amp Bird to design the present church Because the estimated cost of 175 000 was too high some of the decorative details of the planned church were not executed The Neoclassical style building features a symmetrical plan in monumental proportions a large pedimented portico supported by Ionic columns plain exterior surfaces of Bedford stone and a Roman glass and copper dome that is capped by a Latin cross The building s proportions are said to match those of the Pantheon in Rome 3 Pipe organ editThe church s pipe organ is Reuter Organ Company Opus 1412 installed in 1963 4 It is located in chambers on the sides of the sanctuary with no visible pipes The instrument has a traditional style console in a fixed position and it has a roll top It features electro pneumatic chests three manuals four divisions 62 stops 50 registers 62 ranks and 3 435 pipes The manual compass is 61 notes while the pedal compass is 32 notes The drawknobs are in vertical rows on angled jambs The balanced swell shoes pedals are standard AGO placement Rounding out the features are adjustable combination pistons AGO Standard concave radiating pedalboard reversible full organ tutti thumb piston reversible full organ tutti toe stud combination action toe studs coupler reversible thumb pistons and coupler reversible toe studs Stop list 4 GREAT 16 Sub Principal 61 8 Principal 61 8 Bourdon 61 4 Octave 61 4 Spillflote 61 2 Fifteenth 61 IV Fourniture 244 III Scharf 183 16 Dulzian PO 8 Trumpet 61 Sub Unison off Super 8 Fanfare Trumpet 61 a Chimes POSITIV 8 Copula 61 8 Salicional 61 b 8 Flauto Dolce 61 b 8 Flute Celeste 54 b 4 Principal 61 4 Koppelflote 61 4 Cor de Nuit 61 b 2 Principal 61 1 Larigot 61 1 Sifflote 61 III Cymbale 183 16 Dulzian 61 8 Krummhorn 61 8 Baryton 61 b 4 Regal 61 Tremolo Unison Off 16 Fanfare Trumpet tc 8 Fanfare Trumpet GT 4 Fanfare Trumpet GT SWELL 16 Sub Principal 61 8 Principal 61 8 Bourdon 61 4 Octave 61 4 Spillflote 61 2 Fifteenth 61 IV Fourniture 244 III Scharf 183 16 Dulzian PO 8 Trumpet 61 Sub Unison off Super 8 Fanfare Trumpet 61 a Chimes PEDAL 32 Acoustic Bourdon 16 Principal 32 16 Bourdon 32 16 Sub Principal GT 16 Lieblichbordun SW 8 Octave 32 8 Gedeckt 32 8 Sub Principal GT 8 Flauto Dolce SW 4 Choralbass 32 4 Coppel 32 2 Waldflote 32 II Sesquialter 64 III Mixtur 96 16 Bombarde 32 16 Dulzian PO 8 Bombarde 12 8 Dulzian PO 4 Schalmei 32 4 Dulzian POCharity work editIn 1992 First United Methodist Church joined with seven other churches in the Des Moines area and created the Churches United Shelter now the Central Iowa Shelter to combat homelessness in the area 5 References edit a b National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service March 13 2009 a b c Our History First United Methodist Church Retrieved 2010 12 02 a b c d James E Jacobsen First Methodist Episcopal Church National Park Service Retrieved 2017 09 19 with photos a b Reuter Organ Co Opus 1412 1963 OHS Pipe Organ Database Retrieved 2017 09 19 CISS Broke Ground on New Opportunity Center Archived 2013 12 15 at the Wayback MachineExternal links edit nbsp Christianity portal Church Website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title First United Methodist Church Des Moines Iowa amp oldid 1100133987, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
