Princeton United Methodist Church

Princeton United Methodist Church is a United Methodist congregation located at 7 Vandeventer Avenue in Princeton, New Jersey. The church is located on Nassau Street, directly across from Princeton University.

Princeton United Methodist Church
Location7 Vandeventer Ave., Princeton, New Jersey 08542
CountryUnited States
DenominationUnited Methodist Church
Previous denominationMethodist Episcopal Church
ChurchmanshipMainline Protestant
Weekly attendance184
Websiteprincetonumc.org
History
Former name(s)Princeton Methodist Episcopal Church
Founded1847
DedicatedOctober 11, 1911
Architecture
StyleGothic
GroundbreakingJune 18, 1910
Clergy
Senior pastor(s)Jenny Smith Walz
Pastor(s)Ginny Samuel Cetuk
Princeton United Methodist Church
Coordinates40°21′02.6″N 74°39′25.1″W
Part ofPrinceton Historic District (ID75001143[1])
Added to NRHP27 June 1975

History
The original church building with Dr. Bartine's house on the corner

Methodist circuit riders made periodic visits to minister in private homes to groups of Princeton Methodists. A congregation was founded in 1847 under the name, Princeton Methodist Episcopal Church. The original church building occupied the eastern portion of the present church frontage on Nassau Street, with the corner with Vandeventer occupied by the house of Dr. Bartine, a physician and church member. The first floor was the sanctuary while the basement provided rooms for Sunday School. The first pastor was Joseph Ashbrook.[2]

By 1905 plans were drawn up for a new church. The Rev. Dr. James M. Buckley described the need:

Princeton is one of the most beautiful places in the land. Presbyterians have poured out their money, until, including the buildings of the Theological Seminary and the University, the town contains the finest assembly of educational buildings in the land. It was a great grief to me to look upon the little Methodist Church, in a most conspicuous place, not because it is a Methodist Church, but because of its insignificance and entire inadequacy to represent the denomination in that classic town. All this becomes more significant when we remember that the President of the University expects to secure $12,500,000 for additional buildings and endowments. When this vast sum becomes operative in the work of the Institution, Princeton will be one of the greatest educational centers of the world.[3]

The present sanctuary was dedicated in 1911, with Dr. Bartine's property bought out and donated by Moses Taylor Pyne, himself and Episcopalian. An education wing was opened in 1959, and an expansion to that wing in 2002.

The church installed electronic bells in 1997 which play after the clock strikes (also electronic) at noon and 5pm on weekdays. On Sundays a hymn is played at 10:45am and 12:15pm. A hymn is played appropriate to the church season drawn from a selection of 300 traditional, Methodist, or gospel hymns. The church has services at 9:30 and 11:00am on Sundays with church school at the 9:30 hour.[4]

  • The old church after a fire
  • Interior of the old church
  • Sunday school room in the basement of the old church

References
  1. "Princeton Historic District". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. "Church History". Princeton United Methodist Church.
  3. Minutes of the ... Session of the New Jersey Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Conference. 1905. pp. 93–94.
  4. "Princeton United Methodist Church". Find-A-Church. United Methodist Church.
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