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HISTORY OF OUR CHURCHOn January 17, 1915, the Official
Board of the First United Brethren Church voted to start a Sunday School on
South In 1918, the lot on the corner
of Arlington & Fifth was purchased. The house on the lot was moved to serve a In the midst of the Depression, the church faced financial setbacks, but with God's help, hard work, and a dedicated congregation, the debt was paid in 1950. In 1946, when the United Brethren Church and the Evangelical Association merged to form a new denomination, the church's name officially became Arlington Street Evangelical United Brethren Church. 1952 to 1959 was a time of growth and improvement. Facilities were renovated and a new parsonage purchased in the Ellet area of Akron. The old parsonage beside the church was torn down to make room for parking. In 1962, the congregation purchased a site on Wedgewood Drive in Ellet, and in 1963 the building at Arlington and Fifth was sold to Bethel Baptist Church. Worship services were held temporarily at Hyre Junior High School, while the church offices were housed in office space at Eastgate Shopping Center. Groundbreaking services took place March 28, 1965, and on March 21, 1965, the church name became Wedgewood Evangelical United Brethren Church. On a cold, wintry day, January
30, 1966, when there was ab
NOTES FROM THE PASTTHE WAY IT WAS! Thelma Swope (mother of current member, Marcia Heller) collected pictures, church bulletins, and newspaper articles for a history of the Church. Following are some items gleaned from that history:
The First Pastor was Rev. G. F. Hartman. His
wife
In 1915/16 the congregation of the Arlington Street United Brethren Church raised $5,000 towards the purchase of two lots on Arlington Street near Fifth Avenue and a permanent church building.
The Ladies Aid Society was organized September 16, 1915. For a larger view, click on picture. The church bulletin of October 7, 1923 noted that a dinner was to be held the following Thursday. "The small sum of 35¢ is charged for a 75¢ dinner…" On October 7, 1923 the cornerstone for a new church was laid. Offering for September 30, 1923 was $136.25. The Boy Scout Troop of the Church had a "Camphree" at the Goodyear Metropolitan Park on May 21, 1939. The first church wedding in the "new building" was held in June, 1926. Kathryn Wagner and Maurice Horlacher were the married couple. Two young members of the church, Carl Warnick
and
Church membership was the highest in 1949 with 1032 members. A weekly offering of $225.00 was needed in 1939 to meet the church's budget. A Sunday evening worship service
at the Arlington
On April 9, 1950 a Pageant "The Shadow of the Cross" was "told by 14 characters". According to the church bulletin, one of the "Characters", Woman at the Cross, was Marla Zwoll. Parking at the Arlington Street Church was a factor in the decision to sell the church and move to Wedgewood Drive. A newsletter sent in 1962 stated, "We can now park 24 cars, when we should be able to park 150 to 200 cars." One of the last socials at the Arlington Street site was a covered dish dinner held on August 30, 1964. The program included a solo by Nancy Cuckler and a gift was presented to Marcella Stewart. The last service at Arlington
Street was held on September 13, 1964. A church newsletter reported, "A
motorcade will form at 10:30 led by a police escort to the parking
Pledges for the new building at Wedgewood Drive were received and "a Monitoring Committee of ten men" was formed with "Mr. Curt Minier as their Chairman." "This committee has the important task of keeping our pledges current and contacting new members." Hyre Junior High School was the location of the "Interim Church". Choir rehearsals were held at the Oak Hill United Presbyterian Church. "The Chancel choir (rehearsed) on Thursday evening and the Chancellettes on Saturday morning."
The cornerstone form the Arlington Street
Church was opened in 1965 and contents found were "an American flag, a Bible, a
discipline, a church directory of 1917, a program of the cornerstone laying,
several newspaper clippings, different church and Sunday School magazines, list
of Sunday School class members. current church officers and members, an envelope
containing corn and wheat seeds and various pictures. All were put in the new
cornerstone." The old cornerstone is located at Wedgewood Church near the
Southeast corner of the church. Hymns sung at the Service of Dedication of the Wedgewood Church on March 13, 1966 were "Holy, Holy, Holy", "God of Our Fathers", and "A Charge to Keep". The Presentation of the Key to the Bishop was made by Thomas Hanna who requested the Bishop to dedicate the building.
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Send mail to
cpratt@wedgewoodumc.org with
questions or comments about this web site.
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Edward Lynch, were killed during World War II. The church suffered one casualty
in World War I, Ira Swope. 
Street United Brethren in Christ Church in 1930 was a "real Pentecost Service".
"Before the service was over 8 were bowing at the altar asking for forgiveness."
lot of Hyre Jr. High School where we will congregate as one large body of people
and MARCH across the street to our church site for the closing hymn and
benediction....Then Hyre will be open for a visitation tour to acquaint us all
with the facilities available for our use on Sundays." 
