A Methodist congregation has met in the Jerusalem community sine the mid-nineteenth century. Abraham Markeley deeded to Spencer Glasscock, trustee, and others on December 11, 1857, a one-half acre tract of land above the road and where the present building now stands. A building was not constructed at this time, and an old schoolhouse below the road was used by the Jerusalem Methodist Episcopal Church. Services were held in the old school house for several years before the land was deeded to Samuel Sturm, trustee, and others on January 28, 1899.

In 1882, the main structure was constructed by Clell Bolton and Benton Hill on the land above the road. They cut the trees and hewed the sills to ten inch square. All of the wood work was planed and hewed by hand. They had a kiln and kiln-dried the weather boarding. The roof was king framed and covered with split shingles. Even the window sashes were made by hand. All timber and other materials were furnished without cost to the congregation. The seats were made by Port Sinsel. The chancels rail was constructed by Ike Lantz. Later the chancel rail made by Felix Posten and presently in use replaced the former one. The pulpit was made by Ike Lantz and are also presently used. Clell Bolton and Benton Hill contracted to build the structure for three hundred fifty dollars.

The church grounds were used by the Union Army to care for the ill and injured soldiers during the War Between the States.

The earliest date for an organized Sunday School was 1894. Riley Poling was superintendent and Lucinda Poling was secretary.

The leaders of the church in its early years include the following: Albert Jones, N.N. Bolton, Jerome Boyles, R D. Poling, David Jones, Dante Bennett, Dave Lantz, Gordon Shaw, Delbert Poling, Phene Lantz, Lucy Thompson, Kitty Phillips, Dolph Boyles, Wayman Donegia, Brady Donegia, Colman Boules, Darl Murphy.

The first minister known recorded is Rev. Mick. Jerusalem Episcopal Church was a part of the Mansfield Circuit after its formation in 1924.

In 1929, upon unification of the three major Methodist groups in America, the Jerusalem Methodist Episcopal Church merged with the Eureka Methodist Episcopal Church, South, which occupied a building a short distance down the road. The united congregation used the Jerusalem building.

Since organization of the church, the active membership has been quite low at times, but a faithful few have kept the church going. After the Ladies' Aid was formed, that organization did much to keep the congregation alive. They helped with the cost of repairs to the building and paid the utility bills. One of the large burnside stoves was stolen from the church, and the Ladies' Aid replaced it.

When the trustees decided to start making improvements in the Jerusalem Church building, many things demanded their attention. A new floor was laid and finished about 1944 with the help of the members of the church and interested persons in the community. In 1950, a furnace room was built by the Carpenter brothers and a coal furnace, purchased by Mr. And Mrs. Wellington Reed and others, was installed by Scott Maytag Co. In the same year, pin wainscoating was added along with paneling and celotex. About 1957, it was decided to purchase new pews. Forrest Ware of Belington was employed to make them. He also donated a communion table to the church. A new piano was purchased in 1959. The Sinsel brothers built two new Sunday School classrooms over the furnace room in 1960. Stained glass windows were installed in 1965 with the supervision and help of Elmer Pat Campbell. The inside of the church building was painted in 1971 by Junior Sinsel. An oil furnace with automatic timer replaced the coal furnace in 1972. Alkires' carpeted the floor of the Sunday school rooms. The porch was started in 1975 and completed in January 1976. Much of the expense of the porch was paid for by memorial gifts in lieu of flowers for Dicky Reed and Denzil Gainer who had just died. The church was rewired in 1976 and 1977 by Leroy Andrick. Many other improvements on the property have also been made during the years: the bell, cement walkway, toilet, expanded parking lot, and others. At present, the church is completing additional Sunday school room in the are that was a part of the former furnace room. Our next goal is aluminum siding for the outside of the building.

Church School attendance has fluctuated through the years. While attendance ant some services has been as low as fifteen or twenty during the recent past, the average attendance for that same period was a little better than thirty-five persons per Sunday. The average for last year was forty-three per Sunday, and the present membership is fifty. A new Sunday School class for Young Adults has been organized; we have our own Vacation Church School program; the children enrolled in Sunday School has grown steadily. These and other parts of our church life indicate the faith at work in our congregation.

Many persons have fulfilled their discipleship through the Jerusalem congregation over the years. With God's help and the continued support of His people, our church will ...

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