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The Early Beginnings
In 1822, Benjamine and Ruben Bristol entered the Indiana township of Fall Creek, where the present city of Middletown currently resides.  The Bristols established the first Methodist congregation in the region in 1833, and held worship services in a log cabin belonging to Benjamine.  Several years later, the size of the cabin was not sufficient to house the size of the growing Methodist congregation, and a new location in the area was scouted and found - the present site of the Middletown United Methodist Church.  The first white-frame building was constructed on the property in the early 1850's.  In 1893, the church's ministry and congregation continued to grow, so much in fact that the church once again out-grew its building. 

The Construction of the Current Building
In 1901, work began on a new (and current) building for the First Methodist Episcopal Church.  Instead of brick, the congregation used stone for the exterior facade, with the first cornerstone laid in place on October 1, 1901.  The sanctuary and foyer area are home to nine beautiful color glass windows; two of these windows are massive in size (one is shown at the right) and are located in the north and east gables.  The dome ceiling in the sanctuary is also made of colored glass.  The new building also contained a basement area that is utilized as a fellowship hall, complete with kitchen.  Among the numerous amenities located within the church, none is probably more prestigious than the organ that is the centerpiece of the sanctuary, which was purchased and installed in May of 1902.  The present building was dedicated during worship services on October 3, 1902.

During 1961, an addition to the back of the church for the educational programs was added to the existing structure.   In 2005, the fellowship hall received a major renovation and upgraded facilities and amenities.  In addition, recent years have also seen the addition of new technology at the church through presentation, sound, and musical equipment.  The entire building is now completely air-conditioned and several advancements to accommodate our disables members, including a hydraulic elevator, have been added during the past five years.

Outreach and Ministry Initiatives
Throughout the 175-year history of the Middletown United Methodist Church, the members of present and past congregations have constantly played a major role in serving the church in numerous organizations.  Perhaps two of the oldest social assemblies associated with the church are the Middletown chapters of the United Methodist Men and Methodist Women, which were established in 1959 and 1973, respectively.  The church has also continued to offer special programs for the youth members.  Weekly youth meetings have been a staple for the past 20 years, and during the summer, the church plays host to a week of Vacation Bible School.  Through the years, many other organizations have come and gone, including the Thimble Club, Mary Martha Circle, "8-to-Eat" groups, MUM club, Young Adults, and King's Kids, as well as hosting several local chapters of the Alcoholics Anonymous program.  The church has also answered the call of need all around the area, as several congregation members have donated a week's time to the Red Bird Mission camp in Kentucky, or locally at the Good Shepherd's closet. 

Current and Future Directions
In October 2001, the congregation celebrated the centennial anniversary of the current home of the Middletown United Methodist Church.  Since established over 175 years ago, the people of the Middletown United Methodist Church continue to serve the Lord in numerous ways.  Our current ministries, outreach initiatives and mission projects are outlined in the links at the top of the page.  Our church continues to grow as new programs, ministries, and outreach projects continue to keep the members of the congregation busy. 

 
This brief history was compiled using several church history documentations compiled by both past and present members of the church congregation.  Special thanks to fellow members Flossie C., Wanda K., Helen S., and Judy T. for continuing to keep an accurate account of the history of the church.