up for auction

 from East 30th, a gargoyle and a spire of Indiana limestone

First United Methodist Cleveland is up for auction on February 22nd. The first three Thursdays of February, from 10 to noon is an open house. For some three years, the property has been for sale.

The origins of the congregation goes back to 1827. The Methodists had circuit riding ministers then, and a resident clergyman came in 1860. The congregation built their first church in 1841, another in 1865, and in 1874. The last two being on Euclid and Erie (now East 9th), that property would have the Cleveland Trust Rotunda, which was once the 6th largest (in deposits) bank in the nation. In 1905 they moved into the present building. The architect, Milton Dyer, was a student of L'ecole des Beaux Arts. This Beaux-arts design was used by him on Cleveland City Hall, and by others in several prominent buildings in the city's center, including on the Episcopal cathedral nearby First Methodist. These two grand churches were also in the style of late gothic. First Methodist, as was Collinwood High, had a central tower in English perpendicular gothic.

Dr. Kenneth Chalker became pastor of First Methodist Church of Cleveland in 1986, and of Epworth-Euclid United Methodist Church in 2009. The two congregations merged becoming University Circle United Methodist Church or Church in the Circle in 2010. He retired Sunday. 

this photo is from 2010, as are some in this essay

Both churches are very impressive buildings, but costly to maintain. There is much water damage to the plaster, and paint in the church for sale. It seats 1200 and has a tall tower, the radiators were on to-day, and heating is an expense for this large space. [The University Circle church had extensive smoke damage from an electrical fire starting with a faulty corded coffee pot.] First Methodist has the decorated pipes of a large pipe organ in front (the console is gone) which makes the place look a lot like a picture palace.

Rev. Chalker wanted both churches in active ministry. He was quoted in Cleveland's daily before the merger, "There are a lot of possibilities. Unlike what's happening to the Roman Catholic churches, which is about, 'How do we close?' What we're doing is about, 'How do we keep it open?'"

 

By misfortune, First Methodist did have a tenant soon. Euclid Avenue Congregational Church burned to the ground in 2010, and held services at First Methodist until 2014, and then moving into St. Margaret Mary South Euclid, which, Cleveland's Catholic bishop, had closed. Just ending in December, Cleveland Metropolitan School District was using the attached office building [of First Methodist] as classrooms.

Broadway Methodist had closed and changed ownership, and it too was a beautiful church. Churches of long standing of several denominations have been closed, and sold, and usually sold to a downscale customer. Urban churches, of important history, and beauty of architecture have difficulty in maintaining membership. The bonds of community are weak in contemporary America, but megachurches of little depth and beauty have succeeded, sometimes with Elmer Gantry preachers.

 inside of the tower is a subject that can be photographed at different angles

First Methodist has three of these 5 lintel vignette windows with tracery. I like these stained glass, and hanging lamp shots.  These windows are from Franz Mayer Munich studios. St. Stephen, St. Adalbert, St. Joohn the Evangelist , and other Catholic churches have windows from Mayer. Some scenes, have the same models, it is easy to compare, and to recognise.

Here is something almost unique, here is a thin piece of marble over a clear leaded glass window, i think i can see the cames (lead frames). First Methodist Cleveland.
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postscriptum: 22 February, the auction was held, Tony George bid was $445,000. He plans to use it for wedding banquets.