Faith United Methodist Church formed on August 01, 2011 as the result of a merger of Ebenezer and Washington Street UMCs, two congregations with rich and distinct histories of faithful witness and service in and around Tiffin.
Washington Street UMC began its existence as a small congregation organized under the leadership of Rev. James Montgomery in 1829. By 1837, the membership of this small community of Methodists had grown substantial enough to dedicate their own building, a small brick building that continues to stand on Monroe Street; at that time, the congregation was known as First Methodist Protestant Church.
The congregation continued to grow along with the community of Tiffin, and in 1871 they moved to a new and larger structure on Market Street. In 1923, the cornerstone was laid for another building which still stands at 230 South Washington Street; that building was dedicated on May 18, 1924. With the merger of the Methodist Protestant and Methodist Episcopal denominations in 1939, the congregation changed its name to Washington Street Methodist Church. Then in 1968, with the merger of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren, the final name change occurred, this time simply to Washington Street United Methodist Church.
Ebenezer UMC began in 1848 with the families of Jacob Schneider and Lewish Schubert gathering in their log cabin homes for prayer meetings. In 1856, the Erie Conference of the Evangelical Association Tiffin became a mission. The first building was built on property from Josiah Hedges at 159 (161) South Sandusky Street with the parsonage next door. The first worship service was held on Palm Sunday, March 28, 1858, and the congregation was dedicated as Salem Evangelical Church.
Salem was always mission minded and organized an orphanage in 1866 for the orphans of the Civil War. That orphanage was later moved to land donated in Flat Rock, Ohio and is now known as Flat Rock Care Center. Salem Church was a German-speaking congregation and realized a need for an English class.
On April 17, 1873 an English Class was organized and sermons preached in English on Sunday nights. In 1876, the English-speaking church was built on the corner of North Washington and Hall Streets. The church was formally dedicated on September 30, 1877.
In 1894, the two officially joined together as the Ebenezer Evangelical Church. In 1946, as the Evangelical Association and the United Brethren merged, the congregation became Ebenezer Evangelical United Brethren Church. As the congregation grew, there was a need for a larger building, and on August 26, 1956, the cornerstone of the current building being used by Faith UMC was laid with the dedication held on June 02, 1957. That building being paid fully in 1967, the congregation then broke ground for an education unit which was completed in 1968.
While Faith UMC is a new thing, then, we are a congregation rooted in strong traditions. Through the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we look forward to loving God and serving our neighbors in the years ahead, and we pray that you will consider joining us.
Faith United Methodist Church 