Princeton United Methodist Church is a

United Methodist The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelic ...

congregation located at 7 Vandeventer Avenue in

Princeton, New Jersey Princeton is a municipality with a borough form of government in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton and Princeton Township, both of whi ...

. The church is located on Nassau Street, directly across from

Princeton University Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ...

History

Princeton Methodist Episcopal Church and Dr

Methodist circuit riders made periodic visits to minister in private homes to groups of Princeton Methodists. A congregation was founded in 1847 under the name, Princeton

Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself on a national basis. In ...

. The original church building occupied the eastern portion of the present church frontage on Nassau Street, with the corner with Vandeventer occupied by the house of Dr. Bartine, a physician and church member. The first floor was the sanctuary while the basement provided rooms for Sunday School. The first pastor was Joseph Ashbrook. By 1905 plans were drawn up for a new church. The Rev. Dr. James M. Buckley described the need:

Princeton is one of the most beautiful places in the land. Presbyterians have poured out their money, until, including the buildings of the Theological Seminary and the University, the town contains the finest assembly of educational buildings in the land. It was a great grief to me to look upon the little Methodist Church, in a most conspicuous place, not because it is a Methodist Church, but because of its insignificance and entire inadequacy to represent the denomination in that classic town. All this becomes more significant when we remember that the President of the University expects to secure $12,500,000 for additional buildings and endowments. When this vast sum becomes operative in the work of the Institution, Princeton will be one of the greatest educational centers of the world.

The present sanctuary was dedicated in 1911, with Dr. Bartine's property bought out and donated by

Moses Taylor Pyne Moses Taylor Pyne (December 21, 1855 – April 22, 1921), was an American financier and philanthropist, and one of Princeton University's greatest benefactors and its most influential trustee. Biography The son of Percy Rivington Pyne (182 ...

, himself and Episcopalian. An education wing was opened in 1959, and an expansion to that wing in 2002. The church installed electronic bells in 1997 which play after the clock strikes (also electronic) at noon and 5pm on weekdays. On Sundays a hymn is played at 10:45am and 12:15pm. A hymn is played appropriate to the church season drawn from a selection of 300 traditional, Methodist, or gospel hymns. The church has a service at 10:00 am on Sundays with children's programming during worship.

Gallery

File:Princeton Methodist Episcopal Church fire.jpg, The old church after a fire File:Princeton Methodist Episcopal Church sanctuary.jpg, Interior of the old church File:Princeton Methodist Episcopal Church Sunday School.jpg, Sunday school room in the basement of the old church

References

External links

Official Church Website
{{Princeton, New Jersey, state=collapsed Churches in Princeton, New Jersey United Methodist churches in New Jersey Gothic Revival church buildings in New Jersey Historic district contributing properties in Mercer County, New Jersey