United Methodist Church Bell
Surprise, Nebraska
Inscribed on the Bell:
Buckeye Bell Foundry
1898
Weight: 550lbs.
The first record of Methodist religious work in the Surprise area dates back to 1871 when C. W. Comstock was pastor of the Seward Circuit. This charge consisted of the north half of Seward County, the west half of Butler, and parts of York Counties. Rev. Chippenfield was the organizer of the Surprise Methodist Church in 1877. Meetings were held in the Wilson's Hall. Charter members were: Messrs. and Mesdames Henry, Hinkle, Sleeger, Simpkins, McPherson, and Greenslit.
The first church was built in 1888 and just two years later, in 1890, Rev. H. G. Pittenger was instrumental in the building of a parsonage. Greenleaf was combined with Surprise 1889 and stayed until 1922. Pleasant Lawn was transferred from Gresham in 1890 and the years 1887-1889 found Gresham and Surprise working together. The Surprise church was alone from 1922-1936; and at that time, Rising City was combined with them. In 1944, Ulysses and Surprise were combined. In 1967, they again combined Surprise with Rising City for four years, and then Shelby and Surprise were joined in 1971 until 1974, when Surprise joined the Rising City-Brainard charge.
In 1922, the church was raised onto a new foundation and a basement dug. The final service in the United Methodist Church, Surprise, was held on May 1, 1976. The Church was then closed, and the Village of Surprise became the new owners of the building.
Marker is on 33rd Avenue (U.S. 30/81) near 7th Street, on the right when traveling south.
Courtesy hmdb.org
