First United Methodist Church: The First Church Building

Society organized 19 July 1835; first church built fall 1836, the city's first church building; present Bedford-stone Gothic church dedicated 16 June 1912; 201 E. Third Street

The founding: Methodism in Mishawaka begins with John and Lucretia Skerritt, the first Methodists of record, in 1834. A society of eight members was organized on 19 July 1835 — the genealogical timeline also carries a duplicate organization row under 1836, and the 1835 date stands here as the society's own settled date, with the duplicate noted. In the fall of 1836 the society built on North Main Street the first church building erected in the village, on De Kever's showing. A second church followed in 1848 at Church Street and Lincoln Way.

The building line: A third church, begun in 1872, was not dedicated until 1884 — the twelve-year gap stands in the timeline as given, unexplained — and that building was sold to the Knights of Columbus in 1919, after the congregation had already moved. The present church, of Bedford stone in Gothic form at Church and Third streets, was dedicated on 16 June 1912. First United Methodist stands active at 201 East Third Street — the 1912 church — with the address carried in current 2026 community directories, its building in weekly use by the city's groups as well as its congregation.

Sources:

1. Ed Chamberlin, Mishawaka church-history timeline, South Bend Area Genealogical Society, 2016 (organization rows, building line, East Methodist daughter).
2. Peter J. De Kever, Mishawaka: A History (the first church building, 1836).
3. Current church and community directories, 2026.