Mike Wolanin | The Republic An exterior view of Newbern United Methodist Church in Newbern, Ind,, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025.
Newbern United Methodist Church will host a birthday celebration for its 170th from 2 to 5 p.m. Sept. 27.
According to a history of the church compiled in 1973 by Raymond Smiley, ministers William Montgomery and William Reams were appointed to organize the first Methodist Church in Newbern in 1855. The first sanctuary was built in 1859, with a second sanctuary being built in 1904.
In 1955, a groundbreaking was held for a Fellowship Hall and Educational Unit of the church. Then in 1972, a third sanctuary was built attached to the hall and educational unit. This is what stands at 15786 E Main St. in Newbern today. Matt Snodgrass serves as the pastor and has been since 2020.
“We focus more on what can we do for the community than what the people can actually do for our church,” board chairman Denise Ollestad said. “We just try to relay God as caring and wanting to help and there for them at all times.”
Pastor Parish Chair Carolyn O’Neil said the congregation aims to create a safe and judgment-free church. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the church offered free meals, outdoor activities at the church’s playground and other outreach opportunities outside of Sundays. She said they were making inroads in that and creating a comfortable church environment.
“Then COVID came and everybody sort of went away. So we opened back up after COVID and we did a similar thing, but it was almost like starting over,” O’Neil said. ”So we’ve been rebuilding relationships in the community. We still have our free meals, we gave away 50 backpacks to children.”
Other community outreach opportunities the church offers include a monthly breakfast and a fall festival with crafts and food. Newbern United Methodist Church also donates monthly to Love Chapel, offers food baskets around Christmas and has a bridge program with United Way.
“We care about the people and we want to help,” Snodgrass said.
September’s celebration will feature collected artifacts and pictures from the church’s history, and those who have been involved with the church in one way or another will be invited back for the celebration. O’Neil said this celebration aims to bring people come back together and reminisce about the church.
“I think (the anniversary is) amazing, in a time where you see churches not surviving and you see the difficultly that there is bringing people to a church, I’m really kind of pleased and honored that we are able to do what we’re doing,” O’Neil said.
