by Bea Peterson
Sunday, December 12, was a time of remembrance for the members of the Grafton United Methodist Church on Route 2. The church was filled to overflowing for this final service. The building will now be closed and deconsecrated and emptied by December 31. The Methodists have had services in Grafton for 212 years. Sunday’s service was heartwarming, said Rev. Joy Lowenthal. Former Pastors Kim Kie and Rev. Robert Hurd shared stories of their time in Grafton. Val Newton, widow of Perrins Newton, sang with the choir and shared stories as well. The choir, said Rev. Lowenthal, was magnificent. Many past and present parish members attended the service and shared their special experiences in the wonderful old church that was built in 1875. Rising costs of maintaining the building and a diminishing active congregation led to the decision to combine the Grafton United Methodist Church and the Berlin United Methodist Church, creating the United Methodist Church that will meet in the Berlin Church.
According to information from Church member Pat Niebuhr, the origins of the Church go back to the Hemlock Church in West Grafton which was started in 1798. The original structure on Route 2 cost $3,500 to build. In 1881 a Meneely bell was installed. The Church has now turned the bell over to the Town. An annex, with basement and kitchen, was added to the church in 1889.
Over the years the Church had many clubs including a Rainbow Club, Ladies Aid, United Methodist Women, Junior Missionary, Epworth and a Mens Group. At one time the church was used by the library and by a nursery school. The Church’s first woman pastor was Millicent Corps who served the parish from 1925 to 1928.
In 1925 an incident occurred which, some say, will never be forgotten. The choir had just finished singing when eight or ten hooded men entered the building. They were part of the Ku Klux Klan. They had been invited by the pastor. Several people left the Church as a result of that incident.
Grafton United Methodist Church is known all over the County for their delicious fund raising dinners which were served five times a year.
The two beautiful handmade signature quilts which hung in the church sanctuary have been given to the Grafton Historical Society.