Methodist Church
The Montpelier Examiner, December 24,
1909
MASONS WILL OBSERVE ST JOHN'S DAY
The members of King Solomon Lodge A F and A M
will observe St John's Day next Sunday by attending the Methodist Church in a
body in the morning. A sermon, appropriate to the occasion, will be
delivered by Rev Laughlin, pastor of the church.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The News-Examiner, 6 August 2014. page 15
Although there had been several Methodists in Montpelier since
1882, it wasn't until 1909 that Methodist services were held. On June 25
of that year, the Methodist congregation rented the Nielson Furniture Shop top
floor to held services. Thirty four children attended the first Sunday
School session.
A church building was completed in 1913 and membership grew. By the mid 1920s membership peaked at about 85 adult members. However the Depression his this congregation very hard and the membership declined. In August of 1930 the congregations of the Calvary Presbyterian and the Montpelier Methodist Church met to discuss the possibility of combining the two congregations. The Montpelier Community Church was officially organized on May 1, 1931. It was decided the church would remain under the auspices of the Presbyterian Church but all denominations were welcome.
In 1965 a new church was built in the center of Hillside Drive. The new church was dedicated on Dec 11,1966. Several items from the old church were built into the new one, including stained glass and the bell which was placed on a cinderblock tower on the front lawn. As other denominations diminished in the valley their members attended the Presbyterian church and in the summer of 1999, the name of the church was officially changed to the Bear Lake Community Church to reflect its ecumenical nature.