Swedish Methodist Episcopal Church, Racine, Wisconsin

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Racine, Wisconsin
Surname/tag: Religion

Swedish Methodist Episcopal Church of Racine, Wisconsinwas begun by Swedish immigrants to the United States on March 23, 1883. Initial meetings took place at an existing Episcopal Church, but moved in 1884 to a Danish Baptist Church purchased by the congregation. In 1904, the church building was sold to a Jewish congregation, and a new structure was constructed at the intersection of West 6th Street and Lafayette Avenue (later renamed Memorial Drive) in Racine at a cost of $10,000. In 1921, the church changed its name to Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church, and remained so until the church merged with St. Johns United Methodist Church in 1967.

On June 11, 1967, Wisconsin Area Methodist Bishop Ralph T. Alton consecrated the merger between the all-white Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church and and the predominantly African-American St. Johns United Methodist Church. The new congregation became known as Bethel-St. Johns United Methodist Church. Both pastors of the constituent churches served the merged congregation together until 1971, when Bethel-St. Johns' popular African-American minister, Rev. Ernest Loftin left to serve a pair of rural churches in Green County, Wisconsin.

In 1975, Bethel-St. Johns United Methodist Church sold its building at 1502 West 6th Street, and merged into Faith United Methodist Church in an effort to grow the small memberships of both congregations. The diverse community of Bethel-St. Johns found union with the historically Italian congregation of Faith Church, and the joined congregation continues to operate in Racine as Faith United Methodist Church.

In January of 2018, Faith United Methodist Church merged with Trinity United Methodist Church to form North Pointe United Methodist Church.