Avondale United Methodist Church records
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit
May 12, 2011
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Ball State University Archives and Special Collections
Alexander M. Bracken Library
2000 W. University Avenue
Muncie, Indiana, 47306
765-285-5078
libarchives@bsu.edu
Avondale United Methodist Church records
Table of Contents
Summary Information ................................................................................................................................. 3
Administrative History...................................................................................................................................4
Scope and Contents....................................................................................................................................... 4
Arrangement...................................................................................................................................................5
Administrative Information .........................................................................................................................5
Controlled Access Headings..........................................................................................................................6
Collection Inventory...................................................................................................................................... 8
Series 1: Avondale United Methodist Church annual reports, 1951-1957............................................. 8
Series 2: Avondale United Methodist Church attendance records, 1951-1957...................................... 8
Series 3: Avondale United Methodist Church board records, 1913-1974.............................................. 9
Series 4: Avondale United Methodist Church budget records, 1919-1992...........................................11
Series 5: Avondale United Methodist Church charge conference, 1970-1985..................................... 12
Series 6: Avondale United Methodist Church directories, 1896-1991................................................. 15
Series 7: Avondale United Methodist Church histories, 1960-1991.....................................................15
Series 8: Avondale United Methodist Church membership records, 1950-1972.................................. 16
Series 9: Avondale United Methodist Church minutes, 1940-1975..................................................... 18
Series 10: Avondale United Methodist Church programs, 1896-1968................................................. 19
Series 11: Avondale United Methodist Church publications, 1914-1984.............................................21
Series 12: Avondale United Methodist Church secretarial records, 1914-1984................................... 23
Series 13: Avondale United Methodist Church reports, 1940-1965..................................................... 26
Series 14: Avondale United Methodist Church records, 1911-1991.................................................... 28
Series 15: Avondale United Methodist Church photographs, undated................................................. 33
- Page 2 -
Avondale United Methodist Church records
Summary Information
Repository
Ball State University Archives and Special Collections
Creator
Avondale United Methodist Church. (Muncie, Ind.)
Title
Avondale United Methodist Church records
Date
1838-1991
Extent
3.4 Cubic feet 4 boxes
Language
English
Language of Materials
Materials entirely in English.
Text [Box]
3
Text [Box]
2
Text [Box]
1
Text [Box]
4
Preferred Citation
Avondale United Methodist Church records, Archives and Special Collections, Ball State University
Libraries
- Page 3 -
Avondale United Methodist Church records
Administrative History
The Avondale United Methodist Church was established in Muncie, Indiana in 1891, giving the south
Muncie community a church. Churchgoers often found it difficult because of a lack of sidewalks,
streetcars or buses to attend services at the mother church, High Street Methodist. Dr. C.U. Wade, pastor
of the High Street Church helped the south side residents to form a society of Methodists. Canvassing the
neighborhood, Dr. Wade located 20 persons who formed the church's original charter and he served as the
church's first pastor.
During the summer of 1891, a church building was erected at the corner of Tenth St. and Samson Ave.
Dedicated November 8, 1891, the church was a two-room frame structure; the larger north room was
the auditorium, which was separated from the smaller room by a series of folding doors. The seven
foot square entrance was equipped with two sets of double swinging doors, one set leading into each
room. The belfry extended over the entrance and terminated in a tall four-sided pyramid to a point. Two
large stoves heated the building. It had gaslights and a seating capacity for 200. In 1892, baptisms were
conducted in White River near the High Street Bridge.
In April 1892, the Rev. J.A. Ruley became the second pastor and Rev. Thomas Sells followed a year
later. A smallpox epidemic and the Panic of 1893 caused the Avondale Church to be unable to support a
full time minister, so the Church became a mission of the High Street Church until 1895, when it again
became an independent organization. Through the years the Avondale Church has continued to show
steady growth. In 1904, a basement was dug at night and the dirt removed by the men and boys of the
church after they came home from their office and factory work.
In 1920, the growing congregation realized that more space was needed. Under the supervision of the
pastor, Rev. J. Walter Gibson, who had some building experience, the Church built a new two story brick
structure with a seating capacity of 600 on the site of the old church. The first church building was turned
halfway around and moved to the back of the lot and rebuilt into the north part of the present building.
Most of the building material was retrieved from the old Tabor church southeast of Muncie, which was
torn down. The cost of the new building was $30,000. In the fall of 1929 a two-story brick parsonage was
added.
The Avondale Church survived the economically hard 1930s and the war years of the 1940s. New Sunday
School classrooms were added in the 1950s and adjacent property was purchased for parking. The Church
continued to remodel its physical facilities with the congregation donating much of the material and the
labor towards remodeling projects. In April 1991, the congregation celebrated its 100th anniversary.
Scope and Contents
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Avondale United Methodist Church records
This collection includes the records of the Avondale United Methodist Church, including annual reports,
attendance records, board minutes, budgets and financial reports, correspondence, directories, a history of
the church, membership lists, officers, programs, publications and scrapbooks from various years ranging
from 1891 to 1991.
Arrangement
Arranged in the following series:
Series 1: Avondale United Methodist Church annual reports, 1951-1957
Series 2: Avondale United Methodist Church attendance records, 1951-1975
Series 3: Avondale United Methodist Church board records, 1913-1974
Series 4: Avondale United Methodist Church budget records, 1919-1992
Series 5: Avondale United Methodist Church charge conference, 1970-1985
Series 6: Avondale United Methodist Church directories, 1896-1991
Series 7: Avondale United Methodist Church histories, 1960-1991
Series 8: Avondale United Methodist Church membership records, 1950-1972
Series 9: Avondale United Methodist Church minutes, 1940-1975
Series 10: Avondale United Methodist Church programs, 1896-1968
Series 11: Avondale United Methodist Church publications, 1914-1984
Series 12: Avondale United Methodist Church secretarial records, 1914-1984
Series 13: Avondale United Methodist Church reports, 1940-1965
Series 14: Avondale United Methodist Church records, 1911-1991
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Ball State University Archives and Special Collections
- Page 5 -
Avondale United Methodist Church records
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Archives and Special Collections, Ball State
University Libraries, Muncie, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to
Archives and Special Collections.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Finding aid revised 2007/07/17 by Maren L. Read. EAD finding aid completed 2011/05/11 by Helen
Boyer. EAD finding aid revised 2011/05/11 by Bethany Fiechter.
Controlled Access Headings
Genre(s)
• Documents
• Financial records
• Publications
Geographic Name(s)
•
•
•
•
Delaware County (Ind.)
Delaware County (Ind.)--History--20th century--Sources
Muncie (Ind.)
Muncie (Ind.)--History--20th century--Sources
Subject(s)
• Church history
- Page 6 -
Avondale United Methodist Church records
• Reports
• Stoeckel Archives of Local History
- Page 7 -
Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 1: Avondale United Methodist Church annual reports, 1951-1957
Collection Inventory
Series 1: Avondale United Methodist Church annual reports, 1951-1957
Annual report, 1951-1952
Text
Box
1
Folder
1
Box
1
Folder
2
Annual report, 1957
Text
Series 2: Avondale United Methodist Church attendance records, 1951-1957
Attendance record, 1968
Box
1
Text
Attendance record, 1966-1972
- Page 8 -
Folder
3
Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 3: Avondale United Methodist Church board records, 1913-1974
Text
Box
1
Folder
4
Box
1
Folder
5
Attendance record, 1951, 1954, 1975
Text
Series 3: Avondale United Methodist Church board records, 1913-1974
Board mailing lists, 1968-1969
Text
Box
1
Folder
6
Box
1
Folder
7
Box
Folder
Board minutes, 1913-1914
Text
Board minutes, 1924-1934
- Page 9 -
Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 3: Avondale United Methodist Church board records, 1913-1974
Text
1
8
Box
1
Folder
9
Box
1
Folder
10
Box
1
Folder
11
Box
1
Folder
12
Board minutes, 1932-1938
Text
Board minutes, 1940-1962
Text
Board minutes and related materials, 1948-1951
Text
Board minutes and related materials, 1962-1966
Text
Board minutes and related materials, 1966-1969
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Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 4: Avondale United Methodist Church budget records, 1919-1992
Text
Box
1
Folder
13
Box
1
Folder
14
Board minutes and related materials, 1972-1974
Text
Series 4: Avondale United Methodist Church budget records, 1919-1992
Budget, 1919-1920
Text
Box
1
Folder
15
Box
1
Folder
16
Box
Folder
Budget, 1944
Text
Budget, 1958-1959
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Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 5: Avondale United Methodist Church charge conference, 1970-1985
Text
1
17
Box
1
Folder
18
Box
1
Folder
19
Box
1
Folder
20
Box
1
Folder
21
Budget, 1960s
Text
Budget, 1970s
Text
Budget, 1982, 1987
Text
Budget, 1992
Text
Series 5: Avondale United Methodist Church charge conference, 1970-1985
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Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 5: Avondale United Methodist Church charge conference, 1970-1985
Charge conference, 1970
Text
Box
1
Folder
22
Box
1
Folder
23
Box
1
Folder
24
Box
1
Folder
25
Charge conference, 1972
Text
Charge conference, 1973
Text
Charge conference, 1976
Text
Charge conference, 1977
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Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 5: Avondale United Methodist Church charge conference, 1970-1985
Text
Box
1
Folder
26
Box
1
Folder
27
Box
1
Folder
28
Box
1
Folder
29
Box
1
Folder
30
Charge conference, 1979
Text
Charge conference, 1980
Text
Charge conference, 1984
Text
Charge conference, 1985
Text
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Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 6: Avondale United Methodist Church directories, 1896-1991
Series 6: Avondale United Methodist Church directories, 1896-1991
Directories, 1896, 1923, 1925, 1928
Text
Box
1
Folder
31
Box
1
Folder
32
Box
1
Folder
33
Directories, 1976, 1983
Text
Directory, 1991
Text
Series 7: Avondale United Methodist Church histories, 1960-1991
History, 1984
Box
- Page 15 -
Folder
Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 8: Avondale United Methodist Church membership records, 1950-1972
Text
1
34
Box
1
Folder
35
Box
1
Folder
36
Box
1
Folder
37
History, 1891-1991
Text
History, undated
Text
History supplement, 1960s
Text
Series 8: Avondale United Methodist Church membership records, 1950-1972
BBC Sunday School Class membership, 1950
Box
1
Text
- Page 16 -
Folder
38
Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 8: Avondale United Methodist Church membership records, 1950-1972
Cultivation List membership, undated
Text
Box
1
Folder
39
Box
1
Folder
40
Box
1
Folder
41
Box
1
Folder
42
Membership lists, 1962-1968
Text
Membership lists, 1970-1972
Text
Membership cards, 1838-1922
Text
Membership book, 1923-1925
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Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 9: Avondale United Methodist Church minutes, 1940-1975
Text
Box
1
Folder
43
Box
1
Folder
44
Membership book, 1933-1964
Text
Series 9: Avondale United Methodist Church minutes, 1940-1975
Ethel Jackson Circle minutes, 1955-1961
Text
Box
1
Folder
45
Box
1
Folder
46
Box
Folder
Council on Ministries minutes and related materials, 1969, 1975
Text
WSCS minutes and related materials, 1940-1946
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Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 10: Avondale United Methodist Church programs, 1896-1968
Text
1
47
Box
1
Folder
48
Box
1
Folder
49
Box
1
Folder
50
WSCS minutes and related materials, 1947-1953
Text
WSCS minutes and related materials, 1953-1959
Text
WSCS minutes and related materials, 1959-1965
Text
Commission on Education minutes and related materials, 1950-1968
Box
1
Text
Series 10: Avondale United Methodist Church programs, 1896-1968
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Folder
51
Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 10: Avondale United Methodist Church programs, 1896-1968
Program, 1904
Text
Box
1
Folder
52
Box
1
Folder
53
Box
1
Folder
54
Box
1
Folder
55
Groundbreaking for Educational Unit program, 1968
Text
No Account David program, 1950s
Text
75th Anniversary Celebration program, 1966/11/13
Text
Programs, 1896, 1921-1959
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Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 11: Avondale United Methodist Church publications, 1914-1984
Text
Box
1
Folder
56
Box
1
Folder
57
Box
1
Folder
58
Box
1
Folder
59
Programs, 1960s
Text
Programs, 1970s
Text
Programs, 1980s
Text
Series 11: Avondale United Methodist Church publications, 1914-1984
The Avondale United Methodist Church News publication, 1984
Box
- Page 21 -
Folder
Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 11: Avondale United Methodist Church publications, 1914-1984
Text
2
1
Box
2
Folder
2
Box
2
Folder
3
Box
2
Folder
4
Box
2
Folder
5
The Avondale Fall Exposition publication, circa 1938
Text
The Avondale Sentinel publication, 1920
Text
Avondale Voice publication, 1950
Text
The Avondale Youth Reporter publication, 1945
Text
Epworth Forest, The Institute Megaphone publication, 1928
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Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 12: Avondale United Methodist Church secretarial records, 1914-1984
Text
Box
2
Folder
6
Box
2
Folder
7
Box
2
Folder
8
Lincoln School publication, 1976
Text
The Silent Evangel publication, 1914
Text
Series 12: Avondale United Methodist Church secretarial records, 1914-1984
Church School secretary documents, 1914-1916
Text
Box
2
Folder
9
Box
Folder
Church School secretary documents, 1921
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Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 12: Avondale United Methodist Church secretarial records, 1914-1984
Text
2
10
Box
2
Folder
11
Box
2
Folder
12
Box
2
Folder
13
Box
2
Folder
14
Church School secretary documents, 1926-1927
Text
Church School secretary documents, 1927-1928
Text
Church School secretary documents, 1928-1932
Text
Church School secretary documents, 1932-1936
Text
Church School secretary documents, 1937-1940
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Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 12: Avondale United Methodist Church secretarial records, 1914-1984
Text
Box
2
Folder
15
Box
2
Folder
16
Box
2
Folder
17
Box
2
Folder
18
Box
2
Folder
19
Church School secretary documents, 1940-1944
Text
Church School secretary documents, 1944-1948
Text
Church School secretary documents, 1948-1960
Text
Church School secretary documents, 1960-1964
Text
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Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 13: Avondale United Methodist Church reports, 1940-1965
Church School secretary treasurer documents, 1968-1984
Box
2
Text
Folder
20
Series 13: Avondale United Methodist Church reports, 1940-1965
Financial Secretary report, 1952
Text
Box
2
Folder
21
Box
2
Folder
22
Box
2
Folder
23
Quarterly Conference roll and attendance record report, 1957-1962
Text
Treasurer's report, 1960s
Text
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Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 13: Avondale United Methodist Church reports, 1940-1965
Treasurer's building fund report, 1960's
Text
Box
2
Folder
24
Box
2
Folder
25
Box
2
Folder
26
Box
2
Folder
27
Treasurer's WSCS report, 1940-1949
Text
Treasurer's WSCS report, 1949-1955
Text
Treasurer's WSCS report, 1955-1960
Text
Treasurer's WSCS report, 1960-1965
- Page 27 -
Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 14: Avondale United Methodist Church records, 1911-1991
Box
2
Text
Folder
28
Series 14: Avondale United Methodist Church records, 1911-1991
By-Laws and avonaires documents, 1953
Text
Box
2
Folder
29
Box
2
Folder
30
Box
2
Folder
31
Box
Folder
Calendar, 1910
Text
Epworth Forest Institute certificate, 1934-1936
Text
Troop 6 charter, 1948
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Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 14: Avondale United Methodist Church records, 1911-1991
Text
2
32
Box
2
Folder
33
Box
2
Folder
34
Box
2
Folder
35
Box
2
Folder
36
WSCS Charter members and officers lists, 1960's
Text
I Will class role documents, 1960s
Text
Finance committee documents, 1967, 1972
Text
Constitution and by-laws, 1911
Text
Masonry for Educational Unit contract, undated
- Page 29 -
Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 14: Avondale United Methodist Church records, 1911-1991
Text
Box
2
Folder
37
Box
2
Folder
38
Box
2
Folder
39
Box
2
Folder
40
Box
2
Folder
41
Cookbook, 1930s
Text
Correspondence, 1946, 1991
Text
Finance report, 1981, 1984, 1987
Text
Together Magazine guidelines, 1960s
Text
- Page 30 -
Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 14: Avondale United Methodist Church records, 1911-1991
Guest register documents, 1946-1947
Text
Box
2
Folder
42
Box
2
Folder
43
Box
2
Folder
44
Box
2
Folder
45
Insurance report, 1961
Text
Newspaper clippings, undated
Text
Administrative Council committees and officers documents, 1982
Text
Officers and committees documents, 1972
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Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 14: Avondale United Methodist Church records, 1911-1991
Text
Box
2
Folder
45
Box
2
Folder
46
Box
2
Folder
47
Box
2
Folder
48
Box
2
Folder
49
Commissions, committees and officers documents, 1965-1968
Text
Dossal curtains order form, 1972
Text
Administrative Council roster, undated
Text
State of the Church documents, 1991
Text
- Page 32 -
Avondale United Methodist Church records
Series 15: Avondale United Methodist Church photographs, undated
Scrapbook, 1957-1962
Box
2
Text
P.053 Series 15: Avondale United Methodist Church photographs, undated
- Page 33 -
Folder
50