Sunnyside United Methodist Church History
The land where the church is located was deeded and conveyed by Benjamin and Sarah Barfield to the trustees of the Shiloh Methodist Episcopal Church South in 1872. It was in the trust that the original trustees and their successors shall erect and build or cause to be built a house or place of worship for the use of the members according to the rules and disciplines that from time to time may be agreed upon and adopted by the ministers and preachers of the M.E. Church South’s General Conference who were authorized by the General Conference to preach and explain God’s Holy Word therein. There were 18 founders and services were monthly and the minister was a circuit rider, as was John Wesley in his early ministry.
The original building was probably erected in the Fall of 1872 and the Spring of 1873.by the members. Very few nails were used as mortise and tendon jointed together. It was almost square and had two entrances, one for men and one for women, with a partition down the middle. The right side was for women and the left side for men and they did not sit together. The present church sanctuary was erected in 1898 by members. It is thought to be designed by Jacob Snyder, a noted church architect of the time. His trademark was placing the bell tower in the right side corner of the church, as seen in the Sunnyside UMC sanctuary. The basement was added in 1946-47. The choir loft was built in 1950 and the altar was raised the cross was built as were the altar rails and the lectern. A pastor’s study was built to the left of the altar. These were built by members. The Sunday school rooms behind the choir loft were added in 1954. In 1967-69, the church was refloored with oak and later covered by carpet. The stained glass dates from 1898.
The Shiloh M.E. Church South appears to be renamed Sunnyside Methodist around 1927 and Sunnyside United Methodist Church in 1968.
*The above history is from several documents written by members of the church over the years from 1872 to 2004