Community

Every institution has its story, which is generally collection of stories involving people, places, plots and props What give life to the story most often are the people, its characters. This is particularly true here of the Christian community in which I have been in mission and ministry the last ten years Community United Methodist Church in East Dayton. These stories have shaped the church, and will continue to bear influence on its shape in the future.

The Stockyards used to be just that, a place where animals were traded, and shipped in and out from the adjacent rail yards. Our church began its ministry in a manger in that immediate area Today, the Stockyards Inn still rests on the site, and is one of Dayton's fine restaurants. Now, less than two miles from downtown this once was country. By the turn of the century, the area began to be an area of low and middle income housing. This was in contrast to the fine uptown area around St. Paul's Church (which is now in the midst of urban renewal).

Some folk at Grace Methodist, then a key downtown church, became concerned about reaching the people in this area. About 1910. Mrs. 0. D. Cotton started a Sunday School in her home on Town Street, near North Irving and Springfield Streets. Several teachers from Grace joined her, and named their non-denomination endeavor Faith Hall.

By 1912 the group had outgrown the Cotton home, and rented a former saloon at Irving and Springfield Streets. With this move, the name of this loosely-knit group was changed to People's Church. The ministry expanded to include preaching, and the new building served as a community center. Like Faith Hall, the People's Church was also non-denominational, though many of its leaders came from Grace Methodist Church.

In 1918 four prominent Daytonians--Mrs. Harrie G. Carnell, George B. Smith, John H. Patterson, and Dr. Frank Garland-purchased the former saloon building, and later added a gymnasium. Some time later, the Dayton Community Chest added support to the outreach activities of the group by paying for a resident director and gymnasium leader. In addition to the gym activities, sewing and domestic science classes were held for the people of the community. (Those who think that social consciousness began in the 60's need to hear stories. What happened at People's came to pass in many places, thanks to the efforts of many sensitive and well-intentioned persons and groups, such as these and the Woman's Home Missionary Society and the Freedmen's Aid Society.)