In 1860 the Methodist of Ashkum first met in homes, the school, and Chapman Hall on Main Street before the first building was erected in 1871. It was 30' x 60', cost $3000, and had a membership of 40. Extensive remodeling occured in 1904 and again in 1929 to accommodate the growing church. A lot of this remodeling was paid for by the ladies' circle.
We eventually became a two point charge with Clifton, which meant sharing the pastor. During this time period we had many student pastors. On Sunday, January 27, 1946, between the hours of 8:00pm and 10:00pm, a devastating fire completely destroyed the Ashkum Methodist Church. The origin of the fire was never determined.
The members were determined to rebuild, and on September 25, 1949 the new brick building was dedicated. Many changes have occurred through the years. After the Clifton Methodist Church closed we were on our own for a while. We purchased a parsonage in 1987 and predominately had student pastors for 17 years. Then in 2004, the conference again placed us in a two point charge, this time with Gilman. After selling the parsonage we were able to make many wonderful improvements to the church. We remodeled the basement, installed beautiful stained glass windows, purchased new lighting for the sanctuary and narthex, and added a sound and projection system which has greatly enhanced our services. Because we are a mission-minded church, in 2007 we built a garage that is used to gather donations for Red Bird Mission in Beverly, Kentucky.
We contine to look for ways to grow and share our love of Christ with others. We feel truly blessed to be a part of a loving, caring congregation and pray that God will continue to use and direct us to build His kingdom.
