How old is your church? Our timeline tracks 251, from 1826 to present

May 16—Four score and 117 years ago, when Abe Lincoln was just a gangly teen, a group of early settlers met in a log cabin in the future Vermilion County to establish what would become the area's first house of worship — Indianola United Methodist Church.

It was 1826, eight years after Illinois became the 21st state of the union. Before the turn of the next century, nearly 100 more churches would sprout up — from Middletown (as Mahomet was first known) to Monticello, and everywhere in between.

As one of those pre-1900 mainstays — Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church — prepares to celebrate its 160th anniversary, we figured now would be a good time to assemble the first known collection of birthdates for every area house of worship (plus a few fun facts).

If you don't see yours on this list of 251 — or have a favorite memory or photo you'd like to share — email jdalessio@news-gazette.com. We'll keep adding to it in the weeks ahead.

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1828

Making headlines in 1828: Andrew Jackson wins the presidency, the Democratic Party is established and Vermilion County's first justice of the peace — Asa Elliott — holds services at Butler's Point, which Catlin United Methodist Church traces its roots back to.

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1829

— Though it shares a birth year with city neighbor First Baptist Church, pastor Ann Schwartz proudly points out that First Presbyterian was Danville's very first religious organization. That's her pictured above last Sunday in front of her favorite stained glass windows. This weekend will be a bittersweet one — her last Sunday leading worship before moving to Bloomington to pastor.

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1831

— LeRoy United Methodist Church

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1833

— Camargo United Methodist

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1834

— Farmer City United Methodist Church

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1836

— First United Methodist Church of Urbana

— First United Presbyterian Church of LeRoy

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1839

— First Baptist Church of Mahomet

— Homer United Methodist Church

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1842

— First Presbyterian Church of Monticello. Where the Piatt County church goes, so goes its 1,000-pound bell, which has moved twice since October 1842, when 10 charter members held the first organized services — at the courthouse in Monticello.

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1843

— Monticello United Methodist Church

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1844

— Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church, Champaign

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1845

— Tuscola United Methodist Church

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1846

— First United Methodist Church of Georgetown

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1850

— First Presbyterian Church of Champaign

— Bowman Avenue United Methodist Church, Danville

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1852

— Muncie Baptist Church

— St. Mary Catholic Church, Champaign

— Shiloh United Methodist Church, Mahomet

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1853

— Community United Church of Christ. As best as Pastor Leah Robberts-Mosser can tell, the image above — of the sort-of-spooky-looking Goose Pond Church — is the only photo that exists of the predecessor to her Community United Church of Christ. Legend has it that during the traveling attorney phase of his life, none other than Abraham Lincoln often spoke at Goose Pond, which got its name from the gassy creatures who were a nuisance in those days, too. In 1855, the church sat on the land that's now home to the Champaign Police Department.

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1854

— Arcola Presbyterian Church

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1855

— Mahomet United Methodist Church

— Cisco United Methodist Church

— St. John Lutheran Church, Champaign

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1856

— Champaign First United Methodist Church

— First Presbyterian Church of Urbana

— Sadorus United Methodist Church

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1857

— First United Methodist Church of Paxton

— Loda United Methodist Church

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1858

— Emmanuel Memorial Episcopal Church, Champaign

— First Christian Church of Arcola

— Bement United Methodist Church

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1859

— Arcola United Methodist Church

— Rantoul United Methodist Church

— St. Patrick Catholic Church, Tolono. When lightning struck the belfry in 1929, destroying both the 70-year-old church and the rectory, St. Pat's was forced to rebuild. And rebuild it did but not without an assist from the local Methodists, who offered their church for use until a temporary replacement — a former grocery store on Daggy Street — was ready. On May 27, 1937, the new St. Pat's was dedicated, complete with a soundproof "cry room."

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1860

— Oakwood United Methodist Church

— St. Mary Catholic Church, Paxton

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1862

— First Presbyterian Church of Piper City

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1863

— Champaign Bethel AME

— First Baptist Church of Hoopeston

— First Lutheran Church of Paxton

— Hindsboro Christian Church

— Trinity Lutheran Church, Danville

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1864

— First Baptist Church of Champaign at Savoy

— Rantoul First United Methodist Church

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1865

— Allen Chapel AME, Danville

— Fairmount United Methodist Church

— First Church of Christ, Catlin

— Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Farmer City

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1866

— Gifford United Methodist Church

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1867

— Sharing a birth year with the University of Illinois: First Baptist Church of Rantoul, Champaign's Salem Baptist Church, Westminster Presbyterian Church (of both Champaign and Paxton), Piper City United Methodist and Centerville United Methodist, built in a teensy Piatt County town with eight blocks, nine streets and a commitment from a generous family to never charge rent, so long as there's a church on the property.

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1868

— Bondville United Methodist Church

— Ludlow United Methodist Church

— Mansfield United Church

— St. Joseph Catholic Church, Ivesdale

— St. Peter's United Church of Christ, Champaign

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1869

— Melvin United Methodist Church

— Savoy United Methodist Church

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1870

— Fisher United Methodist Church

— Immanuel Lutheran Church, Broadlands

— St. John's Lutheran Church, Buckley

— St. Joseph Catholic Church, Loda

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1871

— Fairview United Methodist Church, Georgetown

— Hoopeston United Methodist Church

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1872

— American Evangelical Lutheran Church, Gibson City

— Gibson City United Methodist Church

— Prairie Green Church of Christ, Hoopeston

— Ridge Farm Friends Meeting

— St. Peter Free Lutheran Church, Melvin

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1873

— First Baptist Church of Hoopeston

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1874

— Immanuel Lutheran Church, Flatville

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1875

— Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Gibson City

— St. Mary Catholic Church, Pesotum

— A recurring theme among many of the area's churches: the need to start anew after being knocked down. For St. Paul Lutheran of Sadorus, that came in the form of a 1945 fire that burned the church's 70-year home to the ground. Five years later, the congregation's current building was dedicated.

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1876

— St. Michael's Catholic Church, Hume

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1877

— St. Anthony Catholic Church, Hoopeston

— St. John's Lutheran Church, Sibley

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1878

— Paxton Evangelical Covenant Church

— St. Boniface Catholic Church, Seymour

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1880

— Forty Martyrs Catholic Church, Tuscola

— Peace Lutheran Church, Thomasboro

— St. Peter Catholic Church, Piper City

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1888

— LeRoy Christian Church

— St. Malachy Catholic Church, Rantoul

— St. Philomena Catholic Church, Monticello

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1889

— East Bend Church, Fisher

— Lodge Church of God

— Mattis Avenue Free Methodist Church, Champaign

— Villa Grove United Methodist Church

— Walnut Grove Christian Church, Arcola

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1891

— St. Michael Catholic Church, Bement

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1892

— Bethany Park Christian Church, Rantoul

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1893

— Arthur United Methodist Church

— St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, Thomasboro

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1894

— Rossville Church of Christ

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1895

— Fisher Immanuel Lutheran Church of Osman

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1896

— Immanuel Lutheran Church, Danville

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1897

— Immanuel Lutheran Church, Tuscola

— Northside Church of Christ, Bismarck

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1898

— St. Lawrence Catholic Church, Penfield

— Tolono United Methodist Church

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1899

— Second Church of Christ, Danville

— St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Bellflower

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1900

— Fithian United Methodist Church

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1901

— St. Patrick Catholic Church, Urbana

— Champaign Church of the Brethren

— St. Luke C.M.E. Church, Champaign

— Trinity United Church of Christ, Westville

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1903

— Hoopeston Church of God

— St. Mary's Catholic Church, Westville

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1904

— Vermilion Heights Christian Church

— Sinai Temple, Champaign

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1906

— First Christian Church of Villa Grove

— McKinley Memorial Presbyterian Church, Champaign

— Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Villa Grove

— St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Gifford

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1907

— Faith Baptist Church, Danville

— Just last Sunday, Danville's former First Assembly of God Church (est. 1907) held its first service under its inspiring new name — Hope Unlimited Church.

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1909

— Chapel of Saint John the Divine, Champaign

— Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church, Urbana

— Weldon United Methodist Church

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1911

— Grace Lutheran Church, Champaign

— Georgetown Church of the Nazarene

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1912

— Carter Metropolitan CME Church, Danville

— Holy Cross Catholic Church, Champaign

— Pesotum United Methodist Church

— University Baptist Church, Champaign

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1913

— St. Paul Catholic Church, Danville

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1915

— Community Church of God, Danville

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1916

— Chrisman Church of Nazarene

— Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church, Champaign

— Webber Street Christian Church, Urbana

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1917

— Where Firehaus bar once stood is where the Rev. John O'Brien set up the formal campus ministry that would become St. John's Catholic Newman Center.

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1919

— Saint James Methodist Episcopal Church, Danville

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1921

— Wesley United Methodist Church, Urbana

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1922

— Ogden Naz

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1923

— A happy 100th anniversary to Champaign First Church of the Nazarene, which has a celebration of its own in store for July 29-30, and Illini Hillel.

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1924

— Rantoul Church of the Nazarene

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1925

— Pilgrim Missionary Baptist, Champaign

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1928

— Philo Road Church of Christ, Urbana

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1929

— Trinity Lutheran Church, Cissna Park

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1932

— Our Savior Lutheran Church, Milford

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1933

— Twin City Bible Church, Urbana

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1937

— Arcola First Church of the Nazarene

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1938

— Potomac Church of the Nazarene

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1940

— Arthur Mennonite Church

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1941

— Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Hoopeston

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1942

— St. Isaac Jogues Catholic Church, Georgetown

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1943

— St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Urbana

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— Here's one we imagine the founders of the original Paxton Church of the Nazarene never saw coming: In 2019, the church relaunched as PaxNaz.

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1944

— Monticello Church of Nazarene

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1946

— Church of The Living God, Champaign

— St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, Homer

— University Lutheran Church, Champaign

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1948

— Stratford Park Bible Chapel, Champaign

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1950

— Temple Baptist Church of Champaign

— Gibson City Bible Church

— Gibson City First Baptist Church

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1951

— Hessel Park Christian Reformed Church, Champaign

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1952

— Cedar Grove Nazarene, Danville

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1953

— Trinity Lutheran Church, Urbana

— Bethel Baptist Church, Georgetown

— First Christian Church, Champaign

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1954

— Curtis Road Church, Champaign

— Bible Baptist Church of Rantoul

— Grace Church of Mahomet

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1955

— Dewey Community Church

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1956

— Westville First Church of Christ

— First Baptist Church of Tolono

— First Baptist Church of LeRoy

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1957

— Georgetown First Church of Christ

— Rantoul Church of Christ

— Unitarian Universalist Church of Urbana Champaign

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1959

— Faith United Methodist Church, Champaign

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1960

— Calvary Baptist Church, Urbana

— Monticello Calvary Baptist. The church's story is one of both triumph and tragedy. As Robert Anderson writes of the church's official history: On Oct. 24, 2001, 41 years after it was spun off of Bement Baptist, "God sent two tornados that met right at the church and destroyed the original sanctuary and the hackberry tree. It carried the roof, that was exceptionally well-built, away, dodging over and under power lines to the east and set it down on a nearby apartment building." Then came the inspiring part of the church's story: Youngsters from Alabama volunteered to come help clean up the mess. Bricklayers came from North Carolina to help the church rebuild. A church in Connecticut donated $25,000 from their building fund. And three years later, the new Calvary Baptist was dedicated.

'The Little Church That Could'

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1961

— Cornerstone Baptist Church, Savoy

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1962

— Bethel Baptist Church, Danville

— Good Shepherd Lutheran, Champaign

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1963

— Bible Baptist Church, Champaign

— Gibson City Pentecostal Church

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1964

— Champaign-Urbana First Mennonite

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1965

— St. Matthew Catholic Church, Champaign

— Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, St. Joseph

— St. Christopher Episcopal Church, Rantoul

— St. Thomas Catholic Church, Philo

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1966

— Stone Creek Church, Urbana

— Three Hierarchs Greek Orthodox Church, Champaign

— Gibson City Church of Christ

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1970

— United Church of Atwood

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1971

— Christ Lutheran Church, Monticello

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1972

— Lutheran Church of Mahomet

— Upper Room Bible Church, Paxton

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1973

— Turning the big 5-0 this year: Champaign's Windsor Road Christian Church.

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1975

— Mahomet Christian Church

— Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, Mahomet

— River Valley Church of Christ, Fisher

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1976

— Faith Baptist Church of Champaign

— New Covenant Fellowship, Champaign

— Countryside United Methodist, Urbana. What do you get when you add Philo United Methodist and Sidney United Methodist? Countryside UMC — launched 47 years ago just about halfway between the two Champaign County villages.

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1977

— Canaan Baptist Church, Urbana

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1978

— The Vineyard Church of Central Illinois, Urbana

— Holy Family Catholic Church, Danville

— Maranatha Baptist Church, Rantoul

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1979

— Church of the Apostolic Authority, Champaign

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1980

— New Free Will Baptist Church, Champaign

— Central Illinois Mosque & Islamic Center, Urbana

— Meadowbrook Community Church, Champaign

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1981

— Disciples of Christ Community Church, Champaign

— Living Word Family Church, St. Joseph

— Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, Mahomet

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1982

— Eagle Mountain Assembly of God, Tuscola

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1984

— Christian Life Church, Rantoul

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1985

— The Solid Rock of Rantoul

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1986

— New Life Church of Faith, Danville

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1990

— Friendship Lutheran Church of Joy, Champaign

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1992

— Community Evangelical Free Church of Mahomet

— Lake of the Woods Church, Mahomet

— Trinity Community Fellowship, Farmer City

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1993

— Crossroad of Life Community Church, Rantoul

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1995

— Center of Hope Church, Champaign

— New Horizon Church, Champaign

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1996

— Grace Baptist Church, Paxton

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1997

— St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church, Urbana

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2000

— New Life Church of Faith, Urbana

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2003

— Illini Chabad, Champaign

— Unity Baptist Church, Champaign

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2005

— Danville First United Methodist Church

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2006

— CrossRoads Christian Church, Danville

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2007

— Midwest Believers Church, Champaign

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2010

— Faith Lutheran Church, Monticello

— Church of the Cross, Mahomet

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2011

— All Souls Presbyterian Church, Urbana

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2012

— Copper Creek Church, Champaign

— New Beginnings Lutheran Church, Mahomet

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2013

— Life Community Church, Mahomet

— 21st Century Christian Worship Center, Danville

— Rest-Oration Church, Champaign

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2014

— Homer New Life Church of Faith

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2015

— The Vineyard Church of Central Illinois, Sullivan

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2016

— Quest United Methodist Church, Urbana

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2017

— CU Church

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2018

— The Hope: A Community Church of the Nazarene, Mahomet