We found that they wanted to memorialize the sacrifice all the church members made to build the new buildings. In 1923 there was extreme growth in the Brightwood community. An education building was started in 1921 – all of the lists of donors and offering envelopes with amounts were included in the time capsule. Again in 1949 their Cornerstone included an extensive list of those persons that gave and sacrificed for their community as their new sanctuary was being built.
For a complete album of pictures of the items found, click
HERE
.
The Indiana United Methodist Church Archives received all of the time capsule items and are processing and cataloging the items and the descriptions. They will be available through the DePauw Digital library, Archives Inventories once they are processed.
Other Inclusions
The 1923 Cornerstone held a scroll
(pictured above right)
wrapped tight and secured by a piece of thread. We gently unrolled the scroll to learn that the time capsule honored their thirty one Sunday school teachers and twenty nine officers by listing them on this scroll.
Quotes from Historical Information
The 1949 Cornerstone included a History of Brightwood Methodist Church by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Engle. “In 1919 the Bishop appointed Rev. R. A. Ragsdale who continued as Pastor until 1925. During Rev. Ragsdale’s stay the old Church was torn down and on March 18, 1921 the present education building was started. The present Sunday School unit was dedicated September 2, 1923 at the cost of $45,165.60.”
“In 1949 the basement for a new sanctuary was dug. There is a wide interest in the building and growth of the church. There were 113 new members by Christmas. Ninety-eight new members were received into the church on March 5, 1950, with one of the largest congregations in the history of the church. There is now a present membership of 985.”
