Our History
April 28, 1868
The first available records of our church bare this date. They are written in German script. This quarterly conference meeting was held in Pleasant Valley School House which was one and a half miles west of the El Paso settlement (modern day Southern edge of Derby.) Those present were Rev. Henry Mattill, presiding Elder; Rev. Ferdinand Harder, secretary; John Glaser, class leader; John Kriebel, exhorter; and Phillip Yergler, steward. Little else exists of these original records. There is a mention in 1868 to an attempt to secure a residence for "the missioner" but little else is known about these early founders of our parish.
A Name
Salem
The next discernable records dates 1871 where the Rev. Ferdinand Harder was sent to pastor the "little society" known as Salem. They were as a body so profound and influential that a petition was circulated to officially change the name of the township, then known as Watson, to Salem. A clerical error caused the county commission to deny this request but it was later recirculated and adopted on April 18, 1874.
The "Englishers"
The first service given in English
Until this time, all services were given in German, that being the native tongue of nearly every settler in the area. By 1878 the children were beginning to learn English in school and English speaker were being added to the church roll. The conference records in January of 1878 list two pastors for the church: F. Harder as the "Dutch" preacher and H. Bower as the "Englisher." At this time services were delivered in German in the morning and English in the evening. Quarterly records were still exclusively in German.
Another name
By 1884 the name of the mission was changed (yet again) to Derby Mission. This was the first year that the Quarterly documents appear in English. Despite this official adoption of English, Mother Mary Mohr continued to teach a Sunday School class in German for many more years. These customs caused the church to be somewhat uncomplimentary known in some circles as "that Dutch Church."
Acquisitions and Circuit riders
A Parsonage...finally
On July 2, 1884 the church purchased its first bit of property for the purpose of housing the preacher from the township of El Paso. The land was located at 304 N Georgie and had a small barn on it. It was purchased for the sum of $42.50. Money to build the house was borrowed from the Conference Missionary Society. $200 was secured and the work was done by the people of the church and made it ready for occupancy before the winter of 1884.
Circuit riders
In the 1880's Derby was the headquarters for what was then a very large circuit. The first three in 1880 were Antelope (Udall), Walnut (Butler-Zion, Augusta), Rockhill (Emmanuel, El Dorado). By 1886 this included Derby East (Spring Creek), Sand Creek (Haysville), Cambridge and Martens. At the 100th anniversary of our Church in 1968 those still in existence were Derby, Butler-Zion and El Dorado. Today El Dorado is our only remaining link to this history.
Circuit no more
In 1904, after several attempts and large pledges of support from the Derby Church, the circuit ties with El Dorado and Zion were severed giving Derby its first full-time pastor. Around this time the church was out growing it's location in a renovated school house. The congregation hauled rock from the quarries at Douglass and Rose Hill to construct the new edifice. In 1927 the building was again modified lifting it 40", adding a basement, a cloak room, and a large furnace.
Ring the Bell!
Our Clarion Call
In that same year of improvements, the Evangelical League of Christian Endeavor (one of the many small groups of the church) purchased a 38" bell, weighing 1400 pounds. The bell is an E tone. Rev. A. E. Kurth brought it to Derby in the bed of his Model T Ford. It was purchased from the Kansas Conference Historical Society for $25. It was formerly used in the Evangelical Church of Marinetta, KS.
Combining of Conferences
In 1946 the Annual Conferences of the Evangelical Church and the United Brethren were combined. This union was consumated in 1956. It was in this manner that the Evangelical United Brethren Church came to be. This would not be the last time the combining of conferences would shape our history.
Storm Clouds
Seeds of discontent
The dark clouds of dissension began to darken the picture in the 1960s. The congregation was split into two factions. There were those who wished to continue worship in the old (and outgrown) sanctuary and those who thought that the fellowship room of the educational building should be used. The quarrel deepened and many left the church. It had become difficult to pay ordinary bills. One individual spread rumors that the church was soon to be merged with the Methodists and that the property would be disposed of. What was meant to be damaging, turned into blessing. The Derby School board was seeking for a place for new administrative offices and approached the trustees with an offer to purchase for $70,000. The congregation voted to sell on March 31, 1963 returning the building back to the very school it had purchased it from many years before.
A new dawn
A new sight now being necessary one was selected across from Derby High School (the modern Middle School and our current location). Rooms were rented for regular services and office space. It was in the move and shuffling of old items that church members came across the old book written in German which illuminated much of the history shared above. It was thanks to Rev. Paul Seyffer that the documents were saved from the burn pile.
A New Chapter
April 5th, 1964
On this day the building of the church was dedicated by Bishop Paul Milhouse. A one story brick veneer located on a large tract of land with room for future expansion. This building located at 900 E Madison Ave continues to be our home to this day.
A new name (again)
In May of 1967 the Annual Conferences of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren voted to merge. In August of 1967 the congregation voted to rename the community Madison Ave United Methodist Church.
The Bell
The bell had been in storage in the farm of one of the Parishioners. A stand was made for it and dedicated in 1970
Ministers 1868-Present
By Date Served
By Date Served
By Date Served
H. Mattill and F. Harder 1868-69
Unknown 1869-1870
Salem name first used
F. Harder 1871
Pulpit Supply 1872-72
H. Toedman 1874
C. Buchel 1875
Pulpit Supply 1876-77
English spoken services
F. Harder 1878
Wm. Tiemke 1879
H. Toedman 1880-81
C. Geiser 1882-83
Derby Church Name Adopted
A. Brunner 1884-85
H. S. Bower 1886-87
M. Walter 1888-89
L. E. Becher 1890-92
and P.G, Nuffer 1891
R. R. Brand 1892-95
and G. J. Harbes 1895
H. E. Meyer 1896-1899
New Location
M.J. Steinmetz 1900-04
C. J. Eiselein 1905
R.M. Peck 1906-07
I. B. Miller 1908-11
F. U. Moyer 1912-14
Q. B. Roth 1519-16
J. M. Fircher 1917-18
H. A, Schneider 1919-20 (died in office)
Rev. Swarenger supply for balance of '20
A. E. Kurth 1921-27
O.A. Burr 1928
H. L. Price 1929-30
I. H. Hauptfueher 1931-34
H. A. Iwig 1935-39
W. T. Morti 1940-42
A. Mastin 1943-45
Merger to EUBC
L. L. Musser 1946-48
D. W. Weinert 1949
J. Haber 1950
Geo. Shurltz (Supply) 1951-52
D. E. McGregor 1953-54
P. M. Weinert 1955
C. W. Findley 1956-57
Ralph Lewis 1958
V. Glen Megill 1959-61
New Building Dedicated ('64)
Paul L. Seyffer 1962-64
By Date Served
By Date Served
Merger UMC New name Madison Ave ('67)
Clarence H. Haber 1965-67
100th Anniversary 1968
Charence H. Haber 1968-69
Robert Simison 1970-71
Robert Haines 1972
Joseph Wallen 1973-75
Matthew Weller 1976-79
Harold Peck 1980-85
Charlie Harrison 1985-90
125th Anniversary 1993
Bruce Gotschall 1990-95
Deann Smith 1995-98
Billie Blair 1998-2001
Kathryn Graver 2001-05
Larry Harvey 2005-2010
Sandy Des Plas 2010-11
150th Anniversary 2018
Rev. Ed Friesen 2011-2020
Ptr. Charles L. McKinzie II 2020-2021
Ptr. Ginny Atkison-Hall 2021-Present