In the Christian tradition of humble beginnings, one might concede that today’s impressively beautiful Central United Protestant Church had its origin in a feed store in 1905, with bales of hay used for seats. At least the seed of the beginning was planted there.
From age-yellowed pages of church history from Ladies Aid minutes and from conversations with “old timers,” one realizes that today’s achievements are not entirely our own. The faith of our pioneer fathers, their work, prayers, and vision helped lay the foundation for the church now being consecrated.
1905 was a significant year in our history. The place called Grant’s Meadow was names Richland, after Nelson Rich, a local representative to the state legislature. Benton County was formed, and the W. R. Lambs organized a Union Sunday School in the feed store.
Bits of history as colorful as a Ladies Aid quilt emerged from these early days. For example, in 1906 The Rev. F. L. Tuttle of Kennewick came to preach, riding a white cayuse. A two-horse spring wagon was used in 1911 by The Rev. H. N. Rounds to commute from his farm in Finley.
In 1915 a new church building – the Community Methodist Church – was completed. It was located near the present site of the Southside United Protestant Church. The church had both organ and choir. In its basement, quilts were quilted, comforts tied, carpet rags cut and sewn, and fruit canned.
Although there will be no white cayuses or spring wagons in front of the new sanctuary, Edward A. Robinson, in his poem “Souvenir” expressed these feelings about another building, “Somewhere within there were dim presences – Of days that hovered and of years gone by.” And so it is at Central.
Early in 1943 all property in the then small community of Richland was purchased by the United States Government. This included the Community Methodist Church building which was torn down in 1945, and for which the church received $5,600. The funds were used in three important ways. Part was given to Central Church to help buy an organ. Another part was used to buy an orchard in the Highlands which is today the site of West Highlands Methodist Church. And the last part was given to The Methodist Church at Prosser, since a number of members moved into that area.
The pastor of the Community Methodist Church, The Rev. R. Kenneth Bell, and the district superintendent, The Rev. Frederick Pedersen, discussed with Lt. Col. Mathias and Lt. Col. Kadlec the need for a larger church building and expanded program for the rapid influx of population.
In June of 1943, the State Council of Churches voted that The Methodist Church be allocated the work in Richland to conduct an inter-denominational program. The church would represent eleven cooperating denominations and would be called the United Protestant Church.
After meeting first in the old Community Church, then various school buildings, a new Army type chapel was completed by the Government in December 1944. This building was rented from the Atomic Energy Commission until 1954 when Government properties were offered for sale. The purchase of the church property by Central for $20,230 represented the first sale of real estate in Richland by the Government and was the first major investment for the church. Soon this sanctuary, which has played an important role in the life of many Richlanders for the past twenty years, will be just a memory.
