Baptism Font

​A brass plate inside the lid reads:
Mfg. By P.F. McCrillis Co., Norwalk, O.

The brass plate at the foot of the pedestal of the baptism font states:
In loving memory of my mother
Mrs. Daniel Babst and
And My grandmother
Mrs. Eleanore Carlisle
From Mrs. (Don C.) Clara Babst Minick

Other Gifts

Piano
There are two brass plates - one at each corner of the piano. They read:
Given in Memory of Joanne M. Trimble.
Refinished in Memory of Elizabeth Hipsher - Oct. 1979.

Guest Book Pedestal
Brass plate reads:
In Memory of Nellie Hesser Hartman

Library
Sign hanging on the wall:
In Memory of Milton and Margaret Reed - 1981.

Library Furnishings Donated
In Memory of P.B. Muntis by His Family.

Stone Bulletin Board
By Paul and Ava Shomo 1987

Chandelier in Narthex
Given by Millie Schneider

Wall clock in Library
Given by Youth Group in 1978 during the remodeling

Methodist Flags
Given by Stan and Millie Schneider

Building & Gifts

This is a view of the large east window as seen from the pews. At one time the organ pipes were almost to the top of the window. A few years ago these pipes were cut lower so the view of the stained glass was better.
The blue glass in the center has wheat or barley heads. Located behind the pipes, and below the window, is a board as wide as the window is.

It's inscribed: Presented by the Sunday School Class. Many of the older folks remember their parents talking of bringing pennies to Sunday school to pay for this beautiful stained glass. It is about 10 feet in diameter. The original cost was $500. In 1945 the small round center panel was replaced at a cost of $25.

Mary Alice Foy played the piano and organ for the church for many years. When she passed away in October of 1977 her funeral service was held in the church and the family purchased the eternal light that hangs down below the organ pipes.

The second window, has a 10-foot circle at the top, and the bottom is in three sections. The center glass in the circle pictures a Dove. It's hard to see because of the age of the glass. The bottom center shows an angel watching over the children. Matthew 18:10; Acts 12:15; Hebrew 1:14.

Inscribed at bottom:
In memoriam of:
Ina Belle Oldfield, Zoa Oldfield
This window was given by Aron and Arwilda Oldfield, parents of the two girls.

This glass was broken and boarded up for several years during the 1930's.

This is the lower middle section of the large north window. It shows the guardian angel looking over the children.

Bible verses: Act 12:15 - He 1:14

Steeple Bell

This was also brought from the old church in 1899 as the new church was under construction. The bell is 41" across the bottom. The writing on the outside of the bell reads: Meneely & Co. in West Troy, New York in 1882.

In the early 1900s this bell was used a great deal more than today. Before TV, radio, telephones and daily newspapers, the bell tolled each Sunday morning and again Sunday evening for bible study. Also when a member of the church died, the bell tolled one tap for each year of age of the deceased. Most of the residents of the area knew everyone, and when they heard the bell they pretty much knew who died by counting these taps.

This is the third window on the left side. The top glass is a picture of the Ark of the Covenant. In the Old Testament the bible explains the contents of the Ark in Ex: 25:10-21, Dt. 10:5, I Kings 8:9 and Heb. 9:4. It included the tablets that Moses brought down from the mountain, Aaron's staff that budded, and a gold jar of manna. Manna was the bread-like flakes for food that God scattered upon the desert every morning for the people as they were led out of Egypt.

In the bottom glass is the inscription: Presented by Mr. & Mrs. M. A. Wagoner. This was a family of railroaders residing on Henry Street.

The fourth window on the right side is located in the front entryway. The reading in the top glass is: Enter into His Gates With Thanksgiving and into His Courts With Praise. Bless His Name

The bottom glass is inscribed:
Frank B. Raifsnyder. Another Crestline family of railroaders.

This is the middle bottom glass in the second stained glass on the right side. This stained glass shows Jesus at the home of Martha and Mary. Mary is washing Jesus' feet.

Luke 10: 38 - 42 and John 11 - 12:3

This stained glass is located over the south entry door. With the reading across the ribbon:
Rev. Olyn Francis Hull
Libby Duncan of Crestline, OH did this glass about 1983. Olyn's wife had contacted her to do a glass in the memory of her late husband. The design is Libby's creation of "Looking to the Future".

Libby also made the two front door glass panels, commissioned by Paul Shomo. In these two glass panels, Paul is the one who picked out the design. Libby said these were completed about 1985.

Crestline First United Methodist Church

202 North Thoman Street, Crestline, Ohio 44827

​Worship: Sundays at 9:30 a.m. 

Communion Service
This is one of the things brought from the old church to the present one. It was used until 1915 when the individual servers started being used. We still use this service on special occasions. The old communion service was resilvered by the J. B. McCarter family about 1920 and is displayed in the sanctuary in a glass case donated by the O.F. Kime family. The Tom McKean family again resilvered and repaired the chalice in 1996.

The second window on the right is the same size as the second left window. The difference being the bottom center, this one showing Martha, Mary and Jesus.

Bible verses: Luke 10:38 - 42, John 11: 1 to 12 - 3

The bottom glass is inscribed;
Donated by: George and Sarah Arter
This window was donated at an original cost of $1000. The dove of peace was replace in 1942 by Mrs. W.W. Lasley, a great granddaughter. Grandchildren also replaced the nameplate in 1942. Mary Ellen Bauer and Randy Arter are great, great grandchildren. The Bauer twins, Brenda and Sandra, and Bradley are great, great, great grandchildren of the donors of this window.

The fourth window on the left side located in the front entryway.
The inscription on the bottom glass is:
Cary Welshon.

The reading in the top glass is:
I WAS GLAD WHEN THEY SAID UNTO ME Psalm 122:1

With the angel holding a banner that reads: HOLY HOLY HOLY
Bible verse Isa. 6:3 Rev. 4:8

The first window on the left side has a harp.

The very bottom pane of glass is inscribed:
Presented by Mr. & Mrs. W. P. Smith.

Mrs. Smith (Lyle) was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Arter, donor of the large south window second on the right, and the sister of the donor of the large north window, or the second window on the left side.

Reference in the bible regarding the harp: Gen. 4:21 1Sam 16:23 Psalm 33:2; 98:5; 150:3 Rev 5:8

The first stained glass window on the right side of the sanctuary shows an anchor in the top glass. Heb. 6:19

Inscription in bottom glass reads: In Memoriam Anna Debelle Price.
They were a family of railroaders living on the corner of Union and Henry Streets.

The third window on the right side shows an artistic representation of the letters - alpha and omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, symbolizing God, and sometimes Christ, as the first and the last, the beginning and end of all things.

Bible verses: Isaiah 44:6, Rev 1:8; 22:13.

The bottom right glass is inscribed: Mathilda Stoll Babst. (Mrs. Jake Babst)

The Alpha and Omega was placed to be read from the inside, rather than the street, originally. This panel was replaced in 1945 by Mrs. Harry Bauer (Mary Ellen Obenour)

Altar
Brass plate reads:
Presented by H.F. Cassel in memory of his wife, Jessie L. Cassel