Welcome to the Caledonia United Methodist Church where we invite all to join us in worship, fellowship and service to others. Our mission statement: Through Christ we exist to reach out, nurture, love one another, and spread the good news of the gospel.
HISTORY OF OUR CHURCH Pioneer missionary Reverend Wing visited the Caledonia area in 1854. He was followed by Reverend Benjamin Christ in 1855. After these initial meetings Reverend John Hooper was appointed leader in 1855. The first Conference of the Methodist Church was held including the towns of Caledonia, Brownsville, and Hokah. This circuit was later enlarged to include Hackett’s Ridge, Pope’s Prairie, Winnebago Valley and Portland Prairie. Samuel McPhail donated two lots for a church and parsonage in 1857. The site of the parsonage was where St. John’s Sisters’ Home is now, and the building was completed in the fall of 1859. Reverend John Klepper served the congregation in 1866. A church was built on land donated by James Cooper in 1867, which is the site of the present church. The Reverend Henry Jennings was appointed fresh out of theological school in 1871 and served our church for two years. Other pastors included Aaron Matson (1874), A. P. Bunce (1878-82), W. S. Simonds (1894), L. A. Dodge (1900-1903), W. E. King (1903-1910), W. A. Hanscom, George Chant, H. W. Hynes (1932), E. E. Akerman, L. A. Workman (1954), Roger Gustafson (1965), Rev. Clark (1970), Marlowe Potter (1973-1980), Brian Hacklander (1980-1985), Burton Hoag (1985-1986), Mark Johaningsmeier (1986-1993), David Gray (1993-1996), Howard Bredesen (1996-2001), Anthony Fink (2001-2006), Mark Bengtson (2006-2016) and Debbie King Quale (2016 to present). A Centennial Celebration was held in June of 1954. Pastor L. A. Workman presided over the all-day event which included a special Friday evening service.
The present church was built in 1979 on the same site as the previous building. During construction services were held in the Presbyterian Church. A mortgage burning was held in 1983. Portland Prairie, 10miles to the south of Caledonia, shared pastors with Caledonia in the early days when meetings were held in homes and the school house. The Portland Prairie Church was completed in1876 on land donated by George Cass. The Portland Prairie Church continued to share pastors with us until they closed in 1932. There are two services held annually at the Portland Prairie Church. One is held on the last Sunday of July, and the other is on Christmas Eve.
