Churches

Churches. . , Bethel Meeting House 1805 , The Bethel Meeting House was erected near the site of the historical marker on the Glen Carbon Road at the entrance to Lakewood, in 1805 by the frontier citizens of the Goshen settlement. This was first Methodist Church in Illinois. The grounds surrounding it were the scene of many early camp meetings and frontier revivals. In later years the Church burned and was not rebuilt, but by then it had served as Mother Church of congregations at Cedar Grove, Ebeneezer, Salem at Wanda, and St. John's in Edwardsville, to which the Bethel congregation moved after the file. The stone marker is a memorial to those pioneers through whose vision and sacrifice the Methodist Church was founded in Illinois.

Bethel Society , "In 1797 two brothers, David and Anthony Badgley, came out from Kentucky and traveled over this country southeast of whereafter Edwardsville was laid off, they called it "the land of Goshen", by which it became extensively known. The first Methodist Church in Illinois, called Bethel, was built on the Thomas Good property in 1805 (near entrance to the Lakewood subdivision).

It was built of unhewn logs, clapboard roof, and puncheon floor. The Bethel Society was the largest society in the county, and embraced some of the most prominent citizens."

The Bethel Society was served by Reverend Joseph Oglesby, "he was a large man, six feet tall, finely formed, an excellent horseman, had all the requirements of a pioneer missionary. He had studied medicine and was esteemed a good physician".

The first camp meeting in Madison County was held here in the Spring of 1807 under the direction of Bishop William McKendree, then presiding elder of circuits covering several Western states and territories.

Cecilia's Catholic Church , The footing for the foundation of the Parish of St. Cecilia, was probably the family of Martin Smola, who arrived in St. Louis from Bohemia around 1844.

The Catholic people of the Glen Carbon area who felt equal to the sacrifice of getting there, attended services at Old St. Mary's Church in Edwardsville, a small frame building located on Main Street in the 1840's. Perhaps because of a lack of room, the Catholics of Glen Carbon area joined with the Irish and built "New St. Mary's" at 306 West Park Street, in Edwardsville, in 1888.

Meanwhile, the Glen Carbon area was undergoing some major changes. Industry had come to the village and more Catholics were moving into the Glen Carbon area. Rev. Charles A. O'Reilly, Priest of St. Mary's Catholic Church of Edwardsville, traveled by horse and buggy to offer Mass in the old Pioneer Glen Carbon Public School until a smallpox epidemic of 1911 prevented him from entering the community. With the assistance of a young Levite named Rev. Charles A. Meagher, a Glen Carbon church was organized. St. Cecilia's Catholic Church in Glen Carbon was dedicated on June 24, 1927 with a congregation of sixty-eight families. In 1980, the 450-family congregation built a new church on the Glen Carbon Road. Old St. Cecilia's was razed.

Early Churches , "The congregation of the Methodist Episcopal Church South was organized in 1895 and built the first church in Glen Carbon on a plot of ground donated by the Madison Coal Corp. The first minister was the Reverend W.A. Swift. The Episcopal Church congregation was organized in 1923 and the church building (St. Thomas) was erected on a plot of ground also donated by the Madison Coal Corp. Reverend Cleveland of Collinsville was the first minister to hold services in this church. The original building for the St. Thomas Church (with additions and improvements) is still in use. The Methodist Church now known as "Glen Carbon New Bethel" moved to a new church on North Main Street. The original church is still being used as a meeting place for the Christian Church.

The Assembly of God Church was incorporated on September 10, 1955. In 1956 Reverend A.B. Hale and his congregation built a church on Steis Street in west Glen Carbon. The building also includes and auditorium, pastor's study, Sunday school room with office and a spacious reception hall downstairs.

On February 21, 1954, the Reverends L.K. Spencer and W.L. Showers of Madison County Baptist Association, Mission Committee, helped to locate and purchase the present building site of the Baptist Church. The first service in the new building was held on Sunday before Christmas 1954. On August 12, 1956, he mission was organized into a New Testament Baptist Church.

Methodist Episcopal , On December 3, 1895, the Madison Coal Corp. conveyed by warranty a deed to a plat of ground, to the trustees of the Methodist Church on Sunset Avenue. Reverend W.A. Swift of Kentucky was the first minister and was instrumental in the building of the church. Mr. W.E. Guy of St. Louis, President of the Illinois Coal Railroad and connected with the Madison Coal Corp. played an instrumental role in the establishment of this church. The Methodist Church was officially dedicated on December 17, 1922 by Bishop Quayle. Today, the church building is being used the Christian Church and the "Glen Carbon New Bethel Methodist Church" has moved its congregation to a new church on North Main Street.

St. Thomas Episcopal Church , St. Thomas Episcopal Church, located on Summit Street and adjacent to the 1910 Village Hall, was erected on a plot of ground donated by the Madison Coal Corp. The church was finished on December 13, 1913, with Reverend Peter Langendorf serving as its first priest. Prior to the erection of the church, members worshipped in a private house on Main Street.

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1932 Confirmation Class , St. Cecilia.