59 School Street, Box 1310, Edgartown MA 02539 - 508.627.4441
Martha's Vineyard Museum MV Museum

To navigate back to the Martha's Vineyard Museum homepage, click here.

To navigate back to the Martha's Vineyard Museum finding aids index, click here.

A Finding Aid to the Lambert's Cove United Methodist Church Collection, 1896-2009, undated

Descriptive Summary

Repository Martha's Vineyard Museum Gale Huntington Research Library
59 School Street
P.O. Box 1310
Edgartown, MA 02539
(508)627-4441
Call Number RU 558
Creator Lambert's Cove United Methodist Church
Title Lambert's Cove United Methodist Church Collection
Date [inclusive] 1896-2009, undated
Extent 2 boxes (1.008 cubic feet).
Location For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the library's staff.
Language The materials are in English.
Abstract The collection predominately contains records and reports from the mid 20th century created by the members of the Lambert's Cove United Methodist Church.

Return to Table of Contents »

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use and Reproduction Restrictions

Requests to reproduce material from this collection should be directed to the library's staff. Reproduction fees may apply.

Preferred Citation

Martha's Vineyard Museum, RU 558, Lambert's Cove United Methodist Church Collection.

Acquisition Information

  • Gift of Margaret R. Maida in 2014 (Accession no. 2014.009). [Donation]
  • Gift of Ed and Barbara Child in 2011 (Accession no. 2011.025

Publication Information

Martha's Vineyard Museum

Gale Huntington Research Library
59 School Street
P.O. Box 1310
Edgartown, MA 02539
(508)627-4441

Revision Description

 Addition to the Collection; Added relevant correspondence, newspaper clippings, and court records that were found in the Martha's Vineyard collections, [CJ]. November 2015

Processing Information

Finding aid prepared and machine-encoded by Clint Johnson in October 2015

Return to Table of Contents »

Related Materials

Related Materials

  • See also, RU 539, Church Records, Sermons, and Church Related Collections.
  • See also, RU 201, Congregational Church Records of Holmes Hole, West Tisbury and Chilmark Churches.
  • See also, Vertical File #0559 (VREF 0559), Photocopy of a clipping regarding the Lambert's Cove Methodist Church.

Return to Table of Contents »

Index Terms

Corporate Name(s)

  • Lambert's Cove United Methodist Church

Genre(s)

  • Administrative records
  • Administrative reports
  • Audit reports
  • Church bulletins
  • Church records
  • Clippings (information artifacts)
  • Correspondence
  • Deeds
  • Drawings
  • Marriage records
  • Minutes (administrative records)
  • Newsletters
  • Poems
  • Publications (document genre)
  • Receipts (financial documents)

Geographic Name(s)

  • Marthas Vineyard (Mass.)
  • Tisbury (Mass. : Town)

Personal Name(s)

  • Eli, George
  • Medowski, Mabelle Benson
  • Waters, Daniel, 1955-

Subject(s)

  • Martha's Vineyard (Mass.)--History
  • Martha's Vineyard (Mass.)--Social life and customs
  • Methodist Church--Clergy--Correspondence
  • Methodist Church--Education--United States--History
  • Methodist Church--Massachusetts--History--20th century
  • Methodist Church--New England--Clergy
  • Methodist conferences
  • United Methodist Church (U.S.)--Liturgy
  • United Methodist Church (U.S.)--Membership
  • United Methodist Church (U.S.)--Sermons

Return to Table of Contents »

Biography/Historical Note

The Lambert's Cove United Methodist Church began in 1846 under the guidance of Reverend A.B. Wheeler. Over the next 20 years, the church gained popularity and members, leading to the construction of a Church building in 1869, under Reverend W.T. Miller. At this time it was named the North Shore Charge. The church held a strong membership base through the 20th century, and remained active in the New England Conference and Martha's Vineyard inter-church activities and programs.

In 1996, there was a significant loss in membership due to the dismissal of Reverend George Eli. George Eli had allegedly been dismissed in Singapore, previous to his time on the Vineyard, and was no one longer allowed to preach in the Methodist Church. The New England Conference authorities had granted him the position at Lambert's Cove, but then revoked it upon loose evidence of his problems in Singapore. With his dismissal, many members also left the church and created the Lambert's Christian Church. They asked the Reverend George Eli to act as their minister and held their meetings at the Lambert's Cove Methodist Church building. George Eli had also been residing in the parsonage while his wife and himself searched for living arrangements. Upon notice of the situation at Lambert's Cove, the New England Conference locked the doors of the church building.

The church was never reopened and was purchased by private owners, yet the Lambert's Cove Christian Church still held meetings of worship at the Legion Hall every Sunday until 2010. Now the church and parsonage has been renovated and is open as a hotel and retreat destination.

Return to Table of Contents »

Scope and Content of Collection

The collection contains materials created by the Lambert's Cove United Methodist Church located on Martha's Vineyard, MA. The documents are predominately administrative records. The New England Conference (of which the Lambert's Cove United Methodist Church is a member) requires detailed documentation of the administrative activities of the church, so the records were found well organized. The original organization was predominately maintained while documents were separated into folders by relevant committee. The collection also contains materials and publications regarding the church, especially during its closing in 1997, as well as materials from church programming. Sheets of acid free paper have been inserted to represent separations of relevant documents.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged alphabetically by folder title and therein chronologically, followed by undated material.

Return to Table of Contents »

Contents of Collection

Box Folder

Administrative Board Meeting minutes and recommendations, 1969 December 7-1971 July 18, 1996 January 25-1997 January 30, undated 

 1 1

Annual and Quarterly Conference records and minutes, 1918, 1941-1981, 1996, 2001, undated 

 1 2

Benevolence reports, 1940-1971 

 1 3

Chicken Fingers poems and artwork, 2009 
Author/Creator:  Waters, Daniel

 1 4

Church Business meeting minutes, 1972 October 22-2000 January 5 

 1 5

Church Closing Newspaper clippings, 1997 April 3-2000 January, undated 

 1 6

Church correspondence, 1941 December 6-2000 April 18, undated 

 1 7

Church correspondence regarding the termination of Rev. George Eli and the closing of the church, 1996 September 25-1997 July 30 

 1 8

Church Membership transfer certificates, 1930, 1933, 1969 

 1 9

Church Mission Statement, 1994 February 13 

 1 10

Church new member materials, 1949, 1953, undated 

 1 11

Church Officials and Committee member lists, 1942-1975, 1997 

 1 12

Church record book, 1896-1996 

Note

Includes pastor, member, class, probationer, marriage and baptism records.

 1 13

Church School Superintendent and Treasurer reports, 1941 June 1-1968 May 15 

 1 14

Church service bulletins, 1969, 1996-2000, undated 

 1 15

Commission on Missions report, 1961 May 1 

 1 16

Construction and maintenance notes, 1993 

 1 17

Deed of Pew template, undated 

 1 18

Histories of the Lambert's Cove Methodist Church, undated 

 2 1

Hundredth Anniversary Service bulletin, 1946 August 

 2 2

Ladies' Aid Society records and reports, 1941 May 16-1968 April 11 

 2 3

Lambert's Cove Christian Church Song of Praise selections, undated 

 2 4

Martha's Vineyard Neighborhood Convention invitation, 1903 

 2 5

Martha's Vineyard Neighborhood Convention Secretary Reports, 1955 March 

 2 6

Methodist recording steward instructions, undated 

 2 7

Newspaper clippings, 1948, 1990, 2001 

 2 8

Newsletters, 1996 November-2001 May 

 2 9

New England Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church vs. The Lambert's Cove Church civil court materials, 1996-2000 

 2 10

Nominating Committee materials, 1959 April-1976, undated 

 2 11

Official Board meeting minutes, 1941 June 15-1974 March, 1995 September-1996 January 25, undated 

 2 12

Organ Committee materials, 1950 August-1950 November 

 2 13

Pastor's reports, 1941 May 16-1971 January 1, 1981-1983, 1995-1996 

 2 14

Policy Committee recommendations, 1942-1946 

 2 15

Receipt, 1995-1996 June 18 

 2 16

Record Auditor reports, 1943 May 16-1974 January 26 

 2 17

Religious writings, undated 

 2 18

Treasurer's reports, 1944 May 16-1988, 1992-1996, undated 

 2 19

Trustee's reports, 1941 December 6-1968 May 15, 1997, undated 

 2 20