Central United Methodist Church 23 E. Adams * Detroit, Michigan 313-965-5422

The Early Growth in Detroit

Along with the sanctuary, the society built a chapel, an office building and a parsonage on Adams Avenue. These were demolished in 1916 to make way for the present six story church house which includes the office, Sunday School rooms, two kitchens and a gym. In 1936-1937 Woodward Avenue was widened. Rather than lose the church steeple and west wall, a thirty-foot section of the church on the Adams side was torn down and the west wall and steeple rolled eastward 26 feet, thus shortening the nave. The papers at the time made much of the 'great split' in the Methodist church. The move was made so skillfully it is said that not even the pigeons in the belfry, nervous creatures by nature, were disturbed from their roosts even once.

Sanctuary Remodeled

At the same time the sanctuary was remodeled, the impressive new recessed chancel with its elevated pulpit and lectern, and its high altar, is unique in Midwestern Methodism and the sanctuary with its cathedral-like pillars and Gothic arches is one of the few Methodist houses of worship of this type in the world. The main altar has a reredos, or altar frame, nearly 30 feet high carved of mountain oak from the Appalachians by Alois Long of Grand Rapids. On the arched walls enclosing the alar is a mural of the 12 Apostles painted by Detroit artist Thomas Di Lorenzo. The ceiling of the church is covered with 320 panels containing symbols of the Christian church also painted by Di Lorenzo. Dr. Fred Fisher, the pastor at the time and former bishop of India, explained that: "We have taken (from) the beauty and richness of all faiths...there is nothing like it in the world...I believe symbolism is the most beautiful approach to reality. Reality is eternal and therefore this beautiful sanctuary is a symbol of the eternity of God"

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