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Scott UMC History

The latter part of the summer of 1904, the Rev. C.W. Holmes, pastor of Peoples’ Methodist Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado answered the request of a small group of Methodists to organize the Scott Methodist Episcopal Mission of the Lincoln Conference. The group included: Attorney George Ross, Mr. F. McPherson, Mrs. Mary Clinkscale, and Mrs. Rivers. The name Scott was in honor of Rev. Isaiah B.

Scott, who was that year appointed by the General Conference as Bishop to Africa. He served in Monrovia, Liberia for 12 years. Prior to his election, Dr. Scott had been a Pastor & Presiding Elder. He was an educator at Prairie View State Norman and Industrial College and President of Wiley College. He was also the editor of the Southwestern Christian Advocate Newspaper which was being published in the interest of the Negro membership of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America. A number of churches are named after this distinguished religious leader. Upon his retirement in 1916 he returned to his home in Nashville, Tennessee and lectured throughout the United States. Bishop Scott passed away July 14, 1931.

The first Board of Trustees for Scott Church was composed of Frank D. McPherson, Dr. J.A. Harper, Attorney George G. Ross, and Dr. J.H.P. Westbrook. The first Board of Stewards was composed of: Mrs. Annie Settles, Mrs. Emma Harper, and Mrs. Pazetta Campbell. The organist was a blind girl, named Julie E. Donato.

Rev. Holmes served this little flock of 36 until the spring of 1949. The Annual Conference sent Rev. Wooten to pastor the mission and together with Rev. Holmes they rented the upstairs of a building on the corner of 23th and Welton Streets for a regular worship place. The contribution made by Rev. Holmes was that of keeping the mission alive.

Rev. J. E. Williams succeeded Rev. Wooten. He solicited interest and attention of other Methodist Episcopal churches and the Bishop. He raised $100.00 to make a down payment on property located at 801-803 E. 26th Avenue for a church building and the house next door for the parsonage. Thus was laid the permanent foundation of the Scott Methodist Episcopal Church of Denver. Through the efforts of Bishop Henry W. Warren, the Colorado Conference appropriated $110.00 annually for several years which aided the little church to continue. Rev. C. W. Holmes returned to Scott in 1908 and served until 1910.

In the spring of 1910, Rev. J. N. Wallace was appointed. The membership for church and Sunday School had increased to 40 persons. He initiated the Cradle Roll.

From 1913 to 1914 there was no regular pastor. Rev. J. R. Rader, a white minister in the Colorado Conference, served the church on Sundays. Thereafter was a yearly succession of pastors which included: Rev. J. E. Peters, Rev. Dudley Smith, Rev. T.S. McMorris , and Rev. S.L. Deas. Rev. Deas later was assigned to the Southern Conference. He lost his life to the Klansmen. His widow returned to Denver and served in Scott Church until her death.

Read our 2022 & 2021 Anniversary booklets here!

2022- Scott History through 2022- word format.pdf
2021-11-12-final---117th-anniversary-journal-2021--9-.pdf