History

    Atkins Chapel Church, first known as the Knobs Church, was organized in 1822 by the Rev. Jacob Antrim, of the Miami, Ohio Conference, whose territory embraced all of Indiana until the founding of the United Brethren in Christ in 1830.

     The congregation worshiped in a log house somewhere in the neighborhood of the present Balmer-Fenwick and Banet Road intersection until reorganization and relocation in 1847.

     At that time the congregation moved into its second house of worship, located on Atkins Road, near the present church site, originally built under the supervision of Joseph Hay, as a Swedenborgian Church.  This Organization ceased to function after Hay’s death and the building passed to the hands of the United Brethren.  There after it was known as the Atkins Church, or the Atkins Chapel Church, formerly of the Swendenborgian Church being one of the leaders of the church for many years.

     The first frame church was built in 1878 on the ground later deeded by Atkins and his wife, Emma, to trustee in trust, William R. Atkins, John Knipe and John A. Atkins.  This small house of worship was replaced by a larger structure on the same ground, dedicated August 23, 1908.  Fifty years later, in 1 an annex of missionary construction was dedicated for education and social activities. 

     The church remained United Brethren until 1946 when by union of the United Brethren and Evangelical denominations it became an Evangelical United Brethren Church.  This continued until 1968 when by union of the denominations it became to be known as Atkins Chapel United Methodist Church.