The first sermon in our Clare settlement was preached by a Methodist itinerant preacher in Brother George W. Boorn's log house in 1871. This circuit was traveled by Rev. William Riley, assigned probably to the Rockford Circuit. (Each circuit was 150 to 400 miles around with from 24 to 40 preaching points, each circuit having two preachers.) Clare and Farwell were called the Farwell Circuit.

In 1878 J.C. Rockafellow traveled to Bay City and requested some land from the McEwans for a church. J.C. Rockafellow supervised the clearing of trees and stumps on the two lots and also the building of a 24' by 66' frame church. Most labor was donated by members and interested friends. They also donated stained glass windows that have been incorporated into our present church. In 1878 a Sunday School constitution was adopted. In 1881 an "entertainment" was planned to raise money for a bell for the belfry. In 1885 another lot was requested of, and given by, the McEwans for a parsonage to be built.

The Clare Settlement that Rev. Riley came to in 1871 was a rough, pioneering settlement, a logging camp owned by William McEwan. It was cutover land, left with stumps and a few scraggly trees, saloons and boarding houses, a railroad track and a trail from Chippewa reservation to Houghton Lake. George Boorn, owner of the cabin where the early church met, was a sawmill operator. There were at one time 150 logging camps operating within 10 miles of Clare. The area grew and changed quickly. In 1871 Clare County was organized. In 1872 the little Methodist Episcopal congregation, having outgrown the log house, met in the wooden school house where the Clare City Hall now stands. A couple of years later they were invited to hold services in the new Congregational Church.

Ministers came and went frequently in those early days, serving only a year or two. The organ in the church needed to be pumped by foot. 1889 saw the “Other Aid”, a younger group of women, formed to raise money, equip and maintain the building, have bazaars and suppers. The “Other Aid” and the Ladies Aid later became the Ladies Auxiliary. In 1892 they raised money for new carpet for the aisles and a new organ, a pipe organ pumped by hand. That year the Epworth League, a youth group, was organized. 

In 1898-99 Roy Husted was converted and became the first member of our congregation to become a minister. He preached only one year before contracting typhoid fever and dying. Also, Matie McKinley was the first from our congregation to become a missionary. She taught and mothered boys in India for 5 years. 

In 1908 Rev. Quinton Walker arrived. He fought hard to get rid of the saloons in the county at much personal sacrifice. The congregation was outgrowing its building, so in 1910, to build a new church, the old one was split down the middle. A new section running east to west was built through the middle. The outside of the new church was dark red brick with a lower part of stone. The old bell was reinstalled in the new belfry. Tiffany windows were ordered from New York. 

In 1958 Farwell was appointed its own minister, separating the old two-point charge of Clare and Farwell. In 1961 Rev. Salisbury started our first church camp, taking place in Pentwater. In 1970 the Family Camp tradition was begun. 

The church continued to grow. Before long it was realized that a new church was needed. In 1976 additional land adjacent to the church was purchased and ground was broken for the new facility. In 1977 the church was completed under Rev. William Martin’s tenure. 

In 1987 Sharon Snapp, who grew up in our congregation, graduated from seminary in Claremont, CA. She was ordained in the United Methodist Church in 1990. 

While most of what we know about the history of Clare UMC is related to its buildings, it is apparent that from its beginning to the present, Clare UMC was striving to live into its mission to be the demonstration of God’s presence in our community. It is now our desire to intentionally live into what we understand as God’s purpose for us by inviting others into a restored relationship with God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Clare UMC desires to be a visionary church that seeks to know and do God’s will. We are constantly seeking ways for God’s love to become real to the people we serve. In that process, God’s love sparks a passion in His people to extend His love to others. 

Growth and a changing culture means we must constantly examine and be willing to redefine ourselves. We are expanding the use of technology and multi-media in worship, communication, and education. 

As the church grows it becomes easy for people to attend services without being connected in any meaningful way. A broader vision of ministry is emerging. Without losing the community-centered appeal of our church, we are moving toward a renewed emphasis on nurturing believers, recapturing a spirit of “ownership” by a core of dedicated people, and a greater emphasis on servanthood, stewardship of our resources, and the utilization of our spiritual gifts. In addition, we are developing a passion for those who are uncommitted and seeking a church home. To this end we are striving to devote our energy to developing strengths in children’s ministries, worship, faith development, church family ministries, and outreach. But our highest calling is to be an authentic, biblically functioning community of believers. We invite you to journey with us. 

Brian Comiskey 2025- 

Lanette Van 2022- 2025

Jaqueline L. Raineri 2020-2022 

John G. Kasper 2013-2020 

Dennis B. Bromley 2003-2013 

Gregory R. Wolfe 1994-2003 

Eugene A. Lewis 1986-1994 

Marvin R. Rosa 1979-1986 

C. William Martin 1973-1979 

Donald Winegar 1966-1973 (1968 United Methodist Church Fromation)

Raymond Norton 1964-1966

Darwin Salisbury 1960=1964

L.J. Nevins 1949-1960

Charles Hahn 1943-1949

John Hall 1941-1943

James Rogers 1938-1941

George Stanford 1931-1934

John Lockyer 1931-1934

W.W. Hurd 1927-1931

E.T. Smith 1924-1927

C.A. Lohnes 1922-1924

E. W. Davis 1917-1922

S. W. Large 1915-1917

W. J. Coats 1914-1915

W. H. Irwin 1912-1914

Quinton Walker 1908-1912

C. W. Maxwell 1904-1908

W. J. Hathaway 1900-1904

S. C. Robinson 1898-1900

J. S. DeLong 1897-1898

A. H. Coors 1892-1897

L. L. Tower 1889-1892

C. W. Smith 1886-1888

W. N. Younglove 1884-1886

S. G. Blanchard 1882-1884

James N. Dayton 1881-1882

Jehiel Gulick 1879-1881

W. H. Ware 1878-1879

J. F. McKinley 1877-1878*

George Donaldson 1875-1877*

E. Fleming 1874-1875 *

Henry Cogshall 1872-1874*

William Riley 1871-1872*

*After diligent study from the Michigan Conference Minutes at Albion College, and also checking  with others who have access to the early records of Michigan Area Methodist History, we find  Clare mentioned as a church for the first time in 1877 and this merely mentions, "Minister to be Supplied." The main sources of information are three short histories written by three Methodist ladies of Clare in the very early days of the beginnings of our Clare M.E. Church, mentioning ministers' names and dates.