(Source: the booklet "United Methodist Church, Odebolt, Iowa, 1877-1977)
The first Sunday services for the Methodists in Crawford County were in a home near Mason's Grove on October 16, 1856. At this time plans were made to set up classes which would eventually be churches in other parts of the county. Rev. George Cleft stationed later at Deloit helped to make plans for a church in Boyer.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Hanson gave land for this church as they had done for Epworth Chapel. The church was completed in 1900 costing $1,800.00. Articles of Incorporation were signed March 2, 1900 and the building was dedicated October 6, 1900. In 1898 and 1899 both church and Sunday School were held in the Wulf schoolhouse. After the church was built, Sunday School continued at the school. There were three classes. At one time the total enrollment was 70 which was considered excellent for the small community.
For the sixty seven years of its use as a place of worship it was a great influence for good throughout the area. The names of Stauffer, Bell and Lieder are found on the roll of pastors in later years, who served Boyer as well as Odebolt. Leonard Carstensen, our (United Methodist Church of Odebolt) lay leader at that time, directed the church activities the last three years of its existence.
The membership had never been large and as the years passed and it grew less it became too much for remaining members to support. One of the unique features of the church was that some of the regular attendants at Sunday services and members of the WS.C.S. were not members but active workers.
The fall supper and bazaar which the women conducted for a number of years and the magic performed by them in the tiny kitchen with no conveniences will not soon be forgotten. The men of the church were the cooks' helpers in this project. The W.S.C.S. remained active for some time after the church closed. Again Odebolt's church (United Methodist) gained members with the closing of a small church. The building stood empty for some years but is now being used for an upholstery business.
The names of Wulf, Anderson, Erickson, Lind, Paulson, Taylor and Adams are a few of those associated with its years of service.
It should be noted that at one time Boyer had the outstanding Epworth League in the district. It must have been this group which held a social for the purpose of purchasing a bell, because it is recalled that in early years the young folks of the church had such a social.