Report of the Parlor Committee

First United Methodist Church , Lexington , KY

March 7, 1994

In the summer of 1956, after the building expansion project of First Methodist Church was completed, the area known as the Ladies Parlor was set aside by the Administrative Board, Mr. Harry 0. Wyse, chairman, to be used and furnished under the auspices of the Women’s Society of Christian Service, now the United Methodist Women. Mrs. Claude Sageser, serving as president, appointed Mrs. Roger Springate as Chairman of the Committee to furnish the Ladies Parlor. Serving on this committee were Mrs. Jeanette Marks, Mrs. T. J. Brandenburgh, Mrs. Claude Saunders, Miss Ruth Wheeler and Mrs. McCreary Gay.

The church Board was responsible for the physical improvements in the room. Mrs. Collis Ringo was chairman of a committee to secure gifts of furnishings made in memory of or in honor of various individuals, the names of which are registered on a plaque in the room. The member­ship of the W.S.C.S. participated in a rummage sale to defray the expense of purchasing and shipping the furnishings, and the long anticipated project was completed in December 1956. An inventory of all furnishings and gifts remains on file. The total cost of all contents was $4650, which was a lot of money then.

The Ladies Parlor was refurbished and redecorated in 1974 through the generosity of Mrs. Roger Springate, a member of United Methodist Women. New carpeting, all furniture reupholstered and curtains were paid for by United Methodist Women at a cost of $4806.

Certain guidelines for the use of the Ladies Parlor follow:

1. The parlor will be locked for obvious security reasons at the same time and in the same manner of other rooms in which there are contents of considerable value. The key will be kept with the church secretary in the church office.

2. Though designated as the Ladies Parlor, the room is not for the exclusive use of any one group; the room may be used by any group whose size and purpose are compatible with the room.

3. Anyone using the Ladies Parlor is asked to leave it in the condition in which it was found, cleaning the kitchen adjoining it if it has been used.

The Ladies Parlor was painted in the fall of 1993, paid for by the Trustees . The United Methodist Women paid for cleaning and stretching the carpet, cleaning the upholstery, reupholstering a chair and bought new lamp shades and pillows.

The women of First United Methodist Church remain grateful to the Administrative Board for the establishment of the Ladies Parlor, to the many individuals for their past efforts, to Mrs. Springates generosity for their recognition of their place in the life of the church, and to Mrs. Betty Mainous, past chairman of the committee, who personally took care of the carpeting, had the shades cleaned and washed the draperies.

The United Methodist Women plan to maintain the room as the need occurs.

The Parlor Committee recommends that the parlor should be used by United Methodist Women for circle meetings, brides, district meetings and other uses to be approved by contacting the chairman of the Parlor Committee.