Rev. James B. Leeper (1822-1895) organized a class for worship in the late 1860s. The group met regularly at Wayland (then named Marshall). For several years under the leadership of Rev. Leeper, the meetings were held in Prospect School.

The decision to build the church must have been made in 1870, for in 1871, ground was deeded to the church by Edward C. and Sarah J. Noble. Noble also gave the land for the small village, now abandoned, which bore his name. Three of the original church trustees are listed in the deed: James Leeper, Jacob Zingg and Elias Troutman.

The church building was first used in 1871 and Rev. Thomas Stephenson was the minister at that time. The church was a part of the Methodist Circuit, then and during its entire existence.

Center Chapel M.E. Church was used until the congregation began to dwindle in the early 1900s and was officially closed in 1915. Rev. W.B. Ireland served as the last pastor. Afterwards, church members formed a “Center Cemetery Association”, mostly made up of descendants of the original congregation. The Association tended to the cemetery, which sat adjacent to the church. The building continued to be used for meetings, reunions, occasional funerals or special services. In 1926, the 55th Anniversary was celebrated in the well-kept church. In 1948, the “Center Cemetery Association” purchased the church from the Methodist Conference.

The church building was given to the Midwest Old Threshers and Settlers Association in 1963 and moved to the grounds in June 1964, where it now stands. At the time of the move, it was written: “the building is in good condition…The organ is still in useable condition, the pulpit is the same that was used for the first congregation and the pews are those originally designed for the church”.

(Compiled in April 2023 from miscellaneous news clippings, written histories and the publication “Wayland, The First Century, 1880-1980”, Wayland Centennial Committee)