OUR HISTORY

A Humble Beginning

Methodists were here before there was a city of Santa Rosa, and have grown as an integral and important asset to the city and the greater Sonoma County. The first handful of Methodists began meeting in 1853 at the Lebanon Baptist Church in Franklin, now often called the Grace Addition.

Thriving Despite Divisions

At that time the Methodist Church was split into two factions: The Methodist Episcopal Church which was anti-slavery and the Methodist Episcopal Church (South) which was pro-slavery. The first Methodist Episcopal Church building was erected in 1861 at the comer of Third and D Streets. The property was acquired in October 1858 from town fathers Berthold "Barney" Hoen and Feodor "Ted" Rahman, who donated property to the Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians to establish churches.

In 1868 the Methodist Episcopal Church (South) built a small church at Fifth and B Street and in 1884 moved the church to a new site at the comer of Fifth and Orchard. In 1894 the old small church, having outgrown the facilities which were built before the 1871 arrival of Pacific Methodist College with its influx of professors, students and staff, was moved to the rear of the lot, rotated 90 degrees, and a new sanctuary, steeple and entrance was added.

In 1888 the German Methodist Episcopal Church opened at Cherry and Orchard Streets opened. The Methodist Episcopal church at Third and D was outgrown and a new building was constructed on Fourth Street and was completed in 1901 for a cost of $13,550.38.

The two churches grew to be popular landmarks in the town, and were featured in several picture post cards of the day. In particular, the steeples of the churches stood like a beacon of hope in the rubble of demolished buildings following the famous northern California earthquake of 1906. 

Serving the Santa Rosa Community

Community service has always been a prime mission of the church. Before prohibition, church ladies founded the local chapter of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. During the "Great Depression" the church fed many people with 25¢ dinners. In 1925, the two factions of the church merged and the Methodist Church of Santa Rosa grew considerably. A new church was built on Montgomery Drive in 1951.

The growth in ministry and mission continued through the 20th century with many people joining in as part of the public services so visible throughout the community. This led the church to embark on a multi-site ministry at the tum of the century. Eight acres of land was purchased at the comer of Giffen Avenue and Stony Point Road with worship services beginning in the R.L. Stevens School in the year 2000. In 2006, the Stony Point Ministry Center was consecrated on the new Campus. Currently, First United Methodist Church of Santa Rosa through its outreach serves the unsheltered via Spirit Café and Safe Parking and works for justice through F.I.S.H. Community Garden, Fair Trade, etc.

Carrying on Our Legacy

The First United Methodist Church of Santa Rosa currently holds three styles of worship services at the Montgomery campus to include English Traditional & Contemporary as well as a Fijian Language Traditional service. Each service offers a somewhat different style of worship that represents the many different ways that people think about, express and practice their faith. It is important to note that the differences are of style but not of substance. We have come to understand that diversity is healthy.

The people called Methodists are not of one mind and perhaps never will be; however, we agree with John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, when he said:"We do not have to think alike to love alike."We pray that our future is as full and effective in mission and ministry as our past has been.