Church History

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1844 - Methodist Episcopal Church South was formed, branching off from the Methodist Episcopal Church. The small town of Greenwood was incorporated and Methodist settlers met in homes.

1845 - Methodist Quarterly Conference was held in Greenwood.

1846-1886 - Methodists, Presbyterians and Masons owned and met in the Union Church on the corner of E. Market and George Streets. Being the only church in town, Baptists, Episcopalians and Blacks met along with the others. Methodist and Presbyterian circuit riders came and alternated Sundays.

1849 - Greenwood first appeared in the appointments of the Mississippi Methodist Conference

1882 - The Methodists built their first parsonage next door to the Presbyterian parsonage on E. Market Street across the street from the Union Church. J. S. Oakley, pastor.

1883 - A Triple Wedding was performed in the Union Church by J. S. Oakley.

1886 - The Methodists and Masons sold their shares of the Union Church to the Presbyterians. A Ladies Aid Society was formed in the Methodist Church with 20 members. First record of a Woman's Foreign Missions Society in the church.

1887 - The Methodists built a one-room frame church on the SE corner of Fulton and Washington Streets. Thomas W. Lewis, pastor.

1888 - Methodist Episcopal Church South, Greenwood, became a station instead of on a circuit.

1890 - Nannie Cox, living next door to the church, rang the Methodist Church bell for an hour during a vast downtown fire in which all of the river front business section was destroyed.

- Woman's Parsonage & Home Missionary Society was formed, as well as a Woman's Home Missionary Society.

1891 - Market Street parsonage was sold. There was a Children's Missionary Society called Lilies of the Valley.

1894 - Senior Epworth League formed

1895 - Second Methodist parsonage built on W. Washington Street across from the church. W. S. Shipman, pastor.

1896-97 - Plans for a new church building were begun during the pastorate of J. W. Price.

1898 - Rev. John Hudson Mitchell, who had ironically been a circuit rider to the Union Church in 1875 when he was 19, oversaw the construction of the present sanctuary building on W. Washington Street. R. H. Hunt was architect.

1899 - Church was completed in spite of a yellow fever epidemic and the first service was June 18, 1899, with 265 members. Also hosted Annual Conference.

1900 - Sometime between 1883 and 1900 the Men's Bible Class was formed. There are records of Bible Class meetings (but this could have been men and women). The class was also called Business Men's Bible Class and Wesley Business Men's Bible Class.

1902 - Third Methodist parsonage was built next door to the church where the Educational Building now stands. John E. Thomas, pastor.

1905 - Junior Epworth League formed.

1910 - Women's organizations now called Women's Missionary Society.

1912 - Hosted Annual Conference. Hal S. Spragins, pastor.

1914 - The official board of the church passed a resolution commending the Prohibition Bill pending in Congress and urged its passage. Sunday School rooms were built on three levels in the church tower and were used until 1924.

1914-1918 - World War I. There were 49 stars in the Methodist Service Flag.

- Early 1920s - Sis Taylor Sunday School Class was formed.

1922 - Women's Missionary Society added some rooms to the church building due to the fact there were over 683 people in Sunday School.

1923 - East Greenwood Chapel was built to meet the needs of Methodists in that area of town. It became a separate church and charge.

1924 - Educational Building was erected. V. C. Curtis, pastor.  The Methodist Episcopal Church South, Greenwood, was the largest in the North Mississippi Conference with 1271 members. Men's Bible Class had 254 members.

- Fourth Methodist parsonage was built at 110 Mary Street, since the third one had been demolished to make room for the Educational Building

1925 - Educational Building opened. East Greenwood Chapel became Price Memorial Methodist Church - named for J. W. Price, a former pastor of Methodist Episcopal Church South.

1931 - Despite the Depression with church attendance and finances down, this church sponsored and paid for a Methodist Episcopal Church South in the Belgian Conference - the Church of Vivorde with T. J. Mietes, pastor, giving French and Flemish services.

- Also hosted Annual Conference, A. T. McIlwain, pastor.

1932 - A huge flood, maybe the largest of many. The first White Christmas service in the church.

1934 - The Methodist Episcopal Church South, Greenwood, was the second largest Methodist Church in Mississippi, with Galloway Memorial in Jackson being the largest.

1936 - The church sent a committee to see the sheriff in the interest of removing the slot machines, stopping the sale of all alcoholic drinks and lynchings. The Spiritual Life Group was formed.

1939 - Became First Methodist Church. Young People's Union formed.

1940 - The Charter Meeting of the Woman's Society of Christian Service with the Wesleyan Service Guild as an auxiliary was held on Sept. 16 with Rev. Shed Hill Caffey presiding and 200 members present of the 300 on roll. During 1930s and 1940s, did extensive work with African Americans - sponsored the first black kindergarten in the city, helped four or five black churches.

1942 - Methodist Youth Fellowship was formed.

1941-1945 - World War II - From this church 120 men and women served. The church had a reading and writing room for the soldiers stationed at the Greenwood Air Base and Social Hour was held every Sunday afternoon prior to church. There was a servicemen's Committee and the Youth Committee opened their recreation hall on Sunday afternoons to the soldiers. The ladies worked at the Red Cross, made bandages, provided war relief clothes, helped with the Bond Drive, made kit bags for soldiers, wrote soldiers, invited them to Christmas dinner, volunteered at church and the USO canteen.

1944 - Home Department was established.

1945 - Rev. W. R. Lott conducted two memorable services - May 8 for Victory in Europe and August 15 for Victory in Japan. Also hosted Annual Conference.

1946 - Began broadcasting worship services every six weeks.

1947 - Church nursery formed.

1948 - Price Memorial Methodist Church was sold to the Salvation Army and members came to this church. The Fellowship Sunday School Class was formed.

1949 - The T. O. P. Sunday School Class was formed.

1950 - Wesleyan Sunday School Class already in existence.

1950-52 - Korean Conflict

1951- Bethlehem Center for African American youth was purchased.

1952 - Ambassadors of Christ Sunday School Class was formed. Our youth initiated the United Leflore Youth to keep Mississippi "dry."

1953 - The need was felt for starting another Methodist Church in Greenwood, for the church membership was now 2114 with 1007 in Sunday School.

1954 - St. John's Methodist Church was built and many of our 2142 members left to become charter members there. Hosted Annual Conference, Nathaniel J. Golding, pastor.

1955 - The H. W. Ray- R. S. Jackson Home across the street from the church was purchased and was used as the Children's Building until 1979. Sold the Bethlehem Center property.

- Began an extensive renovation project in the sanctuary and educational buildings that lasted until 1957. James McAdams, architect, Percy L. McGinnis, contractor, E. M. Sharp, pastor, with 1193 membership and 872 in Sunday School.

1956-62 - The church sponsored Dr. and Mrs. Immanuel Bitsch Larsen, Missionaries to Africa.

1957 - The official board of the church went on record of disapproving the teaching of integration in our church school literature and requested that no further reference to integration be made.

1959 - Organization of the Methodist Men's Club and the Open Door Sunday School Class (1).

1962 - Progressive Workers of the Lord Sunday School Class formed.

1963 - Hosted Annual Conference in this church for the last time. Archie L. Meadows, pastor.

1964 - The official board of the church went on record as recommending that Millsaps College not be integrated, that this church not be integrated, that it could withdraw from the Conference and maintain ownership of its buildings if necessary, and that it would sever any connection with the World Council of Churches.

1964-77 - East Greenwood Mission formed as a joint endeavor of this church, St. John's and the Conference.

1966 - First Independent Methodist Church was formed and some members left to go there.

1967 - Open Door Sunday School Class (2) was formed.

1968 - Became First United Methodist Church.  United Methodist Youth Fellowship, Woman's Society of Christian Service and Wesleyan Service Guild became equal but separate entities. 

- Vietnam War. Blanton Doggett, pastor, W. B. Baker, pastor emeritus.

1972 - Adult Fellowship organized. First Chrismon Tree.

1973 - December 9, First United Methodist Church celebrated its 75th anniversary of the sanctuary building. R. Glenn Miller, pastor. The women's organizations became the United Methodist Women.

1974 - Valley Hill United Methodist Church, being alternately on the Carrollton and Greenwood pastoral charges from the 1940s to early 1970s, was placed with First United Methodist Church during the pastorate of R. Glenn Miller.

1974 & 1976 - Rev. Glenn Miller and Rev. Bill Wallbank in Altrincham, Cheshire, England, exchanged pulpits for 6 weeks.

1976 - Fifth and current parsonage at 610 Emerson was purchased. R. Glenn Miller, pastor.

1977 - First United Methodist Church was declared a historical landmark with a marker installed on the front lawn.

1978 - Good News Sunday School Class was formed.

1983 - Handbell Choir was organized.

1984 - Bicentennial of Methodism in America Celebration.

1987 - Jointly hosted Annual Conference in Greenwood Civic Center. Paul Eugene Russell, pastor, Eugene Van Every, diaconal pastor.

- Russell Sunday School Class formed.

1990 - Russell Annex built. Dan Woodward, pastor, Bowman & Bowman, architect, Mike Rozier, contractor. Paul Eugene Russell, pastor emeritus, Judy Phillips, assistant pastor.

1991 - Operation Desert Storm. Lists of servicemen in the church foyers. Church chimes rung 3 times daily as call to prayer. Prayer group on Mondays. Sanctuary open every day for members to pray for peace.

- Youth shared Wednesday devotions with St. John's. Dan Woodward, pastor.

1993 - Current Young Adult Sunday School Class was formed - now called Truth Seekers.

1996 - Sesquicentennial Celebration - November 24 - 150 years! Grady Bailey, pastor. Eddie Roberts, minister of pastoral care. September 15 held joint services with the Presbyterians who were also celebrating 150 years. First United Methodist Church had 667 members.

1998 - The Children's Building (Ray Home) across the street from the church was demolished. This was the time of the Christmas Ice Storm which left people without electricity for as much as a week, but the church never lost power.

1999 - Sanctuary Centennial Celebration on June 20. Frank Wheat, pastor, Eddie Roberts, minister of pastoral care. 603 members. The church cornerstone was opened and later replaced with a new box containing some of the original items plus additional ones.

 -Bicentennial of Methodism in Mississippi.

2001 - War on Terrorism declared after terrorists flew planes into the New York World Trade Center, completely destroying it and killing hundreds of people, flew a plane into the Pentagon and killed more and crashed a plane in Pennsylvania, killing even more. Church held prayer and patriotic services, program on Islam for UMW. Glenn Seefeld, pastor, Eddie Roberts, minister of pastoral care.

2002 - Five new babies were born to church members and 21 new members joined.

- A church float was entered in the Greenwood Christmas parade and won the Third Place trophy.

2004 - The playground with a pavilion containing restrooms and kitchen was completed early in the year and enjoyed first for a church-wide picnic and celebration.

2005 - Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi Gulf Coast and New Orleans on August 29, killing 1,500 to 2,000 people and leaving many thousands without homes or work.  Major damage extended northward and effects were felt in Greenwood.  Local churches and residents provided shelters and meals for thousands, and some evacuees chose to remain in Greenwood.

Technology came to First UMC as video cameras recorded several important worship services and events.  Highlights were placed on the website and shown during Coffeetime.  Projected videos were used during an UMCOR presentation on disaster relief efforts and as part of the Spiritual Renewal Event in September.