Bethany Methodist history

Bethany United Methodist Church began in 1887 as a small one-room Sunday school, named Gloucester Point Chapel, a mission of Bethlehem Methodist Church in Bena, Virginia.

In the fall of 1888, a ministry of the Immanuel Swedish Methodist Episcopal Church called the Society of Christian Workers, wanted to do some mission work in the neighborhood.

Charles F. Thornblade, delivered his first sermon at this his first charge on September 1, 1889.

The congregation became a legal organization on March 28th, 1891 with 78 full members and 30 probationary members known as the Swedish Bethany Methodist Episcopal Church.

In 1897, work began on a main sanctuary across the road (now Old Rt.

In 1904, the sanctuary was ordained Bethany Methodist Church and joined other churches in the Virginia Conference, sharing one minister with Bethlehem.

Although the land for the new church was donated by Sarah C. Collins in 1914, construction of the building had already begun the previous year.

Groundbreaking ceremonies were conducted on March 21, 1915 and the new building was formally dedicated on October 31st, 1915.

In 1919 however, the warehouse was suddenly sold and Bethany was once again without a home.

In 1920, Bethany purchased a small frame church formerly owned by Doctor E.W. Grove as an interdenominational church.

In March of 1932, the church was destroyed by fire.

By 1936, Bethany had a new building of its own in Grove Park.

History of the Barnum Methodist Church, 1945

On Easter Sunday in 1948, 57 people gathered in the “Upper Room” of a house, ocated on Larkin Street near the present Fellowship Hall.

In 1951, the church changed its name to Bethany Methodist Church.

The first new building to be erected on the property in December 1952 was a multi-purpose building.

Bulletin from Sunday Service on November 8, 1953

The March 1958 issue of the “Fellowship Letter” (the name of Bethany’s newsletter at the time) had the following statement: “The cross…will stand as a witness to a Way of Life to all who pass by.

Letter inviting friends of the Bethany Methodist Church to the week of Consecreation Services held October 21-25, 1959

Bethany became a station church in 1964, independent of Bethlehem.

The McGrady Building was opened on March 3, 1965, and the congregation knew they were home.

In 1968, he said, after the merger of the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Church to form “The United Methodist Church,” it was decided that the new church should have a new symbol.

The first service in the sanctuary was held in August 1970.

Extensive remodeling in 1995 created new offices, a Chapel, a new entrance, and handicapped access throughout the building.

In 1998, Bethany celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Pictures below are from 2003 when the major portion of the main building was constructed, adding all the offices and classrooms, rotating the main sanctuary 180 degrees, and creating the footprint that is currently in place.

(Pastor Brad Mather’s message from the December 8, 2011 Banner)

A project that was completed in 2012.