|
The history of our church in Anaheim goes back over 130 years!
We invite you to enjoy our story in words and photos on these pages. After you read the narrative history below, be sure to check the following special articles with more wonderful memories and historic facts. Just click on a title:
|
Our History...Anaheim Methodist Episcopal Church
| Methodism came to what is now Orange County in the early 1870's. Anaheim was a small town with 881 people. The first Methodist minister in the area was a Circuit Rider, Rev. J.E. Miller. He preached every fourth Sunday. The first Methodist minister in Anaheim was the Rev. L.M. Leihy, appointed here on September 24, 1878.
Our church was
founded when the first Methodist church in Anaheim was built on South
Philadelphia St. and dedicated on September 29, 1880. The small white
church was 26 feet wide and 52 feet long with an impressive steeple. This
church, our first church, known as the Anaheim Methodist Episcopal
Church, served the community from this location until 1916. |
Having outgrown the
little church, construction of a larger one began on the corner of
Philadelphia and Broadway. The First Methodist Episcopal Church of
Anaheim was officially dedicated on April 11, 1920. The church was also
well knownas White Temple Methodist Episcopal Church, so named in honor of Rev. Harry White.
One of the great memories of White Temple was the carillon chimes
that sang out over the town at 5:00 p.m. every day, and on Sunday
mornings - a tradition that continues at AUMC today. | 
First Methodist Episcopal Church (White Temple) |
Peoples Church and Wesley Methodist Church | In 1926, White Temple
divided over religious philosophy and local political issues. A new
congregation was formed and called the People’s Church. A church was
built at 630 N. Los Angeles St. (now Anaheim Bl.) The Rev. Harold L.
Thatcher served as the first minister. In 1930, Peoples Church was renamed Wesley Methodist Episcopal.
In 1959, the Wesley
congregation purchased a church facility at Romneya and Acacia in
Anaheim, and would soon become known as East Anaheim United Methodist Church.
|
Meanwhile over the
years, White Temple changed names to become First Methodist Church of
Anaheim, and later First United Methodist Church of Anaheim. A large Fellowship Hall was built in 1953. It was named Wagner Hall in honor of William Wagner, the father of Muriel Lenz. The
sanctuary was remodeled in 1954. For weeks before Christmas, youth and
adults would work together to bake fresh Fruitcakes in the Wagner Hall
kitchen. These fruitcakes were sold by youth, raising funds for
activities and service throughout the year.
| 
East Anaheim United Methodist Church
|
In 1968, First United
Methodist and East Anaheim United Methodist developed a plan to
reunite. On December 14, 1969, that joyous union took place. A family
who were long-time members donated nine acres of property at Wagner Ave.
and State College Blvd. for a new facility.
In 1971 the
combined congregations, now known as the Anaheim United Methodist
Church, began worshiping at Katella High School. The united
congregation met at the school for two years while our new campus was
under construction next to the school at the new church site.
On Palm Sunday, April 15, 1973, our present sanctuary and church facility was dedicated. The campus included several classrooms and meeting rooms. A new Fellowship Hall center was completed in July 1981, providing a large social hall, state-of-the-art kitchen facilities, church offices, a library, and meeting rooms.
|
AUMC before Fellowship Hall was built
|
Anaheim United Methodist Church
Click on the links below for more memories of our church's history...
For more information on the History of the global United Methodist Church, click here.
 | Sharing Our History with Future Generations . . .
|
If you have any old photos, historical documents, or other memorabilia relating to our church history,
and are willing to share with us, we would love to post it here on our website.
Original materials will be returned to you if you desire.
Please contact Dennis Gray (714-879-2367 or dgrayhouse@roadrunner.com).
Thank You!
|