history
The Methodist movement began in England in the early 1700s, under Anglican clergyman John Wesley and his followers. The United Methodist Church (UMC) was founded on April 23, 1968, when The Evangelical United Brethren Church and The Methodist Church united to form a new denomination. The UMC ranks as the largest mainline Protestant denomination in the United States. The United Methodist Church as of 2025 has over 12 million members worldwide.
Our History
After thirty-six years of Methodist pioneering in the Fortuna area, the first Methodist Episcopal Church was dedicated on December 20, 1887, in the little town of Springville (now Fortuna).
It was built on the same spot where the present church now stands.
Through the years there have been additions and changes in the church buildings to meet the congregations’ needs. Some of the major ones are:
1898 it was decided a larger church was needed, so the first church building was moved to the back of the lot and the new sanctuary was built and attached to the first building
1928 it was realized that the facilities were not adequate and it was decided to build an auditorium unit (social hall). This building was completed in January of 1931.
1940 the education unit and the Fireplace Room were completed.
1958 the Children’s Building was built west of the sanctuary, and in 1964 Glines hall was built behind the social.
1974 an earthquake hit the north coast almost destroying the sanctuary and pipe organ. Repairs to the sanctuary led to enlarging it by adding aisles on both sides.
In 2021 another major earthquake hit the north coast. Fortunately, there was no structural damage to the church this time. There was a lot of cosmetic damage and broken dishes.