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Family Life Center A peek at the past, a look to the future
Our church history began on January 14, 1836. At that time John and Frances Mc Knight who were members of a group of neighborhood worshippers, deeded to five trustees and their successors in office, a part of their land containing “99 square rods more or less, for the purpose of building a place of worship”. Soon after that a 30ft x 40ft brick building was built and named Asbury Methodist Chapel. It sat on the present site of Asbury Chapel and served as a place of worship until 1868 when it was destroyed in a severe windstorm. The members quickly built the existing frame structure on the foundation of the original church, receiving an outpouring of help from neighboring churches and community residents. This little church was used as a place of worship until 1917 when the membership decline to thirty-eight forced its closing.
We are thankful to our founders and predecessors as they had the faith and vision to bring us to this juncture. Our history is filled with people who had the faith and vision to step out and expand our facilities to meet the mission and ministry needs of the Monfort Height Community. The IMAGINE campaign calls us to make that same step. Our plans include preserving the sanctuary, chapel, and cemetery and adding new space to revitalize, strengthen, and sustain our missions and ministries into the future.
Our ministries
As you will see from the list below our sanctuary
and building houses many ministries. These ministries are extensive and
reach people of all ages and walks of life. Many are funded through your
generous contributions to the church’s general fund, these ministries make
up the unique house of faith that is Monfort Heights United Methodist
Church. Your prayerful and sacrificial gifts to the IMAGINE campaign will
assure that our beloved facility will be preserved, revitalized and
strengthened, both physically and spiritually, to promote growth and
support of these ministries for us and future generations.
Imagine... What is our need? One way to fulfill this mission is to renovate and build a church structure to better meet the needs of the changing community. Because we are only limited by our imaginations in what God can do with willing hearts, the capital campaign committee chose IMAGINE as our theme. As we move into the future, Monfort Heights UMC has now passed its 160th anniversary and we find ourselves imagining our future. |
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Since 1836 there has
been the thread of a Methodist Church in Monfort Heights. Countless
faithful people have contributed their time, talents, and money to bring
the Monfort Heights United Methodist Church through the years to its
present position in the community. To all these we owe a huge debt of
gratitude. We will cherish the memories of a church which has served the
community for over one hundred and sixty years, but we will never forget
that the work of Jesus Christ, through his church, is never completed.
On
May 6, 1934 Asbury Chapel reopened as a mission church, financed by James
N. Gamble, a member of Westwood Methodist Church. Five part time pastors
served it until 1948 when the Reverend George A. Marshall was called as
its first full-time minister to a congregation of only twenty-eight
members. Later that same year the men of the church and interested
individuals of the community completely renovated the chapel, as years of
neglect had taken their toll. That project obviously ignited interest. The
first service in the remodeled building found 266 in attendance- more than
had been in the building in its entire history! The name was changed from
Asbury Chapel to the Monfort Heights Community Methodist Church. An
immediate building program was undertaken, which resulted in the
completion and dedication of our present sanctuary, fellowship hall and
kitchen area on Easter Sunday 1951. The fifties and sixties saw a large
influx of new members prompting the adoption of two worship services as
well as two Sunday school sessions and construction of the church school
wing which was dedicated in 1965. 
