Our HistoryThe beginning of the First United Methodist Church was set against the backdrop of a rural community composed of a school, grocery store, drugstore, food store, service station and a bank. The heart of Reseda was the intersection of Sherman Way and Reseda Boulevard. Harry and Elsie Cady were the pioneers who fostered a dream of forming a church. This dream was born in September, 1923, when they invited interested persons to attend a Sunday School in their home. Twenty-four attended the first class. An enthusiasm was sparked and meetings continued in homes, a vacant store building, and a bean factory where the only bench was a bean sack. The church was officially chartered in 1924 as the Reseda Community Church in the Pacific Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, with the Rev. Enoch Eiland as the first pastor. To meet the needs of a growing church, a new building was begun in February, 1925 and completed on August 9, 1925 at the cost of $16,000. It was located at the corner of Amigo and Gault. The continuing growth of the congregation over the next twenty-seven years led to a decision in 1952 to relocate. Building funds were raised through pledges amounting to $58,000, the sale of the existing site and contributions from Temple Judea which had shared the church's facilities for two years. Ground breaking at the corner of Lindley and Saticoy took place on May 23, 1954. During construction, worship services were held at the Reseda Theater and classes were conducted in homes. The Chapel, Friendship Hall, Fireside Room, and Church School rooms were dedicated on February 20, 1955. Construction of the sanctuary followed and the dedication was held in 1961. In 1968, the West Van Nuys United Methodist Church, which had begun its ministry in 1950, merged with the First United Methodist Church of Reseda, with the membership of the two congregations being joined. A total of twenty-eight pastors have been appointed to the Van Nuys and Reseda churches during the years of their ministry. For the past eighty-three years the First United Methodist Church has played a vital part in the life of the community. Known for inspiring music, mission and outreach in the local community and around the world, and a strong education ministry, the church continues to serve with dedication and endless care.
Our Methodist HeritageWhat's So Great About Being A United Methodist?
(The author is The Rev.
Dr. James W. Moore, I don't know anybody who loves The United Methodist Church more than she does. When her grandchildren came to visit her, the first place she took them was on a tour of her church. I walked in just as her eight-year-old granddaughter asked: "Grandma, can I ask you something? What's so great about being a Methodist?" The little girl's tone was not cynical or sarcastic or mocking, it was curious and genuine. And the truth is— it's a very good question. I immediately began to think about how I would have answered that, and so—with apologies to David Letterman—I jotted down the top ten reasons why it's great to be a United Methodist: Number 10: We are a church that encourages a strong pulpit. The people come expecting to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed powerfully. Number 9: We are a church that encourages a strong, warm-hearted personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ is at the heart of everything we do. Number 8: We are a worldwide church. You can find a United Methodist church, mission, school, hospital, or clinic in many villages, hamlets, towns, and cities around the world. Number 7: We are an open, inclusive church. Our members come from every culture and every socioeconomic group, and all are embraced. We have more Asian American and Native American members than any other denomination. We are second in number of Hispanic American members. We have more African American members than several other denominations combined. In addition, we have been at the forefront in encouraging women to give strong leadership in the church, and therefore we have more women clergy than any other denomination. Number 6: We are a giving church. Persons who join The United Methodist Church promise to serve God and support the church with their prayers, their presence, their gifts and their service; and that pledge of loyalty enables us to give generously to benevolence and mission efforts. Number 5: We are a church with a family spirit. That family spirit enables us to be there for each other in our joys and sorrows from the cradle to the grave. Number 4: We are a church that owns and operates many colleges, hospitals, children's homes, and homes for the elderly. We also operate the oldest church-owned publishing house in the world. Number 3: We are a church that reaches out with deep compassion to help hurting people. Our UM Committee on Relief is quickly on the scene all over the world to provide aid, love, and care to victims of natural disasters, ethnic violence, and warfare. We feed more than a million children every day. Number 2: We are a church with a great social creed that has been an inspiration to all in Christendom. Number 1: We continue Christ's ministry of preaching, teaching, healing, and caring. That's what's great about being a United Methodist! |