History of
First Methodist Church Grandview
Before the church was organized, Methodism was being preached by the Reverend Simeon Odom, one of the first five settlers in the Grandview area, who settled on the south fork of Chambers Creek three miles east of the present site of Grandview in January 1851. He held revival meetings in the area and services in his home and organized a Methodist Church near Odom Cemetery.
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​​In 1881, the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railway was built in the Grandview area, but the tracks were about a mile away from the original town site. The town decided it would be advantageous for business growth and opportunities for the town to relocate to the railroad tracks. By 1883, most of the buildings in the original town had moved to the site of the present town. However, the Methodist Church/Masonic Lodge building was one of the last buildings to relocate.
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In 1886, the Methodist Church sold their share of the Union Building to the Masonic Lodge and built for themselves a new church building located on the west side of the railroad tracks, in the vicinity or possibly an adjacent lot to 101 W. Main Street, the lot where Calvary Baptist Church is currently located. The new church building on the west side of the tracks was built in 1886 under the leadership of F. M. Winborne as pastor. Meanwhile, the public school erected its first building in 1887, on the block where the current day First Methodist Church is located at 300 S. 4th Street. In 1891, the town of Grandview was incorporated.
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On Sunday, March 14, 1920, a wind advisory was declared, and disaster struck the town of Grandview. At approximately 2pm, a fire started on the south end of town in the 700 block of S. 4th Street. The wind gusts carried the flames across the town, burning homes to the ground. When the fire reached the three-story school, shingles flew in every direction, consuming the town in fire. Hours later, blocks of homes were consumed and the town of about 1,500 residents lay in ruins. The school, every church, most of the businesses, and the vast majority of residences on the east side of the train tracks were burned to the ground. Three-fourths of the town was destroyed and over 1000 residents left homeless. Soon after the fire, a newspaper described Grandview as a tent city. ​​After the fire, the Methodist Church built a tabernacle (a structure with a ceiling but no walls) on the spot where their church had burned. This building had a gravel floor and was used for church services, Sunday school, and also used by the school. Later a movie theater was built downtown, and services were moved there until a church building was constructed.
In 1923, while A. E. Turney was appointed as pastor of the church, the school purchased a different property to have more space, and the Methodist Church purchased the property across the street where the school had been located. A dirt-breaking ceremony for the new church building was held on July 30, 1923. The church constructed a two-story red brick building with a full basement and beautiful stained-glass windows and the first service was held there July 20,1924. In October 25, 1953, the church’s 100 year anniversary service was held in the sanctuary, with W. Sidney Roberts as pastor.
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In 1975, the First Methodist Church of Grandview held its first Lord’s Acre festival. Thus, our most recent Lord’s Acre in 2024 marked the 49th anniversary of this annual event.
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In 1992, church member Fay Talbert died and left the church her brick home for use as the church parsonage.
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In 1968, the Methodist Episcopal denomination officially merged with the Evangelical United Brethren. This combined denomination was dubbed United Methodist, and First Methodist Church became known as First United Methodist Church.
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In 2000, under the leadership of Pastor Carl Freeto, a two-story annex was added to the current building: including a full-court gymnasium, kitchen, fellowship hall, classrooms, a nursery and elevator.
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In 2003, the church celebrated its 150th anniversary. On November 23, 2008, the church celebrated fifty years in the present building.
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In 2004, Johnson County celebrated its 150th anniversary. At the celebration, the Johnson County Historical Commission named our church as the oldest church congregation in Johnson County. ​​
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In 2017, the Little Zebras Academy was started as a preschool program.
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On October 28, 2018 our church celebrated 165 years, where bishop Mike Lowry gave the message and former pastor John Loggins attended.​
In 2020, the world was plagued with Covid-19. In-person services were small due to the pandemic and the church began live-streaming services. In 2021, vaccines became available and in-person services increased in attendance, and streaming of services continued as well.
In 2021, Rev. Tina Schramme was appointed as pastor. She and her husband Gene renovated the church parsonage.
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In 2022, the Golden Zebras senior ministry began while Pastor Jessica Roberts was appointed as pastor.
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In 2023, the congregation affiliated with the fledgling Global Methodist denomination, and the First United Methodist Church of Grandview became known as First Methodist Church once again. Rev. Sharon Smith was selected to lead the church as its first Global Methodist pastor.
In 1853, the year before Johnson County was created, the First Methodist Church of Grandview (part of the Methodist Episcopal South denomination) was formed under the leadership of Reverend Jeremiah Easterwood. The building was a log structure built in the original town site of Grandview, which is now the Grandview Cemetery. The log structure was owned by the Baptist Church but was used by the other religious groups of the community as well as by the Masonic Lodge.
In 1860, J. F. Spurlock, postmaster and keeper of the general store, gave land and assisted in raising funds to build our own church building, which was jointly owned by the Masonic Lodge and known as the Union Building. By the winter of 1860 the building was completed, and the church occupied the first floor, while the Masonic Lodge occupied the second floor.
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In 1867, our church opened a public school. One of the earliest elders of the church was the Reverend James Campbell Gambill Russell Patton (referred to as JCGR), who came to Grandview about 1869 to teach in the school and lead the Methodist services in the Union Building.
The Methodist congregation continued to meet in the building on the west side for 14 years, until approximately 1900, when the growing congregation decided to build a larger building and relocate to the east side of town, at the corner of Scurlock and 4th Street (but across 4th Street and cater-corner to the present church location). The new church building had a tall, wooden frame, painted white with a dark shingled roof and steeple. W. M. Lane was pastor when the church moved to this location. This church building was across the street from the school building, which was used for both a public school and a college. The men’s and women's dormitory for the college was located nearby. The new location contributed to church growth and in 1912 an annex was added to that church building under the leadership of pastor Eugene B. Hawk.
Unbelievably, tragedy would strike our church building again! In October 1957, lightning struck the church and fire once again destroyed our church building. For a year, the congregation held services at the Grandview School until a new building was completed. Pastor Wesley W. Williams was pastor at the time.
The first service in our current building was held in October 1958.
