A beautiful, classic church has adorned the corner of Colorado Boulevard and Oakland Avenue in downtown Pasadena for almost 100 years. First United Methodist Church has a rich history of offering concerts, dinners, movies, and other special events to complement its weekly worship services.
The church opened its doors to the community in December 1924. The new sanctuary featured an E.M. Skinner pipe organ, a Tiffany window of “The Boy Jesus in the Temple” above the altar, and stained-glass windows created by Roy C. Baillie Studios. A full orchestra played in the Great Hall while Sunday school rooms allowed extra space for classes and small events.
In the early 1990s, the church’s sanctuary and education buildings underwent significant restoration for seismic retrofitting to resist earthquakes. A decade later, the chapel was also restored and retrofitted. In the past decade, UMC continues to evolve with the times, welcoming members of the LGBTQ community and allowing same-gender weddings in its facilities.
“As our congregation approaches its 150th anniversary and the 100th anniversary of its building in the next few years, we are striving to find new ways to serve Pasadena as we have since the late 19th century,” says Rev. Gregory Norton.
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