A Part of Southbridge History
Since 1834, First United Methodist Church has stood on the foundations of Matthew 22:37-40, “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: love your neighbor as yourself. ”
An Architectural Jewel
The first Methodist Christian service was held at the home of a Mr. Batchelder (around the current airport) in 1790. The church was organized in 1834 (4th Christian church organized in Southbridge and met in the schoolhouse. The tall-spired, slate-roofed, white wooden church was built in 1843 on a plot given by Jedediah Marcy.
The bell was installed c. 1850. A historical Holbrook pipe organ was installed in 1887 (electrified in 1954) and beautiful, 20’ stained glass windows were installed in 1893. A carillon was dedicated in 1977.
The church is the second oldest Methodist church in Worcester County.
