HISTORY OF OUR CHURCH

 
 
 
 
On April 23, 1968, The United Methodist Church was created when Bishop Reuben H. Mueller, representing The Evangelical United Brethren Church, and Bishop Lloyd C. Wicke of The Methodist Church joined hands at the constituting General Conference in Dallas, Texas. With the words, “Lord of the Church, we are united in Thee, in Thy Church and now in The United Methodist Church,” the new denomination was given birth by two churches that had distinguished histories and influential ministries in various parts of the world.
 
Theological traditions steeped in the Protestant Reformation and Wesleyanism, similar ecclesiastical structures, and relationships that dated back almost two hundred years facilitated the union. The lives and ministries of John Wesley (1703–1791) and of his brother, Charles (1707–1788), mark the origin of their common roots. Those roots expanded into a variety of different traditions but managed to still interact. In the Evangelical United Brethren heritage, for example, Philip William Otterbein, the principal founder of the United Brethren in Christ, assisted in the ordination of Francis Asbury to the superintendency of American Methodist work. Jacob Albright, through whose religious experience and leadership the Evangelical Association was begun, was nurtured in a Methodist class meeting following his conversion.

Growing with Time

When The United Methodist Church was created in 1968, it had approximately 11 million members, making it one of the largest Protestant churches in the world. Since its birth, United Methodism has experienced a number of changes in its life and structure. It has become increasingly aware of itself as a world church with members and conferences in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the United States. While its membership in Europe and the United States has declined noticeably since 1968, membership in Africa and Asia has grown significantly. The Church has endeavored to become a community in which all persons, regardless of racial or ethnic background, can participate in every level of its connectional life and ministry. United Methodism has struggled with a number of critical issues. It has created and refined theological and mission statements. It has discussed and acted on matters of social importance such as nuclear power and world peace, human sexuality, the environment, abortion, AIDS, evangelism, and world mission. The Church has been concerned with the faithfulness and vitality of its worship. It published a hymnal in 1989, which included a new Psalter and revised liturgies for baptism, the Lord’s Supper, weddings, and funerals. Its 1992 General Conference authorized a new Book of Worship. A Spanish language hymnal, Mil Voces Para Celebrar, was published in 1996.

The United Methodist Church represents the confluence of three streams of tradition: Methodism, the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, and The Evangelical Association. With other churches that are also members of the body of Christ, it humbly and gratefully offers up its praise to God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit for creating and sustaining grace. It seeks further grace as its ministers to the world.

Roll of Pastors

Gilroy United Methodist Church
HwaPyoung Kang 2018—
Patrick E. Davis 2017-2018
Dawn E. Boyd 2015-2017
Dawn E. Boyd & Patrick E. Davis 2013-2015
Eric Cho 2010-2013
Shim Habte 2009-2010
Alison Berry 2001-2009
Lee S. Neish 1990-2001
Charles P. Hamby 1987-1990
Paul Sweet 1982-1987
Howard Acton 1976-1982
William A. Johnson 1970-1976
Charles Krahenbuhl 1968-1970
Gilroy Methodist Church
Bill Sanford 1964-1968
George Weber 1963-1964
Jack Wylie 1958-1963
Allen Breed 1956-1958
Leon Martorano 1952-1956
Wayne Kessel 1949-1952
Paul Mikkelson 1948-1949
Samuel J. Chaney 1947-1948
Edwin Bowling 1945-1947
O.L. Russell 1944-1945
F. C. Nelson 1943-1944
William B. Johnson 1940-1943
E. C. Cox. 1939-1940
Methodist Episcopal Church South and Methodist Episcopal Church
Joint Pastorate from 1917 to 1939.
 
E. C. Cox               1937-1939
J. P. Follette         1936-1937
Peter Ruf              1934-1936
H. G. Harkins        1932-1934
G. C. Pearson       1928-1932
Robert A. Bates   1925-1928
George A. Brice   1924-1925
E. W. Winning      1922-1924
H. J. Richards       1919-1922
N. M. Parsons       1917-1919
Methodist Episcopal Church South
 
L. J. Amos                 1916-1917
U. G. Murphy            1915-1916
A. E. Mckay               1914-1915
C. C. Coppage          1912-1914
       W. A. Booher            1911-1912
       L. W. Gumby             1910-1911
       H. C. Allen                1909-1910
       R. B. Davison            1907-1909
       H. M. McKnight        1904-1907
       J. C. Thomas             1903-1904
       F. M. Staton              1901-1903
       J. B. Needham          1899-1901
       J. Buie                       1897-1899
       B. F. Burris                1896-1897
       L. A. Green                1895-1896
       Z. J. Needham          1891-1895
              J. D. Dorsay              1890-1891
              C. E. W. Smith           1889-1890
              T. D. Bauer                1887-1889
              J. C. Prendergrast    1885-1887
              W. P. Andrews           1884-1885
              M. F. Grove                1883-1884
              I. L. Hopkins              1882-1883
              R. F. Allen                  1881-1882
              J. C. Hyden                1880-1881
              T. A. Atkinson            1877-1880
              J. W. Mahon               1875-1877
              W. F. Compton           1874-1875
              W. A. Finley(Supply) 1873-1874
              W. F. Compton           1872-1873
               J. C. Predergrast      1870-1872
               J. P. Jones                 1869-1870
               J. L. Burchard           1868-1869
               I. L. Hopkins              1865-1868
               J. E. Emery                1864-1865
               S. W. Davies              1863-1864
               J. C. Pendergrast      1862-1863
               B. R. Johnson            1861-1862
               R. A. Latimer             1860-1861
               J. W. Stahl                 1859-1860
               W. H. Compton         1858-1859
               T. C. Barton               1857-1858
               John L. Sanders       1856-1857
               J. G. Johnston           1856-1856
               A. M. Bailey               1855-1856
               J. T. Cox                     1853-1855
      
      Methodist Episcopal Church
 
                 T. H. Nicholas                     1916-1917
                 David Ralston                     1915-1916
                 A. B. Gilbert                        1912-1915
                 W. P. Stanley                      1909-1912
                 C. O. Oxnam                        1906-1909
                 A. E. Ulrich                          1905-1906
                 T. A. Towner                        1904-1905
                 W. P. Grant                          1902-1904
                 C. E. Irons                            1900-1902
                 W. A. Johnson                     1899-1900
                 E. L. Thompson                   1898-1899
                 W. D. Crabb                         1893-1898
                 R. E. Wenk                           1889-1893
                 C. G. Milnes                         1887-1889
                 M. D. Buck                           1886-1887
                 W. S. Urmy                          1884-1886
                 Wesley Peck                       1881-1884
                 J. W. Bryant                        1877-1881
                 J. A. Bruner                         1876-1877
                 H. D. Hunter                        1875-1876
                 T. C. George                        1873-1875
                 S. C. Elliott                          1872-1873
                 D. A. Dryden                        1869-1872
                 A. K. Crawford                     1868-1869
                 J. W. Stump                         1867-1868
                 Noah Burton                        1865-1867
                 Warren Nims                       1863-1865
                 H. H. Dougherty                  1862-1863
                 Hiram Van Gundy               1861-1862
                 William Gafney                  1860-1861
                 Thomas Cayton (Supply)  1859-1860
                 James W. Brier                   1858-1859
                 William Gaffney                 1857-1858
                 Isaac Owen                         1857-1857