Our History
For over 130 years First United Methodist Church has offered Christ's invitation,
"Come Unto Me." It was in 1871 that Rev. James Gurley,
later familiarly known as Father Gurley, 
was
assigned to the Northern Pacific Mission of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
His mission area included the Red River Valley. In 1871 Father Gurley held
the first formal Methodist worship service in Fargo, North Dakota in Pinkham
Hall at Main Avenue and Fifth Street.
It was Rev. John Webb who organized the first Methodist Sunday School in
North Dakota and led the building of the first First Methodist Episcopal
Church on the present site. The land was donated by the Northern Pacific
Railway, and the 30' x 50' building was completed on July 1, 1874 at a cost
of $1,200
The congregation was chartered on July 20, 1874. In its history the congregation
has had three buildings on the present site. The education building was
completed in 1927, and major renovations in 1989 gave us the West Entrance,
created the Chapel in White Hall, and rebuilt the offices.
This is an example of the beautiful stained glass windows which adorn the
walls of the church. In 1992 the "Come
Unto Me" stained glass window
(click on the words Come Unto me to see this wonderful window) was added
to the West Entrance. It expresses the desire and commitment of this congregation
to bring Christ's invitation to the whole community.
