WOODLAND UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Brief History of the

Woodland United Methodist Church

 

During the Gold Rush, Methodists reached out to California.  In 1851, the Cache Creek Circuit was organized, and the next year, the Rev. Henry Sheldon was assigned to travel the upper portion of the Sacramento Valley west of the Sacramento River.  He was followed by the Rev. John Bennam, who lost his life trying to ford a swollen Cache Creek. By 1862, Woodland had become the circuit's headquarters, and the local congregation began to flourish.
 
In 1864, the congregation purchased a building on First Street as a place of worship. Soon, that was sold, and a lot was acquired on Elm Street to construct a brick church building.  In the 1880s, land was acquired at the corner of Second and North, and a two-story wooden steeple church and parsonage were constructed.  This church was in use until 1924, when the current church building began construction on the same site.
 
In 1939, two Methodist Congregations merged.  The United Methodist Church, South, and the Methodist Episcopal Church joined to form the Methodist Church, which met in the building of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Second and North.
 
Over the many years of this congregation's existence, it has been served by more than fifty pastors.  Pastoral assignments were only for a year or two in the early years. Recently, pastorates have been much longer.
 
From its inception, the congregation was driven by a profound sense of mission.  

It was founded to reach out to those who had journeyed west during the Gold Rush and settled in the area.  This mission continues to guide the church as it strives to fulfill its call "to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world."