First United Methodist Church Celebrates 140 Years in Excelsior Springs

First United Methodist Church of Excelsior Spring, Missouri, celebrated its 140th anniversary last Saturday with music, food, and a look back at its accomplishments and history throughout the years.

Founded on June 22, 1884, on the corner of Concourse Ave and Kansas City Ave, the church has survived a fire, relocations, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of their previous locations are familiar establishments today. “They rebuilt in the same location where the Off-Broadway theater is now,” said Pastor Shannon Greene. “They kept a lot of the structure and the same kind of Gothic style.”

Moving away from where the Off-Broadway theater currently resides, the church is now located at 1650 Rainbow Blvd. Since buying the land in the 80s, the church has flourished. “We built this half of the church in 1992,” said Greene. “And It includes the sanctuary, the offices, and the education wing, where our treehouse preschool is.” In 2012, another half was added to their church, which included a fellowship hall, kitchen, and additional bathrooms.

Aside from physical growth, achievements and milestones have been felt and seen by its own members. One member, Linda Gail, has seen some of the most triumphs, dating back to the 60s. “I’ve been active in the church since the 60s when I was a kid and grew up there in the church and everything,” said Gail. “I started being active in youth group and other activities and have served on Ad Council and all kinds of committees.”

While serving the church, Gail has experienced some of the most impactful and recent changes. “Over the years, we’ve gone from where women couldn’t serve in any capacity to where we’ve opened up,” said Gail. “And, of course, this year, we opened to the LGBTQIA. Community.”

The church prides itself on being welcoming to all and a place that can overcome some of life’s hardest times. One of these more recent challenges came during the COVID-19 pandemic. “They closed the church, so the only way you could get church was to go online,” said Gail. “When we came back, a lot of the events we were hosting before never got off the ground, and it’s been a long journey of trying to get back to the same activity.”

As the church continues on its journey, it hopes to gain more members while staying true to its foundation. “I hope that we continue to embrace our DNA of being a welcoming church to everyone,” said Greene. “I truly believe that we can be a church for all people. Whether you’re conservative or liberal, progressive or traditional, or somewhere in the middle, we want this to be a place where you feel welcome to, you know, worship, to serve God and be in community with other people.”