FUMC History

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A Glorious Past...

First United Methodist Church of Brandon was organized in 1875 as a "Methodist Society," according to a fly-leaf notation on a Church register from the 1890s. The location for the services was a "brush arbor" on the property of John Brandon, and his wife, Victoria Marie Seward Brandon, land where the New Hope Cemetery is now located. It is located east of North Parsons and at the southwest corner of the campus of Mann Middle School.

In the early years, New Hope was one of 4-6 Preaching Points on the Methodist Circuit, known collectively as the Alafia Church, and it was located in a grove south of Medard Park and across the road east of today's Pleasant Grove Assembly of God church. Other churches on the circuit included Bloomingdale and Pelot.

In 1878, John and Martha deeded five acres where the campground meetings had been held (at the Alafia Circuit of the Methodist Episcopal Church South), for use as a site for a church and a cemetery. The first New Hope building, a log structure, was erected and it also housed the New Hope School, which was in existence as early as 1879, according to minutes of the County School Board meetings.

In 1890, the Brandon Post Office was established, and the New Hope Community was renamed Brandon, after John Brandon.

The "little white church" was built after 1900, on the site of what is now McLane Middle School. It was moved to our current property in the 1930s.

The structure currently known as the Chapel was built in 1962, when membership was 583, and served as our Sanctuary until the year 2000.

The "little white church" was torn down during an expansion program in 1967. In April of that same year, the 1000 member mark was reached. A short five months later, we passed the 1100 mark.

Our current Sanctuary, which seats over 800 people at once, was built in the November, 2000.

A CHALLENGING PRESENT...
Today, over one hundred twenty-five years after it was organized, the First United Methodist Church of Brandon has over 2000 members. In addition, we are home to the Primera Iglesia Metodista Unida Hispana, an Hispanic congregation that meets in our former Sanctuary, now known as the Chapel.

We are an active, Spirit-filled people of God, committed to the nurture of our members and outreach to our community through:

Worship, study and fellowship for children, youth and adults

Service to the surrounding community through SHARE, Meals on Wheels, and the

Crisis Pregnancy Center, to name just a few...

Service in the US and abroad through the support of missionaries and missions projects

A PROMISING FUTURE...
God has blessed First United Methodist Church of Brandon mightily in the past. We pray for His continued guidance and blessing, for "unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain." (Psalm 127:1)

We welcome members of our community to worship, study and fellowship with us. As more people join in our commitment to share God's Love, we anticipate that more and more varied ministries will naturally arise from the commitments of the faithful to carry out the Great Commission of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19-20)

As we move forward into the future by faith, we eagerly anticipate the great things that God will accomplish in and through us, His Church, in the years to come...