From Prayer Circle to Cultural Crossroads: Pasadena Methodist Church Marks 150 Years

First United Methodist Church (FUMC) of Pasadena, located on Colorado Blvd. in the Playhouse District, is celebrating its transformation from a modest 1874 prayer meeting into a cultural nucleus through a two-day festival this weekend.

The 150th-anniversary celebration, featuring multicultural performances and a documentary premiere, showcases the congregation’s continuous presence in Pasadena’s heart, predating even Pasadena Playhouse.

“Within 20 years of the founding of First United Methodist Church (then First Methodist Episcopal Church) in 1874, by 1894, we were already in ministry with the Chinese immigrant community,” said Rev. Amy Aitken, Ph.D., FUMC Pastor.

The weekend festivities begin with a community festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, featuring Japanese tea ceremonies, Tongva art displays, Filipino dance performances, and youth symphony, followed by a 7 p.m. Sesquicentennial Concert.

“FUMC Pasadena’s celebration is engaging the local community through collaboration in performances and demonstrations from many heritage traditions, including Japanese, Tongva, and Filipino,” said Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank. “This highlights that to truly honor diversity, we all need to come together at the table.”

The church’s neo-gothic building, completed in 1924, stands as a testament to its enduring presence, having occupied four different locations throughout its century-and-a-half history.

“Over the years, we have hosted families immigrating from Vietnam, advocated for and served the needs of the poor in our community, sought to be a place of intentional welcome and safety for the LGBTQIA community, and hosted weekly prayer services for the Southern California Islamic community,” Aitken said.

The congregation’s commitment to social justice dates back generations, Aitken said.

“Near the turn of the last century, we hosted Susan B. Anthony as she advocated for women’s suffrage,” she explained. “We have always sought to be a place of community conversations and the arts, as well as a stunning place of Christian worship and practice.”

The church has established deep community connections, partnering with organizations including the Armory Center for the Arts, Learning Works, the League of Women Voters-Pasadena, and The Planetary Society.

Beyond its religious services, the institution has spawned 14 other United Methodist Churches across San Gabriel Valley and maintained a 53-year tradition of free Summer Musical programs.

The anniversary celebration continues Sunday with a 10 a.m. worship service featuring Bishop Escobedo-Frank’s guest sermon “Fruitful and Flourishing,” based on Matthew 7:15-20. The sermon will encourage attendees to rest, prune, protect, and nurture themselves for their community to flourish. This will be followed by an 11:30 a.m. premiere of “Building on Faith — The First 150 Years,” a documentary chronicling the church’s history.

“As FUMC Pasadena celebrates 150 years in the Pasadena community, I look forward to seeing their work continue beyond the walls of their beautiful building,” Bishop Escobedo-Frank added.

“We are committed to being a part of creating a diverse congregation in a diverse community where all people are loved, welcomed and cherished,” Aitken said.