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The
Methodist Church has been in existence in Malvern since shortly after the
settling of the community in 1869. One hundred and thirty two years ago in 1870
the church was organized as a part of the Mt. Olive Circuit of the Council
Bluffs District.
However, at that time it was known as the Methodist Episcopal Church Society.
The name changed to the Methodist Church in 1939. Another change in 1947 brought
a merger between the Methodist Church and the United Brethren Church giving us
our present designation as the United Methodist Church.
Rev. F. Plumb delivered the first sermon preached in this community in the
dining room of the hotel known as the Malvern House on April 10, 1870. Three
other pastors also delivered sermons in various buildings around Malvern. The
first actual church structure was built and dedicated in 1872 at 507 2nd Ave.,
where it still stands today serving as a duplex apartment building. That
building served the Methodist congregation for twenty-two years and saw 14
pastors serve there. The first parsonage was built in 1881 on the lot just north
of the church. In 1966, a new parsonage was purchased at 706 Kearney Ave. and
the old one sold.
The present building has had 34 pastors through the decades including our
present pastor, David Kwangki Kim who just arrived in Malvern this year from
Chicago. He and his family are originally from Korea and the Malvern church is
Pastor Kim’s first English-speaking congregation. The Malvern church also had
the privilege of having Pastor Jun Caole serve here, he is from the Philippines.
There have been a total of 52 pastors in all who have served Methodist
congregations here.
On December 17, 1893, the building in which we now worship was dedicated. The
original cost for the structure was $6,128.00. When the cornerstone for this
building was laid, the items placed in the cavity included: a Bible, hymnal,
Methodist Discipline, lists of members of the church and subscribers to the
building fund, a magazine and historical records. And the dark cubbyhole behind
the choir loft was designated as a library for solitary study, since only one
person could fit in there comfortably.
Another major change for the church came in 1969 when the Presbyterian Church
members decided to merge with the Methodist Church. Memorial gifts resulting
from that merger include the cross which hangs above the choir loft, in memory
of Marilyn Campbell, hymnals and a Hammond organ in memory of J. R. Hurst.
The United Methodist Women have served the community and the congregation
continuously since the charter meeting on September 5, 1940.
Youth groups have always played an important part in the deve1opment of young
people in our church. |
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