HISTORY
Asbury United Methodist Church has
a long and rich history that stretches almost 118 years. Asbury
began its life in 1888 as a mission of First Methodist Episcopal
Church South and Winfield Episcopal Methodist Church South, meeting
first in an old store building on Eighth Street. Later meeting places
were a tent, which was destroyed by a storm, and then a blacksmith
shop.
By 1906 it had become apparent that the growth of the city was
toward the west, so Asbury became the first mission to "West" Little
Rock when in 1908 it moved into the new sanctuary at Twelfth and
Schiller. This new sanctuary was struck by lightening and burned
only three years later. Following World War II, the church embarked
on a new three-phase building program and completed two phases
of an educational building and a new sanctuary between 1949 and
1965.
As the city continued to move west, these members realized that
this was again where their mission must be. On July 10, 1980 the
church voted to relocate and again move west. Land was purchased
and again Asbury was in another three-phase building program. The
first Sunday in the new facilities at 1700 Napa Valley Drive was
November 21, 1982. Almost immediately the church outgrew its new
facilities. More classrooms and parking were needed. Part
of Phase II was completed in May, 1985 and final construction was
completed in September, 1999. At present, the sanctuary remains
to be built as the third phase. The vision we have as a community
of faith reaching out to West Little Rock in ministry and service
to God is the same vision that those pioneers had in 1888 when
a mission was started in an old grocery store. Like those early
members of Asbury, we too will reach out to do what is needed to
fulfill our calling. Our challenge today is to be all God calls
us to be. |
