The church was first organized as the Pine Bluffs Swedish Evangelistic Immanuel Mission Congregation on January 26, 1898 with Pastor John Tillburg from Wahoo, Nebraska, in charge.  The first Protestant Church in Pine Bluffs was organized in the Pine Bluffs schoolhouse, which was located on the southeast corner of the present ball park at 2nd and Pine.  Pastor Tillburg was hired as pastor and teacher for $150.00 per year.  At a later meeting the congregation raised his salary to $300 a year and the church was to furnish the pastor the firewood in addition to his salary. Oscar Peterson was the church janitor who was paid $15 a year at $1.25 a month.

On March 28, 1909, the first Methodist Episcopal Conference of the general district of the Western Swedish Conference was organized.  The congregation began plans for building a church.  A cement block structure was built on the corner of Main and 6th Street.  Ned Olsen drew up the plans for the building.  Reverend F. J. Swanson did most of the construction work himself.

The Sunday School and Church were held from September to December 1909 at Blair Hall at 101 Main Street.  The cement brick building was dedicated on December 5, 1909.

In 1924, a new church building was built just west of the cement block church.  This brick building was dedicated April 26, 1925.  The cement blocks from the older church were reused to build the building that still exists at 4th and Main.  That building now is the home of a physical therapy office.

On September 16, 1940, the Women’s Society of Christian Services was chartered replacing the Ladies Aide group. In 1973, the group’s name was changed to the United Methodist Women.

In 1944 and 1945, Egbert and Pleasant View of the Carpenter Circuit were added to the local charge.

The sanctuary was remodeled and an addition was built in 1946 and 1947.

In the 1960’s, the Education Building and Fellowship Hall was built and dedicated May 24, 1964.  About this time, the Egbert Church was united with the Pine Bluffs Church.  The bell from the Egbert Church was stored in Pine Bluffs, and in 1981, was placed on the bell tower.

During April 1969, the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Church joined to become the United Methodist Church.

In 1972, a study committee made a survey of the congregation’s needs.  It determined that the new sanctuary with a classroom and a pastor study seemed to be the greatest need.  On October 21, 1972, the church voted to build a new sanctuary on the site of the old building built in 1924.  One year, four months, and eighteen days later, the first church service was held in the new sanctuary.  The laying of the cornerstone and consecration services was held May 25, 1975.

From 1909 to 2013, we have had 38 ministers.

The first church parsonage was built in 1914 on the south side of the cement block building.  In 1920, the Ladies Aide purchased the two lots across the alley on the west side of the church, and the building was moved there.  In 1988, a gift from the estate of Mildred McFann allowed the church to build a new parsonage.  The old parsonage was sold and moved to the southwest corner of 2nd and Beech Avenue to make room for the new parsonage at 6th and Blair Street.

Thank you to Becky Martinez for gathering the material for this history.