Our History
Making Methodist Disciples for Over 180 Years
Our History
At St. Paul’s UMC
A Legacy of Service
Long before airline pilots relied on the glowing beacon of St. Paul’s impressive 12-foot illuminated cross to navigate the skies during the early days of aviation, our church has played a vital role in shaping the lives of Methodists in Cedar Rapids and beyond. For generations, the various buildings that have housed our congregation have served as a guiding light, providing support, inspiration, and community to individuals and families.
As a cornerstone of faith, St. Paul’s continues to be a source of direction and hope for those seeking spiritual growth.
…and on this rock I will build my church…
Matthew 16:18a NRSVUE
A Quick History
1840s Beginnings
Several sources cite the Listebarger cabin as hosting the first meeting of what would become the Methodist church in what would become the community of Cedar Rapids. Long gone, this cabin was located on the west bank of the Cedar River just north of where I-380 currently crosses 1st Street NW now. Methodist circuit riders including Rev. John Hodges and others preached sermons, led hymns, and performed marriages and baptisms there to a small but devout group of settlers.
This was the first Methodist church congregation in the area in 1843, still three years before Iowa became a state and six years before Cedar Rapids was incorporated.
1860s to 1900
The first building constructed by the congregation was a one-story brick structure built on land purchased from Judge George Greene, adjacent to the current Greene Square Park on the site that would later become the Union Station, now a parking ramp. The building known as the “Little Brick Church” was dedicated in 1856 under Rev. Elias Skinner who went on to serve as a chaplain during the Civil War.
During the Civil War years (1863-1865) the congregation of St. Paul’s grew to 268 members, and the first full-time minister, Rev. Emory Miller, was appointed to serve it. The congregation looked for a location for a newer, larger church, and found it on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Fifth Street SE, which was then at the edge of town “at the foot of the sandhills.” The congregation moved to the partially completed building, dedicating it in 1873. The financial panic of that era and the depression that followed delayed completion of the main auditorium of the building until 1878. This building would serve the congregation for 41 more years. The church was officially organized as the (First) Methodist Episcopal Church in Cedar Rapids November 11, 1869.
Recognizing the need for a church to serve members living on the west side of the river, Rev. J. B. Casebeer organized a mission Sunday School that later became Trinity Church. This was the first of several “offspring” churches sponsored by St. Paul’s. In 1892, the John Huss Mission, which later became Asbury Methodist, was established for Bohemian-speaking members. These members were part of a large influx of Czech and Slovak immigrants who came to work at the meat packing plant and other growing industries in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
1900 to Today
After many years of fundraising and church dinners put on by the women of the church, the Fourth Ave. building mortgage was finally burned in 1903. But by 1906, out of Cedar Rapids’ growing population of 30,000, 1,410 were Methodists. Space in the church was running out. As new means of transportation and new housing development moved east of downtown, so did St. Paul’s members. In 1909, the Official Board of the church began planning for a new “building for the worship and service of God.”
Under the 16-year pastorate of Dr. E. J. Lockwood, “country property” near the circus grounds was purchased in 1909 and the search for a qualified architect began. Famed architect Louis Sullivan was ultimately chosen to design “the modern church for a seven-day program,” a new concept for churches at the time. Ground was broken in 1913. In 1914, St. Paul’s celebrated both the silver anniversary of the church’s founding and the dedication of this new building which has served us, with the addition of an education wing in 1963, to this present day. You’ll see our rich history in photo displays in the main hallway of the church.
Looking to the Future
Do all the good you can
St. Paul’s UMC – Generations of Love in Action
In accordance with one of John Wesley’s tenets of Methodism–sharing God’s love through service to others—and his directive “To do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can as long as ever you can”–the people of St. Paul’s have always served others and worked to improve the human condition.
1860s
Women’s aid groups were formed to provide relief for Civil War soldiers and their orphans.
1920s
Philathea group provided a home and cared for a widowed mother and her five children for several years.
1940s
Women’s WSCS group conducted community integration study and sent letters to community leaders and businesses supporting the hiring of Black workers.
1960s
Supported a controversial sale of property to Black physician Percy Harris for a family home in a white neighborhood.
Supported the Holmes County, Mississippi Project during the Civil Rights movement.
1980s
Launched grant-funded FOCUS preschool program for at-risk children.
1990s
Mission team helped build Africa University in Zimbabwe.
Started the Neighborhood Meal & Enrichment summer lunch program.
2000s
Provided sanctuary to the community during the 2008 flood and the 2020 derecho in Cedar Rapids.
Welcomed a Burundi refugee family and created an African Nationals ministry within the church.
Voted to allow gay marriage and gay clergy in opposition to the Book of Discipline.
Various Years
Ongoing commissioning of and support for international missionaries coming out of St. Paul’s and specific missions in various countries.
Learn More
More of our history can be found in the recently published book St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, the First 175 Years and in A Brief History—St. Paul’s United Methodist Church 1840-1990.
You can learn more about Sullivan and “The Cedar Rapids Plan” building, our current home, dedicated in 1914.
Both books are available at the church office.
Sunday School Attendance Pins
Stop by the History Center in Room 322 to see this old pin chain representing 35 years of perfect (?) Sunday School attendance—with one link added each year. We don’t know who it belonged to or who donated it and other...
Sunday School Promotions, 1928
Sunday school promotions were a BIG deal in bygone days, as evidenced by these certificates awarded to Bobbie Doolittle in 1928 and 1931. Stop by the History Center to view these and other St. Paul’s Sunday school...
World Methodist Conference, 1956
In the September 14, 1956, issue of the Outlook, St. Paul’s lead pastor Rev. Dr. Jackson Burns reported from the 9th World Methodist Conference he and his wife, Evelyn, were attending in Junaluska, North Carolina—a...
Cedar Rapids’ First Methodist Pastor, 1852
In 1852, the Reverend Elias Skinner was appointed the first full-time Methodist pastor in what is now Cedar Rapids, serving two years. According to the St. Paul’s 175th Anniversary book, “Rev. Skinner received $150 his...
Boys’ Brass Band, 1919
In the fall of 1919, a Boys’ Brass Band of St. Paul’s began. As reported in the September 14 church bulletin that year, “The boys are each starting to learn to play and are beginning together. In case fearful noises...
Rally Day, 1982
The caption for this photo in the September 17, 1982, Outlook reads: “Rally Day, August 29, 1982—It was an overwhelming success, in spite of the chilly weather. One hundred seventy-five adults and children gathered on...