Woodlawn United Methodist Church
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
Making God's Love Real

 Woodlawn UMC History          

1955 -- First gathering of Methodists in Derby. Sunday school held on the porch of the parsonage with service in the basement. 

1956 -- First adult choir rehearsal. Church building (now the Youth Center) completed. 

1958 -- Membership passes 200.

1963 -- Groundbreaking for main church building. First worship service in new building held in July. 

1964 -- Groundbreaking for education wing. 

1965 -- Fire gutted much of Fellowship Hall (now Youth Center). Decision made to rebuild with insurance money and volunteer labor. 

1969 -- Three-Cross memorial constructed on corner of Woodlawn and Kay streets.

1974 -- Preschool program (now Jack & Jill Preschool) begins. 

1982 -- Groundbreaking for Re-Creation Hall (gym).   .

1983 -- Woodlawn's Thrift Shop opens.

1985 -- Profits from the first dinner theater production ("Working) are sent to to help earthquake victims. Woodlawn is recognized for its commitment to the Boy Scout program.

1990 -- Children's Worship begins.

1994 -- Church Charge Conference approved procedure of new building program. 

1995 -- Remembering the vision of those who first met to build a Methodist Church in 1955, Woodlawn celebrated 40 years of worship, fellowship and service. 

1998 -- Church held worship service on April 19, 1998, to consecrate the addition of new classrooms, remodeled office and kitchen space and storage facilities.  

Our Previous Pastors

  • J. Karl Jones (1955-60) retired from active ministry in 1988.

  • Forrest Robinson (1960-64) retired from active ministry in 1990.

  • Henry Murray (1964-66) retired from active ministry in 1985.

  • Jay B. Schwartz (1966-71) retired from active ministry in 1985 and is now deceased.

  • Don Kessler (1971-74) retired from active ministry in 1988 and is now deceased.

  • Bruce Blake (1974-84) served as Bishop of the Dallas Area United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas and in Oklahoma and is now retired.

  • Paul Morris (Associate, 1978-84) is a pastor at Peachtree Road UMC in Atlanta.

  • Michael Marion (Associate, 1984-90) is pastor of First UMC in McPherson, Kansas.

  • Jim Reed (1984-92) was pastor at First UMC in Manhattan, Kansas, after serving as District Superintendent in the Hutchinson District and retired in 2007.

  • Jim Mardock (Associate, 1990-93) is pastor of Colby UMC in Colby, Kansas.

  • Craig Hauschild (Associate, 1994-2000) is pastor of Andover UMC in Andover, Kansas.

  • Alan Lindal (Sr. Pastor 1992-2001) Chaplain for Harry Hynes Hospice in Wichita, KS.

  • Joe Cobb (Associate, 2000-2001) is now serving as Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

     
  • Mike Rose (Associate, 2001-2006 ) is now serving as Pastor of University United Methodist Church, Salina, Kansas.
     
  • Tim Harlan (Associate, 2006-2009) is now serving as Pastor of Lucas-Luray-Amherst United Methodist Churches in Kansas. 
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