150th Anniversary Celebration for the Colfax United Methodist Church

Throughout 2018, Colfax United Methodist Church at 59 W. Church St has been celebrating within its church doors its Sesquicentennial (that’s 150^th birthday!). The secret is now OUT! In addition to special monthly displays that began in January, the church has been “spruced up” inside and out! On the walls are photos of past Pastors who have served the Colfax United Methodist Church since the 1960s; three past Pastors have returned to visit and preach in the pulpit, and two more will be filling the pulpit in August and September, (Sept 16, Pastor Kathryn Dunning ( our ‘home-grown’ pastor who raised her family in our church while attending Claremont Theological Seminary, graduating, being ordained, and serving at several churches in northern California; Sept 30, Pastor Becky Goodwin). The Sesquicentennial theme has been “Celebrate the Past, Embrace the Future, Sowing Seeds of Love”, based on Matthew 13:1-9 scripture.

 Over the months, weddings have been celebrated, mothers, fathers, veterans, honored, and in August, ‘memories of the past’ recognized. The Methodist Church had marchers/riders in the July 3^rd Independence Day Parade. Outside, a new banner pole has been installed displaying an assortment of banners. Nearly 100 marigolds were planted in July and are growing and filling in beautifully. September 9^th, retired Pastor Don Baldwin will impersonate the Methodist Church founder, John Wesley as he preaches in the pulpit that Sunday. Prior to the 9:30 am service (community is especially invited) the worship bulletins will be hand-delivered by a ‘circuit rider’, riding to the church doors on his horse, exactly as preachers 150 years earlier had come to preach at the church. 

The official Sesquicentennial celebration will occur at a 10 am Worship service Oct 7 with United Methodist Bishop Minerva Carcano visiting, preaching, and sharing the day’s festivities: World Wide Communion Sunday, with Holy Communion service observed during Worship. Following the benediction circle and blessing, the congregation will be dismissed to enjoy snacks while the power point is set-up in the Sanctuary. Following power point slides and personal sharing, Bishop Carcano will say grace and dismiss the congregation and visitors to the Social Hall for complimentary ticketed lunch. Limited tickets can be obtained by contacting Ruth Conger at 346-8684.

 For more information on any of the celebratory events, please call Myrtle Findley at 346-2450 or George Beckman at 346-6038.