OUR STORY

On February 20, 1966, Dr. Vernie Barnett made the 160 mile trip from Vandalia, IL to Columbia to officiate the inaugural worship service of the Bethany Methodist Church. Originally begun in the chapel of the Schmidt Funeral Home in Columbia, members were drawn by word of mouth and a simple newspaper ad, "Have Bible, will travel." At the time of its founding, Bethany was the only Methodist Church in Monroe County.
As the church grew and moved twice to accommodate its members, 5 acres of land were purchased on Hill Top Road and a new church was built. Historically, Bethany Church has been led by 12 pastors (including our current pastor) and a number of lay ministers who have poured their time and energy into the life of the church.

The history of Bethany Church has involved many men and women who worshiped with heartfelt devotion and participated in the life of both the church and our neighbors. It has become a testament to God's activity in the world around us.

Our goal here at Bethany is to provide a place that enables everyone, young and old, to connect with Jesus Christ. As we move into the future, our mindset is that of ministry and mission, providing space for each person to live out their calling in service to God and our community. If you feel called by God into a specific ministry that isn't in place yet, we are happy to help you achieve your calling as it aligns with the mission we have here. Young and older, we want to see everyone connected in ministry as we reach out with Christ's love into our communities.

What the future holds is only known to God and we stand ready to live into that! Will you join us?