Long Beach First United Methodist Church, and the tiny village of Willmore City, began simultaneously in the early 1880's. Presiding Elder R. W. C. Farnsworth of the Methodist Episcopal Church believed Willmore City, soon to be known as Long Beach, would be an excellent site for the regular Methodist Camp Meeting which was being held in Compton. In 1883, he conducted a "tent meetting as a kind of experiment" with Judge R. M. Widney appointed as superintendent of a "Sabbath School".
In 1884, "The Methodist Resort Association" was formed, and the Long Beach Land and Water Company gave the Association an entire block of land between Third and Fourth Streets, and Locust and American Avenues (Long Beach Boulevard). In exchange, the Association agreed to build a wooden structure costing $5,000 and to plan eucalyptus trees to shade the campers during meetings.
Methodists began worshipping in homes and holding cottage prayer meetings. With this increased activity, in September 1884, Bishop Cyrus Foss appointed Rev. George W. Elwood as minister to "The Charge of Long Beach". Soon, thereafter, the church was organized with a society of "eleven or twelve". Worship was first held in the hotel parlor.
Rev. Elwood was put in charge of building the chapel and pavilion (or Tabernacle, as it was called). On April 12, 1885, he preached his first sermon in the unfinished structure which still had no seats, doors, or windows. During 1886, about half the main Tabernacle was finished. Camp meetings went on while the sides of the Tabernacle still consisted of crude canvas. The building, completed in 1887, provided seating for approximately 1700 and served as the place of worship for fourteen years.
The Tabernacle was also used as the Community Civic Center, for Chautauqua programs, youth assemblies, town meetings, the first high school classes, and for commencement exercises. The Tabernacle bell rang out for worship services, prayer meetings, weddings, and funerals. It also served to call the volunteer firemen.
On March 2, 1888, the City of Long beach was incorporated. The first official act, backed by Methodist constituents, was to pass an ordinance "prohibiting the establishment of saloons, gambling houses, and other institutions dangerous to public health and safety."
In 1898, the need for a new church was pressing. In a short time, a lot, 100 by 150 feet, at the northeast corner of Fifth and Pine, was purchases for $1050, and plans were begun for a new building. The Sunday School portion was completed and used for the first time on December 24, 1899, for the Christmas program. The membership numbered 266, while the Long Beach census for 1900 was 2,252. The church bulletins from this period regularly were headed in bold-face type, "Ladies will please remove their hats".
More to come soon!
