The first Sunday of November 1846, Adney A. Heacox preached the first Methodist sermon in an adobe building which belonged to the Catholic mission. He preached at this adobe building, home of William Campbell, until the following February when he moved to Santa Cruz.

After Heacox left, Campbell continued to preach throughout the summer.

In September 1849 Charles Campbell, William’s brother, arrived from the east and organized the first class in San Jose. The Santa Clara effort was then relocated to San Jose.

On January 29, 1850, William Taylor, a great Methodist leader, left San Francisco to move to Santa Cruz. Along his way, he preached in San Jose and in the Wallace Finley home in Santa Clara. By 1852 there were enough Methodists to arrange a separate congregation.

Due to flooding in Sacramento, Isaac Owen, another Methodist organizer, moved to San Jose. The first Santa Clara building committee was appointed by Owen and in 1852 the first church was constructed. It was an adobe building which in a few years was too small for the congregation. In 1856 the church was incorporated, the first in the county.

In 1860 a new brick church was built. This church withstood the great earthquake of October 21, 1868, said to have measured 8.5 on the Richter Scale, and several other shakes. Unfortunately, the big quake of April 18, 1906 completely destroyed this building. It took two and a half years for a new church to be dedicated.

Around 1929 due to changes in the population and economic conditions the Presbyterians and Methodists joined together as the Federated Church of Santa Clara. This union was dissolved in 1946 and the church became Community Methodist.

By 1957 the growth in population resulted in building a new church. This new site, a gift of Jessie and Lois Inman, near the Civic Center of Santa Clara would be the site for educational and worship facilities. The old historic church site would offer dignified living for senior citizens with the development of a 100 unit apartment structure. With the completion of the Civic Center Campus in 1965, the congregation was able to move into its new quarters. Subsequently, the church changed its name to Santa Clara United Methodist Church. In February 1973 the first senior residents moved into Liberty Tower on the original church site. History of the Methodist church