We have a rich and historical presence in the town of Marlow, Oklahoma. We love our community and our neighbors. We fully embrace Jesus’ call to “be in the world and not of the world,” to “go, and make disciples of all nations,” and to “love our neighbors as ourselves.”
From 1890 our church family has lovingly served, cared and prayed for the citizens of Marlow and beyond…below is an account of our church family’s history written to celebrate our 125th Anniversary held in September 2015.
Among the first white settlers in the Chickasaw Country west of the Washita were the Methodists. In May 1890 Brother Shannon preached a sermon under the trees in Mr. J.W. Leddy’s yard; the first Methodist Class of 14 members was formed.
In 1892 the railroad was built through this area and Marlow became a fast growing town. The Methodists felt the need of a building which would be close to the town clustered around the railroad and the depot. An Indian woman, Mrs. Brumitt, gave the church a quit claim deed to an acre of land located 2 blocks south of what is now Main and Broadway. At that time a two room parsonage and one room church was built. In 1904 these buildings were damaged in a wind storm; the property was sold and the church moved and rebuilt in 1905 on the present site of the school auditorium [Marlow High School].
In 1922 as the Marlow Methodists had increased in numbers they felt the need for a larger building with better Sunday School facilities. The present structure was planned and brought to near completion and occupied in 1926; and then completed in 1927. The building was paid for and dedicated in January 1929, just before the great depression.
In 1924 the Woman’s Missionary Society of the Church bought the present site of the Alpha Omega Christ House and through devotion to the church and through untiring efforts built the present building in 1928. Since that time it has been remodeled and enlarged as needs facilitated.
For almost a century the present church building has stood on the corner of Main and Fifth Street as a beacon of God’s light and love and through the devotion of its people, a testimony of service in the community; making its strength felt beyond its confines.
The name plate at the entrance has changed twice. In 1939 there was the union of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Methodist E. Church, South, and the Protestant Methodist Church, making The Methodist Church. Then in 1968 with the union of the E.U.B. Church they became The First United Methodist Church.
Now, through love, dedication and faith in God’s people, the church again humbly looks to the future praying that they shall so worthily carry on that tradition so Christ may live in the hearts of His people in Marlow and throughout the world.