Hyde Park United Methodist celebrated its 110th Anniversary in March 2009. What began as a Sunday school meeting in a schoolhouse at Platt Street and Magnolia became a long line of faithful Christians committed to living out the words of Christ.  This 110th Anniversary video includes audio from the 1954 Consecration Service where the newly renovated Sanctuary was dedicated. The recorded voice is Dr. Laurie Ray, senior pastor at the time. Please click the white arrow to launch the video player.

© Hyde Park United Methodist, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

United Methodist Church History

John Wesley (1703-1791) and his brother Charles (1707-1788) mark the origin of the Methodist Church. As their movement grew in England, it became apparent that Methodism also was successfully spreading to America as a lay movement. Because of that, Wesley sent leaders including Francis Asbury to help strengthen Methodism in the colonies.

Asbury become the single most important figure in shaping American Methodism. The church was founded as The Methodist Episcopal Church in 1784. By the 1800's, the denomination grew through the introduction of revivals and camp meetings. This new style of Christian faith and discipline was very agreeable to the Methodists, United Brethen and Evangelicals. In addition, the Sunday School movement and the establishment of secondary schools and colleges became prevalent.The United Methodist Church represents the merging of three streams of tradition: Methodism, the Church of the United Brethen and The Evangelical Association. The union was created in 1968. At Hyde Park, we worship in the liturgical tradition of the Methodist-Anglican branch of the Protestant Reformation.

Local History

On the threshold of the 20th Century, many children grew up along the sandy streets south of Grand Central (now Kennedy Boulevard) and along the streetcar line that ran along South Boulevard, Bayshore Boulevard and out to Ballast Point. Methodist families went to First United Methodist Church on the east side of the Hillsborough River, when they could travel, by horse and buggy, across a rather undependable drawbridge. One Sunday afternoon three families met together to start a Sunday School for neighborhood children. On March 12, 1899, thirty people gathered for the first meeting in a two-room schoolhouse on the corner of Magnolia and Platt Streets where the Fire Station now stands. The congregation was officially organized in 1900 with 29 charter members. Several of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren are active members of our congregation today.The newly renovated church sanctuary was originally constructed in 1907 with a “half-round” worship space and two story classrooms.

In 1953, the Sanctuary was totally remodeled so that the chancel and choir loft were located on the south end away from Platt Street in the area that had been classrooms. Straight wooden pews were added to the new and enlarged Sanctuary space. The entrance and narthex were up a flight of steps on Platt Street.The original Education Building was constructed in 1922, with a fellowship hall on the ground floor and classrooms on the upper floors. The Fellowship Hall and Chapel were built in 1954. The Chapel was dedicated to the memory of Dr. Laurie Ray, who led the congregation in the building program of 1953-54. The Fellowship Hall was named in honor of former pastor J. Lloyd Knox when he was elected to the Episcopacy in 1984. Major renovations were done in the 1970s, and then, as part of the Forward in Faith campaign, the building was demolished in March 1999 to make way for the expansion of the Sanctuary and creation of the new courtyard.

Sanctuary Renovation And Expansion

In 1993-94, the 21st Century Task Force led the congregation in defining God’s mission and vision for our future. This divine mission and vision is rooted in our history and focused on the needs of the community around us.

Then, later in 1994, the Facilities Task Force began work in defining our building needs in relation to our mission and vision. The master plan was then developed, providing the design for facilities that will enable our congregation to more effectively fulfill its mission in the first have of the 21st century.

Construction work occurred in two phases, beginning in 1997. In 1999, we consecrated the new Wesley Center, Activities Center and Ministry Offices, removed the education building, and began the next exciting phase: FutureFaith@hydeparkumc.God. FutureFaith allowed us to enlarge and equip our Sanctuary for worship for an ever-growing membership. The renovated sanctuary was dedicated August 9-10, 2003, attracting more than 1,500 worshippers. Saturday’s two services were focused on celebration, while Sunday’s three services consecrated the Sanctuary to the glory of God.

Here is an overview of all that was accomplished during this nearly ten-year period through prayers and gifts of time and money:

• The Sanctuary was renovated and enlarged to seat 660 worshippers. As part of the renovation, the Chancel was relocated to the Platt Street end of the building, providing a larger, more flexible area with room for choirs, instrumental groups, and flexibility for a variety of services, concerts and special presentations. A balcony was added along with a large Narthex (lobby) and Courtyard, the sound and video systems were greatly improved, and the pipe organ was relocated and expanded.
• The Wesley Center contains 26 classrooms and houses Sunday School, Bible Study and other classes, a nursery, and our Small Blessings pre-school.
• The multi-purpose Activities Center encompasses 6,000 square feet of space for fellowship and recreation. New ministry offices also are contained in this building. J. Lloyd Knox Hall, originally built in 1954, was renovated to include new adult meeting rooms, music rehearsal rooms, a media center and the Aldersgate Corner Bookstore and Coffee Shop. The Laurie Ray Chapel is part of this building, and it was reoriented and enlarged with the Chancel now on the Platt Street end of the building.

The new and renovated facilities cost approximately $11 million and serve as the hub for worship, education, caring, and ministries of witness and service in support of the church’s mission of Making God’s Love Real. Hyde Park United Methodist Church currently serves a membership of 2,000.

In May 2003, The Reverend James A. Harnish, who began his ministry here in 1992, received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary and is now in the 16th year of his ministry (2008), having served Hyde Park United Methodist Church longer than any other minister in the church’s history.

On April 15, 2007, the church dedicated and opened the Magnolia Building which will serve the Youth Ministry and various church and community meetings. The two-story, 9,000 square foot facility is located just south of the main campus, and was once the site of a neighborhood tavern and laundromat. The opening marked the fulfillment of dreams dating back decades.

Updated August 2008