First United Methodist Church of Lake Charles, La

First United Methodist Church of Lake Charles, La First United Methodist Church of Lake Charles, Louisiana In November of 1871, thirteen charter members gathered for worship with their pastor, Thomas Mullet. A.

It was not until three years later in 1874 that the members constructed a designated place of worship. It was called Methodist Episcopal Church South and it was the first Protestant church in Lake Charles. The original building was located on the corner of Broad and Bilbo Streets and the small wooden structure was 30-by-50 feet. A Sunday school class was organized shortly after in 1876. Growth con

tinued, and in 1900, a new church building was constructed in the same location. This new building was adorned with a Blymyer Bell, which was a gift from the Sunday School. In 1902, a Cradle Roll was founded by Mrs. E. Price, and the first two youngsters to be enrolled were Clement Moss and Hubert Foster. The Cradle Roll continued to grow, and the church flourished with an abundance of young members. A severe storm in 1918 damaged the church, and although the wooden structure was not destroyed, the bell tower collapsed. The bell tower was never replaced, and the bell now resides at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. A new era of the church began when the property on the corner of Broad and Kirkman was purchased in 1925. The sanctuary was completed in 1928. The new sanctuary offered more room to accommodate an increasing congregation, and the church continued to grow in this thriving downtown location throughout the 30’s and 40’s. Mission work, youth activities, music ministry, and community outreach kept the church healthy and strong through two world wars and incredible changes in the face of Lake Charles. The growth of the church continued in the 1950’s. Two Sunday services were inaugurated in 1952. Ground was broken for the three-story educational building in 1953. The educational building presently houses the Sunday School classrooms. In 1961, work on the Mayo Children’s Building was completed, and the Mayo building housed additional Sunday school rooms. The building is presently home to First Methodist School, our daycare and preschool. In 1968, after a merger of two churches, our church was given its present name, First United Methodist Church. A very important addition to our church facilities was built in 1976. The Family Activity Center (FAC) housed additional classrooms, a gymnasium, and secondary fellowship areas. In 2000, the building was re-modeled into a Contemporary Worship Center and renovation of the west end of the main church building. The contemporary worship center opened in August of 2002 and can seat as many as 500 people. Our history spans close to 150 years. We are thankful for this rich tradition of ministry and worship. First United Methodist Church still thrives today and will continue to do so for many years to come. Our current membership roll is approximately 1,190 and our average Sunday attendance is 525. Rev. Weldon Bares was appointed senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in June of 2010

We invite you to join our services every Sunday at 9am and 11am either in person or online.You can connect with First Un...
06/13/2026

We invite you to join our services every Sunday at 9am and 11am either in person or online.

You can connect with First United Methodist Church of Lake Charles, no matter where you are. Our live stream is accessible through our page, YouTube, and USTREAM.

First United Methodist Church
Lake Charles, Louisiana

Friday, June 19 at 2 pm, Rev. Pace and the “coffee bunch” will be meeting at Chennault Coffee in Lake Charles. Chennaul...
06/11/2026

Friday, June 19 at 2 pm, Rev. Pace and the “coffee bunch” will be meeting at Chennault Coffee in Lake Charles. Chennault Coffee is new and is located at 200 Avenue C, Lake Charles. All are invited!

First Methodist School has openings! To schedule a tour please contact Andrea at andrea@fmskids.com or call 337-433-4570...
06/10/2026

First Methodist School has openings! To schedule a tour please contact Andrea at [email protected] or call 337-433-4570.

Rev. Steffanie’s summer Bible Study starts on June 17. We will meet on Wednesdays at 10 am or 6 pm. In this 7-session ...
06/10/2026

Rev. Steffanie’s summer Bible Study starts on June 17. We will meet on Wednesdays at 10 am or 6 pm. In this 7-session video-based study, Jennifer Rothschild explores the subject of Heaven from a biblical perspective. Books are available for purchase in our church office ($15).

Join Rev. Weldon for his Summer Sunday School Tour starting this Sunday, June 14th, during the Sunday school hour. There...
06/09/2026

Join Rev. Weldon for his Summer Sunday School Tour starting this Sunday, June 14th, during the Sunday school hour. There will be a time for questions & answers, then Rev. Weldon will present a lesson on, “Places I’ve Travelled and Found God.”

6/14 Great Expectations – room 301
6/21 Believers – room 304
6/28 YA Class – room 106
7/12 Growing in Grace – room 109
7/19 Open Door – room 107
8/2 Fellowshippers – room 110

Address

812 Kirkman Street
Lake Charles, LA
70601

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 2pm
Tuesday 9am - 2pm
Wednesday 9am - 2pm
Thursday 9am - 2pm
Friday 9am - 2pm
Sunday 9am - 10:30am
11am - 12pm

Telephone

+13374366656

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when First United Methodist Church of Lake Charles, La posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Place Of Worship

Send a message to First United Methodist Church of Lake Charles, La:

Shortcuts

Share

Category