The history of St. John’s United Methodist Church parallels the history of Memphis. In the mid-1800s, Memphis was the sixth largest city in the United States. Rail and river commerce had fueled it’s growth. And as the city grew, so did its faith communities.

St. John’s began downtown, in 1859, at the corner of Union Avenue and Fourth Street. Called “Central Church Mission”, it had an original membership of 40.

By the end of the century, it was bursting at the seams. The members decided to build a new sanctuary at the corner of Peabody and Bellevue. At the same time, they chose to affiliate with a denomination, becoming St. John’s United Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

St. John’s opened it doors in 1907. Since that time, several changes in its physical and congregational formation have evolved.

In the early 1900s, St. John’s was known as the “doctors’ church” and it was one of the most influential churches in Memphis. By 1951, the membership had grown to 2,283, making St. John’s pulpit was one of the most prestigious in the Methodist Church.

Memphis expanded eastward in the late 1950s. Members of St. John’s who lived “out east” were asked to seed a congregation in that region. A substantial percentage of the congregation migrated to the new church, Christ United Methodist.

In 1955, the remaining members voted to remain at the Peabody & Bellevue location, rather than worship at Christ United Methodist. These faithful members also financed and seeded the present-day Asbury UMC of East Memphis, in 1958.

As Midtown Memphis was transformed during the Civil Rights era and more members moved out east, St. John’s numbers dwindled further. Under the leadership of Rev. Frank McRae, St. John’s prayerfully and boldly decided to embrace the Gospel’s calling to serve the least, the last and the lost. With a single sermon in 1977 that challenged the congregation to begin a commitment to servant ministry, Rev. McRae pointed St. John’s on a mission that drives its ministry to this day. With a clear and active commitment to be disciples by serving others and embodying Gospel hospitality, St. John’s is flourishing again.

St. John’s character continues to be molded by its members and pastors. People like Robert and Bethel Fleming, missionaries from St. John’s, who helped open Nepal to the world. As they traveled through the middle Himalayas, Bethel (a physician) treated the Nepalese people.

Mary Frances Nelson gave a generous estate gift and the sustaining funds for a retreat center in Millington, called Nelson Woods.

Henry and Lynne Jordan Turley have restored St. John’s sanctuary and narthex – along with Memphis’ landscape along the river and on Mud Island.

L. Palmer Brown, prominent businessman, chaired the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

And Rev. Scott Morris, a physician and associate pastor of St. John’s, who with the support of his congregation, opened the doors of the Church Health Center in 1986. Today the Church Health Center cares for over 50,000 working and uninsured low wage workers, and provides preventive care for all Memphians – no matter their station in life.

There are so many of our members working to make the world kinder and healthier, we can’t begin to list them here. Yet, as St. John’s plans for new ministry opportunities in the 21st century, we look back at our bold legacy of 150 years. We look forward to a vital future in our Christian discipleship from the corner of Peabody and Bellevue.