First United Methodist Church, Pasadena has been a part of the Pasadena community for over 150 years, always located in the heart of the city.
The congregation was established in 1874 when the first Prayer Meeting and Sunday School was formed in what would later become the city of Pasadena.
Since then, our church has occupied four campuses, the last of which is the neo-gothic beauty we call home today.
In December 1924, our current church building was dedicated with eleven special services. There were dinners, concerts, and pledge-raising events. An E. M. Skinner pipe organ was installed in the new Sanctuary, which also features inspiring stained glass windows created by Roy C. Baillie Studios in Los Angeles. A Tiffany window of “the boy Jesus” was placed above the altar in the Chapel.
A renovation of the Sanctuary was undertaken in the early 1990’s, resulting in a more functional Chancel area. At about the same time, significant seismic retrofitting was undertaken on the Sanctuary and Education buildings. After a period of being unusable, the Chapel was re-opened in 2006 following a complete renovation and seismic strengthening. The decision to preserve these historic buildings reflects the congregation’s commitment to faithfully continue its presence and grow its ministry in the city’s core.
History
Points of Interest
Our Windows
One of the hallmarks of our church is our wonderful stained glass windows! Each window tells a part of the story of the life of Jesus. One of the most impressive of our windows is the Rose Window on the south wall of our sanctuary. The rose window has many roots, but it is associated with the Gothic period. The window's circular shape symbolizes the unity of all things. Within the circle, the geometry of the quatrefoil contains 12 major divisions that point to the finite and infinite, earth and heaven. Our Rose Window is a memorial in honor of Rev. A.W. Bunker, pastor in 1884 (before the church was built).
Download our Sanctuary and Chapel Window Guides
For their Confirmation projects, church members Santiago (Sanctuary) and Sebastian (Chapel) Alvarez, along with Rev. Dr. Thomas Brunkow and Kendall In, have gathered images and information on our windows into a booklet for further study. Please click the buttons below to download each guide.
Music for Stained Glass
Aaron Shows (our organist) and Eric Dyson (church member / filmmaker) have created a relaxing video of our stained-glass windows accompanied by beautiful organ music. This video is perfect for meditation and reflection. Enjoy!
Our Rose Window
Entering the Sanctuary you see the Rose window on the south wall. The rose window has many roots, but it is associated with the French Gothic period. The window's circular shape symbolizes the unity of all things. Within the circle, the geometry of the quatrefoil contains 12 major divisions that point to the finite and infinite, earth and heaven. Our Rose Window is a memorial in honor of Rev. A.W. Bunker, pastor in 1884 (before the church was built).
Our Organ
The organ was originally built in 1924 by the Skinner Organ Company (Boston, Massachusetts), and later additions were made in 1955. A major rebuild took place in 1974 by Manuel Rosales Organ Builders, and was Manuel's "Opus 1" project. At the same time, the console was replaced by the Schlicker Organ Company. Later, in 2017, the pipes of the "Tromba" trumpet stop on the Great division were replaced, and the original blower engine (the "lungs" of the instrument) was totally restored in 2021. Our organ currently has 4 manuals (keyboards), 65 stops, and over 3,500 pipes. A hand-carved case holds the front facade of pipes, many of which are also functional. You can hear the organ weekly for Sunday services, as well as in concerts throughout the year.
Our Chapel
The Chapel, designed by Thomas P Barber and completed in 1924, is an example of the English college gothic style. However, the chapel is not now configured as Barber built it due to upgrades as a result of earthquake retrofitting completed in 2006. The round Tiffany window depicts the 12-year-old boy Jesus found in the temple astounding his elders after being separated from his parents while on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
