By New England standards, Lexington United Methodist Church is a relative newcomer to the area. Founded on May 18, 1952 with 67 charter members, the church held its first worship service at the Masonic Hall under the leadership of the Rev. Earl D. Haywood in the fall of 1952. The congregation continued to worship there during its early years, and in 1954 purchased land (an old apple orchard) at the current site. Ground was broken the next year and a sanctuary and fellowship hall were constructed. Worship began in the new location in February of 1957, and by the following year the church membership had grown to 427.  Subsequently the church added the Moller pipe organ, which continues in use to this day.

During the 1960’s LUMC was renowned for its activism with respect to the Civil Rights movement. The leadership of pastors Landon Lindsay and Richard Harding helped to kindle this emphasis on social justice, which has been a hallmark of the church’s mission and ministry ever since. The church continued to grow in numbers, necessitating another building program which added an educational wing in 1961 and 1964. This new construction made possible the development of our Methodist Weekday School for pre-school children, an undertaking which also continues today. Through the years it has provided a significant outreach to the people of Lexington and surrounding towns.

The church struggled through the 1970’s with divisive social issues which plagued America, as well as rapidly rising expenses due to inflation. Nonetheless, a determined congregation weathered these storms and blossomed in the 1980’s in the partnership established with St. John’s Korean UMC. Additional building was undertaken to accommodate the expanding needs of the two congregations sharing the facilities. In 1988 the tenant-landlord relationship gave way to a new covenant in which both congregations share equally in the ownership of the building. Over the past quarter century, both communities have learned from each other and at different times come to the support of their partner.

LUMC is proud of its rich mission heritage. From the early days, supporting missionaries in Bolivia, to the 20 years of engagement with our sister congregation in La Borgoña, Nicaragua, to a whole range of programs supported by our Social Justice Endowment Fund, our congregation has been actively extending God’s love into the world. In 2000, following a lengthy time of deliberation, study, and prayer, LUMC voted to become a reconciling congregation, open to all persons without regard to sexual orientation. Much of the credit for this decision goes to Rev. Susan Morrison, who served as pastor during that time.

Our congregation continues to face new challenges in a demanding world, but we press forward in the confidence that God will guide us into new avenues of service and spiritual growth.