GUMC History

As early as 1836, circuit riders traveled this region holding class meetings in homes and schoolhouses. It is believed that the Methodists were the first to hold religious meetings in Atlas Township. The “Old Stone Church” was part of the Goodrich circuit and may have been part of the original Goodrich class.

In 1844, a class of 12 members began holding meetings in the Village of Goodrich at the schoolhouse and the Goodrich Methodist Episcopal Church was organized. In 1852, the first church building was built for the sum of $3,000 on an acre of donated land on the present site of the Goodrich Apartments. Dr. Wheelock purchased the land and building in 1914 in order to build Goodrich’s first hospital.

The Methodist Episcopal Church on the corner of Hegel and South State Road (M-15) was built from stone and brick bought from an abandoned church in Metamora, Michigan and torn down. Teams of horses and wagons hauled the materials to Goodrich. This brick structure had stone trim. The stained glass windows were removed and stored for future use before the building was sold.

The Goodrich Congregation decided to leave the circuit and support a resident Pastor in 1920. The first parsonage stood where the Wheelock Auditorium in Reid Elementary now stands. The house was dedicated on February 5, 1922, with all indebtedness covered with pledges in the form of notes.

The Christian Education and Office unit was constructed in 1960 on 6 acres purchased in the 1950’s on the east side of M-15. The parsonage at 10407 Hegel Road was purchased in May 1965. A dedication and mortgage burning ceremony took place on October 23, 1966.

In 1969, plans for a new worship center began. Six years later the groundbreaking ceremony was held on October 26, 1975. The cost of the new worship center, service kitchen and Fellowship Area was $205,000. It was completed in 1976.

The East Education Wing was built at a cost of approximately $375,000 and was in use by November of 1994, giving children expanded areas in which to learn and grow. A new building committee was formed in 1999 to begin the work of making the dreams and vision for a Family Life Center become a reality. On May 5, 2005, ground was broken for the long-awaited building.

The 30,000 square foot Family Life Center construction was completed in March 2006 at a cost of $2,100,000. The facilities include a full-size gym, restrooms (with locker room space), five classrooms, a fully licensed kitchen and dining room, two large storage rooms and a second-floor walking track. In the future, an elevator will be installed. Over 9,000 square feet of additional space on the second floor remains.