In January, 1913, Dr. A.J. Chandler donated a large lot on the southeast corner of Chandler Blvd. and California St. for a church.The first building for what was then, the Methodist Episcopal church, was The first service was held on Mother’s Day, May 3. The building was made of wood with no windows – just canvas flaps around the entire structure. It was commonly known around town as the “old flap church”dedicated on that site in April, 1914.

In 1938 the canvas flaps were replaced by Gothic windows, and by 1940 the sanctuary had been remodeled into a 1,000 sq. ft. southwestern mission style building.

In 1956 a campaign was launched to raise funds for a completely new sanctuary.The old building was sold and moved out of town on May 1, 1959.Groundbreaking for the new sanctuary was celebrated in May 1960 with services held in the Fellowship Hall until the following Thanksgiving when the first service was held in the new sanctuary.

Through the years that the Chandler United Methodist Church stood on that corner, we served the community in many ways, through outreach programs, support of social service agencies and ministering to people of all walks of life.

We turned a new chapter in our history when we moved to our new church site on the north side of Chandler Hgts. Rd., just east of Arizona Ave. in March of 2008.But our mission remains the same: connecting people to Jesus Christ. As we grow, we will always have the rich history as “Chandler’s First Church”.