First United Methodist Church Pasadena has been a part of the Pasadena community for nearly 150 years, always located in the heart of the city.
 
In 1923, a lot was purchased on Colorado Boulevard at Oakland Avenue and construction  on our present day building began. The congregation moved into Sunday School rooms and held worship services in the Great Hall, beginning with a full orchestra. There were also weekly movies and roller skating. In December 1924, the completed church 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.

The 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).

The Organ: The Organ was constructed in 1924 by the EM Skinner Organ company of Boston, Massachusetts and renovated in 1974. Ernest Skinner (1866-1960) was one of the most successful organ builders of the early 20th century. Our organ is built in six divisions: pedal, choir, great, swell, solo, and echo, having 6 stops, 27 couplers, 30 adjustable positions and 3,400 speaking pipes. A hand-carved case holds displayed pipes.

The 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 (in the center below) 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.