Bethel United Methodist Church is a small membership church located just west of Tallahassee, Florida. Bethel prides itself as a small church with a big heart, with the motto “Seeking the Life in Grace as the Way of Life”.
Bethel traces its beginning to a brush arbor meeting, held on the banks of a nearby pond, in 1834. Since that time, it has had a continuous presence in the lives of families and individuals in this community.
Bethel is also rich in the history of the Methodist movement in northwest Florida. In 1909, the congregation started building the present sanctuary. The windows contain the original panes with the imperfections of early glass. The interior of the church was not completed until 1947. The narthex was added in 1970, and the steeple in 1972. The Pulpit was used by Bishop Joshua Soule on February 6, 1845, when he convened the first Florida Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in Trinity Methodist Church in Tallahassee. Trinity gave the Pulpit to Bethel Church circa 1895. The chancel rail, communion table, and two of the pulpit chairs were part of Trinity Church during the 1800’s and were given to Bethel in 1946.
In the early 1990’s, Bethel was left a generous gift by a long-time member for the care of the church and youth ministries. The Trustees have been faithful stewards of these funds, not only in support of local ministry but also the ministry of the Florida Conference through investment in the Development Fund of the Foundation.