A Plan for the Future!

First United Church Methodist Takes First Step to Relocate

By a margin of 94%, the congregation of First United Methodist Church voted to negotiate a contract to purchase 64 acres of land located southwest of the intersection of Madison Blvd. and Price Rd., just ¾ mile east of the Washington Park Mall. The All-Church Conference and vote was held Sunday, August 2, and was conducted by Sr. Minister, the Reverend Dr. Kevin Tully, and Bartlesville District Superintendent for the Oklahoma United Methodist Church, the Reverend Maurice Major. The vote was in favor of negotiating a contract (for an undisclosed amount) on the entire 64 acres. The vote was taken by secret ballot. Church regulations require that only members present are able to vote.

Earlier in the year, the church members passed a resolution by 76% to relocate the church. A Church Relocation Committee was formed and the Madison/Price Rd. parcel of land was scouted, studied, and proposed. Several open informational sessions were held at the church concerning the land proposal. A packet of specific information regarding the location proposal and financial issues were given to members in attendance and mailed out to all members who were not able to attend those sessions.

First United Methodist Church has sat on its current site in downtown Bartlesville for over 100 years but the building has become land-locked. The new site is located in the center of Bartlesville growth patterns and it has high visibility to the downtown and surrounding regions. It has easy accessibility in the city and in all four directions for the large rural area served by First Church. Surrounding land is already under development or platted for new homes.

“We are looking to our future; the future of First United Methodist Church in Bartlesville,” says Dr. Kevin Tully. “This land purchase offers unlimited possibilities for our church; for growth and accessibility. We are looking forward to consolidating the children’s areas, indoor and outdoor areas for youth and children, a family life center, convenient parking, and much, much more. We are only beginning the planning stage now and there is ample time for dreaming of all the things that can be done with so much room. The main thing is that we had a great turnout for the vote, an overwhelmingly positive response, and we’re going to move!”

View a photo slideshow of the purchased land by clicking here.