Epworth United Methodist Church — A Reconciling Congregation
1953 HOPKINS STREET • BERKELEY CA 94707 • 510. 524. 2921 • Directions • Contact Us
WORSHIP 10:00 AM • SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:15 AM • SENIOR HIGH 11:20 AM
NURSERY 9:45 AM - 12:20 PM • ADULT EDUCATION 11:30
1953 HOPKINS STREET • BERKELEY CA 94707 • 510. 524. 2921 • Directions • Contact Us
WORSHIP 10:00 AM • SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:15 AM • SENIOR HIGH 11:20 AM
NURSERY 9:45 AM - 12:20 PM • ADULT EDUCATION 11:30
History
Epworth is the name of the town in England where John Wesley, a founder of Methodism, was born. Berkeley’s Epworth was formed in 1952, when Northbrae Methodist Church and Epworth University Church joined to form a new congregation.
A Bit More History (adapted from a piece written by Mary M. Porter in October 1987, for the 35th anniversary)
The California Conference of the North Methodist Church began extension work in our area as early as 1877. A small group of folks met in the Ocean View school house (West Berkeley area) in October 1878. A “First Methodist” church grew out of this group, and Trinity Methodist, established in 1883 was an outgrowth of “First” in east Berkeley. It moved to its present location (Dana and Durant Avenue) in 1927.
The Northbrae Methodist Church was organized in February 1923 as a neighborhood church in a new residential section. The location chosen is that of our present Epworth Church, erected in 1923-24.
The Pacific Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, organized in 1852 in San Francisco, was also active in early California, establishing churches for southerners who had come to the state. The Epworth Church was organized in 1903. By 1906, a church was built on the northeast corner of Durant and Telegraph Avenues, and provided a home for refugees of the San Francisco earthquake.
The Union of the North and the South churches in 1939-40 changes things locally. Student work was centered at Trinity Church, and it was decided that two Methodist churches so near each other were unnecessary. Conversations had begun with the Northbrae Church, and in early 1952 the decision was made to unite Northbrae and Epworth. Since the name of Northbrae was often confused with the Northbrae Community Church, it was decided to take the name of Epworth, later becoming Epworth United Methodist when the United Brethren members joined the denomination.
After finishing the educational unit of the building in 1954, the congregation raised the money to remodel the sanctuary, completed in 1959 almost as it is today.