In 1962 a new congregation was born. It was Saint Matthew’s Methodist Church. This wasn’t just any church. It was a beacon of hope in Acton Massachusetts.
Saint Matthew’s Methodist Church began humbly. Early meetings took place in members’ homes. They even used the Community Center now known as Theater III. Twenty-seven people attended the first service. That was on Worldwide Communion Sunday in October 1962. The church was formally organized on December 16 1962.
The Reverend Gary Campbell became Saint Matthew’s Methodist Church’s first full-time pastor in 1963. The church quickly grew. It bought 11 1/2 acres of land. One hundred people became charter members by Easter 1963. Campbell oversaw the construction of a parsonage and the church building itself. Groundbreaking was in October 1964. The parsonage opened in May 1965. They moved into the educational wing and multipurpose hall in November 1965. The fellowship hall was dedicated as Campbell Hall in 1968.
Under the Reverend Ellis Johnson many new programs flourished. One was the Boston University student intern program. This began in 1970. The church hosted one to four interns for years. These interns were vital to the church’s growth and activities.
Saint Matthew’s Methodist Church wasn’t untouched by the Vietnam War. Members who served in World War II struggled to understand the draft. Some interns offered draft counseling. The church lost some members over the war.
The 1970s brought economic hardship. Many engineers lost jobs. However the church community persevered. Some members changed careers started businesses or simply waited for better times.
One member fondly recalled the early days. They felt a close family atmosphere. Acton was less transient then. But that changed. Many families joined became strong members then moved away. A large fir tree was planted in the early 1970s. It honored twenty members who left in a single week.
Changes impacted the church’s women. A member described how the United Methodist Women’s circles and meetings changed. Before everyone went to work they’d have brunches and morning meetings. They couldn’t do that anymore.
The Reverends Charles Shook and Landon Lindsay also contributed significantly during the 1970s. Shook was a BU professor. Lindsay was the Pastor of Human Relations for the General Conference. They worked in social justice adult education and worship.
Rick Black became pastor in 1983. He brought energy and common sense. He had a great sense of humor and emphasized social justice. In 1998 under Kent Moorehead Saint Matthew’s Methodist Church built a new worship space. This included a choir room and a large lower level.
The church faced more challenges in the following years. Many families moved away because of job relocations. But Saint Matthew’s Methodist Church proved resilient. It persevered through change. Rev Bob Moore led the church from 2005 to 2011. Growth and healing occurred. The church’s commitment to justice deepened. Rev Steve-Garnaas-Holmes served from 2011 to 2020. The current pastor is Rev Jinwoo Chun. A 2018 forum celebrated Saint Matthew’s Methodist Church’s history and its meaning to the community.