Heart of Longmont Methodist Church joins city in celebrating 150th birthday this year

The city isn’t alone in celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. Heart of Longmont Methodist Church also is marking its sesquicentennial — even if it is doing so mostly virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic

Ann Yoder and her husband, Gordon, have been members of the Heart of Longmont for 45 years. The couple moved to Longmont when Gordon Yoder was transferred to IBM in Boulder. 

“We had young children and we were looking for a church that would meet the needs of our children as they grew up and certainly, the First Methodist Church met those needs,” Ann Yoder said.

Ann Yoder is now the historian and chair of the anniversary committee at the church. 

The church opened in the spring of 1871, the same year Longmont was founded, according to an announcement from the Heart of Longmont Methodist. The first sermon in Longmont history was delivered by R.J. Van Valkenburg, according to the announcement.

While the church was being built, it held services in Library Hall until 1872, when it moved to a storefront building on South Main Street, where services were conducted on the second floor. 

After outgrowing the space, the church decided to move again, according to Yoder. In 1883, the church built its first building on Terry Street between Third and Fourth avenues, which is now Ahlberg’s Funeral Chapel. 

Twenty years later, in 1903, another new church was built on Terry Street. But the congregation outgrew the space. In 1959, Heart of Longmont Methodist moved one final time to 350 11th Ave.

Even though membership has declined over the past 20 years, Yoder said the newest location is still very active and tries to serve the neighborhood by hosting Boy and Girl Scout troops and the Wild Plum Head Start Program.

“(We) continue to care for the neighborhood and community in a variety of ways. Just recently we installed a second Free Little Library for people in the Kiteley neighborhood to enjoy,” Pastor David Burt said.  

Heart of Longmont Methodist is not holding in-person services right now because of the coronavirus pandemic, but it is celebrating its anniversary with monthly special Sunday services.

Heart of Longmont Methodist Church is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. By Courtesy photo

In previous years, the church has had events to celebrate its anniversary. 

“We would normally plan a reception, honoring all the former pastors, we’d have a big potluck dinner or a big picnic, but I’m not sure we can do that. So our planning is kind of on hold on some of the events until we see where we’re going to be,” Yoder said.

For the church’s 125th anniversary people came dressed in period costumes. 

Yoder said her favorite part about being a member of Heart of Longmont is her relationship to the people. “We’re like a family.”

Even though the Heart of Longmont is not holding in-person services, it is providing the community with sermons through YouTube and doing work in the community with the OUR Center, HOPE for Longmont and Habitat for Humanity. 

Bert said the church adopted a new purpose statement last year: “The Heart of Longmont strives to put more of God's love into the world.”