Our History

1894

First Methodist Church was established in Palo Alto in 1894, the year the city was incorporated. Land, encompassing most of the current site at Hamilton Avenue and Webster Street, had been donated and money had been pledged for construction of a church building. During construction, the 24 charter members of the church met for Sunday services in Nortree Hall, a meeting room over a store on University Avenue. By the time the picturesque redwood church was completed two years later, the membership had grown to 58.

1914

In the next 15 years, the membership flourished and outgrew the original redwood church. The congregation built a traditional-style white stucco house of worship, dedicated in 1914, on the site of the redwood church. The stucco church building was enlarged with a new parsonage in 1948, major remodeling in 1949, and a new education building and fellowship hall that were added in 1952. (These were extensively remodeled in 2000.) Five years later, the congregation recognized the need for a newer, larger house of worship. They also made a commitment to remain on the same site to build a major downtown church, rather than move to another area of Palo Alto where land was less expensive.

1961

The membership was committed to creating a nontraditional and architecturally spectacular house of worship that would meet the needs of the growing congregation as well as be a place the community could meet for musical and cultural events. Carlton Arthur Steiner of Berkeley, who had designed the education building and fellowship hall earlier, was selected as the architect for this challenging project. Construction began in 1961 on the 1,050-person capacity “Contemporary Gothic” building. The general contractor was Theo G. Meyer and Sons of San Francisco. The sanctuary was consecrated in 1963 by Dr. (later Bishop) Marvin Stuart.

Time Changes

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1894

Where It Started

First Methodist Church was established in Palo Alto in 1894, the year the city was incorporated. Land, encompassing most of the current site at Hamilton Avenue and Webster Street, had been donated and money had been pledged for construction of a church building. During construction, the 24 charter members of the church met for Sunday services in Nortree Hall, a meeting room over a store on University Avenue. By the time the picturesque redwood church was completed two years later, the membership had grown to 58.

1914

Growth

In the next 15 years, the membership flourished and outgrew the original redwood church. The congregation built a traditional-style white stucco house of worship, dedicated in 1914, on the site of the redwood church. The stucco church building was enlarged with a new parsonage in 1948, major remodeling in 1949, and a new education building and fellowship hall that were added in 1952. (These were extensively remodeled in 2000.) Five years later, the congregation recognized the need for a newer, larger house of worship. They also made a commitment to remain on the same site to build a major downtown church, rather than move to another area of Palo Alto where land was less expensive.

1961

Modern Years

The membership was committed to creating a nontraditional and architecturally spectacular house of worship that would meet the needs of the growing congregation as well as be a place the community could meet for musical and cultural events. Carlton Arthur Steiner of Berkeley, who had designed the education building and fellowship hall earlier, was selected as the architect for this challenging project. Construction began in 1961 on the 1,050-person capacity “Contemporary Gothic” building. The general contractor was Theo G. Meyer and Sons of San Francisco. The sanctuary was consecrated in 1963 by Dr. (later Bishop) Marvin Stuart.

About the Architecture

The “bones” of the new sanctuary were 19 massive poured-in-place concrete piers that extend upward from beneath the basement-level to meet 73 feet above the main aisle. Other basic structural elements were poured in place except the roof panels, which were precast, raised by a crane, and tied together at the ridge. The roof pieces contain 1,500 brilliantly hued small glass inserts. To ensure good acoustics, the face of the balcony was undulated. The unique circular motif lighting fixtures, made of spun steel with a brass finish, weigh 600 pounds and were bolted to the roof.

Inside the sanctuary, an enormous hand-carved reredos (screen) frames the cross. The circle, without beginning and end, a symbol for expressing the eternalness of God, can be seen on the reredos, in the railings and the ends of the pews, and in the light fixtures. Each candelabra represents the three lights of the Trinity. The communion table and baptismal font are made of white Vermont marble.

The 14,000-square foot lower level comprises meeting and storage rooms, a kitchen, and two sunken gardens, including what is now the Memorial Garden.

The building process took two years and cost approximately $1,350,000 inclusively. This would be the only church building Steiner ever designed.

“This architecture exemplifies what should be true of the life of every Christian: that it is founded on the heritage of the past, but takes always new forms relevant to the present age.“
— Robert Lee Stuart

Dwelle Chapel

Adjacent to the sanctuary, the simple, intimate 140-person capacity Dwelle Memorial Chapel was constructed. Architecturally conventional, it utilized several items from the prior stucco church: altar, pulpit, communion rail, and two beautiful stained glass windows: “Christ Kneeling in Gethsemane” and “Christ Knocking at the Door of Everyman’s Life.”

Merritt C. Speidel
Memorial Organ

The Merritt C. Speidel Memorial Organ, recently extensively renovated and enhanced, occupies a unique niche as one of the largest organs in the Bay Area, with more than 6,300 pipes. Named for Merritt C. Speidel, the principal donor, it was installed when the new sanctuary was constructed. The organ is capable of satisfying the requirements of all liturgical and concert literature. It also can render 19th and 20th century organ literature with distinctive flair and fidelity. It is joined in the chancel section of the sanctuary by a Bosendorfer grand piano.