History of Grass Valley United Methodist Church

The “Gold Rush” of 1849, not only brought thousands of fortune seekers to Northern California, it also attracted pastors, intent on establishing churches in the new towns, hoping to save some of the gold miner’s souls. Rev. Isaac Owen was a Methodist preacher who arrived in the west with a wagon train. On Sunday, September 23, 1849, the group was camped near Grass Valley, and after the wagons were placed in a circle, Rev. Owen pushed his cane into the soft ground, placed his hat upon it to resemble a pulpit and delivered his morning sermon, possibly the first Methodist worship service in the area.

By 1855, a small church building was erected, and about twenty years later, it was replaced by a larger structure near downtown Grass Valley. The new church became a landmark in the community and a source of pride for all Methodists. The congregation, made up mostly of Cornish miners and their families, flourished. The church stood proudly for sixty-three years until the afternoon of August 19, 1936, when a fire destroyed the church, the next-door parsonage and Epworth Chapel, located in the rear of the property. The local newspaperheadline screamed, “Towering Church Steeple Bows to Fire Fiend,” accompanied by a photo of the blazing 125-foot steeple.

Before the ashes cooled, money was being raised and plans made for a newbuilding. Many of the windows in the present sanctuary were given by members in memory of their Gold Rush ancestors who started the church. Reflecting their heritage, the congregation has made and sold thousands of Cornish pasties over the years to finance special projects, help pay off mortgages and for the work of the church. The pasty bake is now a monthly event, always welcoming visitors and new helpers. In recent years, it has even led to a new nickname. In some circles, the Grass Valley United Methodist Church is simply known as “The Church That Pasties Built.”