Our History

Methodists have been meeting in the Gladeville area since around 1810.  The first meeting place was in John Rice’s log cabin.  The Methodists continued to meet there until about 1814.  Then a meeting house called “Giliad” was built on Benjamin Nichols’ land on Odum Lane off Stewart’s Ferry Pike just east of I 840.   Methodists met there until around 1827.

In 1833 Benjamin Hooker deeded 6 acres of land for a school and church.  This is where we worship today.  The first church was made of logs and built in the shape of a cross. It was known as the “Glade Meeting House.”  John Rice was the first preacher. That building served the early church for many years including the years during the Civil War.

In 1890 another building was erected a white frame building with two doors in the front and one in the back.  There were no Sunday School classrooms, just one large room serving as both the sanctuary and classroom.  It was heated by two pot-bellied stoves at the front of the church and lighting was provided by kerosene lamps.

In 1946 the white frame building was replaced by a new brick structure consisting of a sanctuary, a basement, and three Sunday School classrooms.  Since 1946, there have been many additions and changes to this structure.  The current Fellowship Hall and kitchen was completed in 2000.  In 2003 a music room, two Sunday School classrooms, and a storage room were added to the Fellowship Hall.  Later this was remodeled and became our Youth Room.

In 2007, Gladeville United Methodist Church stepped out in faith and asked for God’s blessing as we started a new building campaign for the construction of a new Worship Center, a small kitchen area and restrooms, a gathering area, and additional office and Sunday School space.  It also included a remodeling project of the previous existing space, such as the former sanctuary which became our Historical Chapel including a baptismal pool, another Sunday School class, hallway with historical pictures and past history of our church. During this renovation, we were able to keep the stained glasses windows.   On June 28, 2009, the new Worship Center and the new building were dedicated.

On February 27, 2023, a Church Conference was held where our congregation voted to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church.  On May 22, 2023, the Tennessee and Western Kentucky United Methodist Annual Conference approved our request.  

Over 200+ years our church has had several names, 1833 Gladeville Methodist Episcopal Church, 1845 Gladeville Methodist Episcopal Church South, 1939 Gladeville Methodist Church, 1968 Gladeville United Methodist Church, and 2023 Gladeville Methodist Church.