A long History of Service Almonesson United Methodist Church has been worshipping God and serving the Deptford and surrounding communities for 140 years.  Click HERE for a list of the Pastors who have served our church.

On April 9^th, 1867, a lot belonging to Mr. John Steward was purchased for the erection of a church 24 X 34 feet by the group of people who had been gathering regularly at the Almonesson School house to Worship. On June 25^th, 1867, seven men were elected to serve as Trustees for the Almonesson Methodist church. The total cost of construction was $1262.09. On June 7^th, 1868 the church was dedicated by Mr. Whitcar.

Growth made it necessary by 1909 to expand the existing facility to include a classroom, vestibule, and basement and was rededicated on September 12^th, 1909.

In 1921 the first full-time Pastor was assigned to Almonesson. The Rev. John VanNatta was paid a salary of $1000 per year.

In September 1921 a committee was appointed to arrange for the building of a parsonage at a total cost of $3925.84. The Ladies Aid Society and Sewing Circle’s concerned efforts raised $2568.35 toward the payment of the cost of the parsonage. It was completed in the Spring of 1922.

In September of 1941 the interior of the church was renovated and new pews installed. During this same year a movement was started to set up a building fund for a new Sunday School building. In November 1949 the work on the Educational building and Social Hall was started with ground breaking ceremonies being held on November 20^th with two of the oldest members taking part- Mrs. Martha Selby and J. Franklin Jaggard. The cornerstone laying ceremonies were held on May 6^th, 1950.

In 1957 the Busch property adjoining the church was purchased to be used primarily for Sunday School activities. After its purchase, the cost to maintain the property, and the high degree risk, it was decided to tear down the house and use the area for parking. 

In 1960 the attendance had increased to the point that serious consideration had to be given to the building of a new Sanctuary and a major fundraising effort began. A ground breaking ceremony was held on February 26^th, 1961 for the present Sanctuary. The Area Resident Bishop Fred Pierce Corson consecrated the new Sanctuary on December 17^th, 1961. The people of the Almonesson United Methodist Church rose to the occasion and the entire cost of building the new facility was paid and the mortgage burning took place at the retirement Dinner of Rev. Gordon McNaughton, with Dr. Ernest Lee, the District Superintendent, presiding. On January 20^th, 1974 the Service of Dedication was held with the Bishop Prince A. Taylor presiding.

The architecture of the new building is contemporary, designed in the form of praying hands, with a steeply pointed roof achieving this effect. The interior of the church is dominated by huge supporting beams of California redwood, which had to be shipped in on special freight cars because of their extreme size. The architect for the church was Mr. Oren Thomas, of the firm Albert & Thomas Architects, Pennsauken, NJ.

The original church building was purchased by the township and moved across the street to serve as the Deptford Township Library, until the present Library was built. It now serves as the home of Boy Scout Troop 62.

The front doors of the church were replaced in 2006 utilizing one of the stained glass windows from the original Sanctuary. Another stained glass window from the original building, "The Good Shepherd" , honoring Albert L. Cunard, who died on March 20, 1922, which had been installed one of the downstairs rooms when the new Sanctuary was built, was moved up to the Narthex by the Cunard family and dedicated to Elva and Alfred Cunard, Jr. on March 25, 2007.