Backyard Treasure: Riverside Park United Methodist Church

Located in the heart of Riverside neighborhood, Riverside Park United Methodist Church has a long history. RPUMC began as a group of members of St. Matthews Methodist Episcopal Church, who met in the home of W.P. Spiers of Grape Street, now Ernest Street. The Church was officially organized as Riverside Episcopal Church on April 15, 1890, with Rev. W.D. Dowell as first pastor. The first sanctuary was built on Roselle Street in 1891. In 1905, property for a new sanctuary was bought at Park and Fisk streets and new sanctuary was built by 1911. The name was changed to Riverside Park Methodist Episcopal Church, South. In addition, an educational building was erected in 1930 honoring the 40-year career of L.P. McCord, the Sunday school superintendent.

The breathtaking sanctuary, which currently stands, was completed in 1926.  The exterior was designed by architect Leeroy Sheftall in a Gothic Revival style, featuring cast stone scrollwork and tracery, along with two sleepy gargolyes on the Park Street side. The thirty-two stained glass windows were designed by Henry Wilet of Philadelphia in the 1940s. The interior boats massive, wooden beams complementing the Gothic Revival style of the exterior. 

In 1966, the name of the congregation was officially changed to Riverside Park United Methodist Church. After over 120 years, the church still opens its doors each Sunday morning, 9:00 for a contemporary service and 11:00 for traditional and has over 400 members. In addition to Sunday mornings, the church holds Wednesday night classes such as yoga, painting and container gardening. Local community support is shown each August with "Rockin’ Back to School," a free event where over 300 backpacks filled with school supplies are distributed, and children are given physicals and vaccinations provided by St. Vincent’s Medical Center to get kids ready for school.

For more information on RPUMC, visit them on the web at http://riversideparkumc.com/ or call (904) 355-5491.

A special "thank you"
Riverside Avondale Preservation would like to take a moment and thank RPUMC for their generosity in loaning us their table linens for our Bootleggers Ball fundraiser.  For more informatio  and to purchase tickets, please visit www.rapbootleggersball.eventbrite.com