Northridge United Methodist Church
The beginning…
In the mid 1950’s a development began in an area north of Springfield, named Northridge. Some 500 residents resided there by the latter part of the 1950’s and predictions were that by 1970 there would be 1700 homes built.
During the summer of 1957, Dr. Roland Carter, then pastor of Central Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Springfield, was visiting parishioners in the Northridge Subdivision. He felt that there was certainly a need for a church in the area. Families and future members were meeting in the basement of the developer’s office and were known as the Northridge Community Church. Dr. Carter contacted the Methodist Church District Office and presented his idea, after which the Methodist Union voted to establish a church to be known as Northridge Methodist Church. Two lots were purchased; one being 3.6 acres where the current church sits and the other on Ridgewood Rd. West. The Ridgewood Road West lot was significant because this would serve as the temporary church until the church building on Derr Road was completed. The parsonage church was completed on December 14, 1957.
The first worship service was held in this shell of a home on January 5, 1958 as Rev. B.B. Fleming, a retired clergyman, was called to lead the congregation. That Sunday there were over 100 people in attendance. Soon after, John Hinkle, a seminary student, was assigned as pastor but was later transferred. The District Superintendent then informed the Pastor Parish Relations Committee that the Conference determined that no church with less than 300 members warranted a full-time pastor. The fledgling Northridge church needed a full-time pastor to minister to a growing number of people that had become regular attendees.
Many obstacles, such as finding temporary housing for a full-time minister and their family, financial difficulties, a severe winter which caused construction problems of the new church and worshiping in a temporary building were finally overcome. Rev. Roland Wildman and his family came to lead the congregation. With the church construction complete, everyone was ready to leave the house on Ridgewood Rd. West, which would later become the parsonage. With great joy, the first service in the new church building was held on August 25, 1963.
Through the Years…
Northridge Methodist Church became important in the rapid development of the area where many young families bought affordable new homes. Children and adults were welcomed to Worship, Sunday School, Choirs, Bible Study, Bible School, Youth Fellowship, Family Retreats, Women’s Group, Family Study Groups, Men’s activities, Thanksgiving Services and Candlelight Service on Christmas Eve. As a result of the growth there was the need to increase the capacity of the building. At the same time, by virtue of another denomination [Evangelical United Brethren] merging with the Methodist Church, the name was changed, and we became known as Northridge United Methodist Church.
Through the years, more classrooms were added. In 1993 and 2007, two major building projects were completed: one being the addition of the Fellowship Hall and the other increasing the size of the sanctuary and adding an Education Wing, completed in 2008. Many activities and programs were added with each new era. The congregation and its parishioners continued to reach out to others in the community and elsewhere in the world through “Seeking, Serving and Sharing the Love of Jesus Christ.”
In 2013, a home on Derr Rd., south of 344, came on the market. A couple of parishioners took a look at it, and liking both the home and the wooded setting it was nestled in, approached the Finance Committee and Church Board about purchasing this home. The new parsonage at 3501 Derr Rd. was purchased in November of 2013, and the Woode family moved from the old parsonage, and it was sold.
Ministers of Northridge United Methodist Church
Rev. B.B. Fleming 1958-1960
Rev. John Hinkle 1960-1962
Rev. Roland E. Wildman, Jr. 1962-1972
Rev. Walter R. Dickhaut, Jr. 1972-1977
Rev. Paul H. Bassett 1977-1981
Rev. Dr. Kenneth A. Beals 1981-1987
Rev. Richard E. Steigledger 1987-1994
Rev. Scott Griswold 1994-1996
Rev. Brenda K. Lifland 1997-2003
Rev. J. Roger Fischer 2003-2006
Pastor Sanford D. Short 2006-2007
Pastor Ken Woode, Jr. 2007-2024
Rev. Dr. Karen A. Crawford 2024-present