| Grace United Methodist Church | |
|---|---|
 Grace United Methodist Church (2020) | |
  Grace United Methodist Church  Grace United Methodist Church  Grace United Methodist Church  Grace United Methodist Church | |
| 33°46′25″N84°22′19″W / 33.77361°N 84.37194°W /33.77361; -84.37194 | |
| Location | 458Ponce de Leon Avenue Atlanta,Georgia,United States |
| Denomination | United Methodist Church |
| Website | graceonponce |
| History | |
| Founded | 1871 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect | Francis Palmer Smith |
| Architectural type | Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1923 |
Grace United Methodist Church is aMethodist church inAtlanta,Georgia,United States. Originally organized as amission in 1871, the currentchurch building was designed byFrancis Palmer Smith and was completed in 1923.
The church was founded inAtlanta in 1871 asSt. John's Mission. The church adopted its current name 12 years later.[1] The church, initially part of theMethodist Episcopal Church, South,[2] changed locations several times in the first few decades of its existence.[1] By 1883, it was located in a building at the intersection of Wheat Street (nowAuburn Avenue) and Jackson Street.[3] In 1906, the church moved to a building at the intersection ofBoulevard andHighland Avenue.[1] This building was destroyed in theGreat Atlanta Fire of 1917, and shortly thereafter, the church used the insurance money from the destruction to purchase a property onPonce de Leon Avenue.[1] In 1918, the church built aSunday school building on the property.[1] Several years later, in 1922,architectFrancis Palmer Smith was hired to design a newchurch building at the site. According to a historian of Smith's, this project would be the "first largeecclesiastical project of Smith's career".[4] Smith designed this new church building in aGothic Revival style, with the building trimmed withIndiana Limestone.[4] Smith would go on to design several church buildings throughout Atlanta.[5]
During thecivil rights movement, the church was the site of an effort towards churchdesegregation when, on August 7, 1960, a small interracial group attended Sunday services at the church. This was part of a city-wide campaign towards church desegregation, as interracial groups attended services at other churches that day, includingFirst Presbyterian Church andSt. Mark Methodist Church.[6]
During the early 21st century, financial difficulties lead to the possibility that the church would close or relocate. However, in 2016, it was announced that the General Board of Global Ministries, a branch of theUnited Methodist Church, would relocate fromNew York City to Atlanta, and in the process would purchase the property belonging to Grace, allowing them to stay and continue to hold services in the building. To make room for the new group, the church held anestate sale that year.[7]
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