Our History

The Methodist Society, organized in Bluffton, built the first church and parsonage on Boundry Street in 1853. During the Civil War, two confederate soldiers saved the church from being burned.
In 1875 the church sold the building to the AME Church.
They formed a fellowship with the Methodists living in the Pritchardville area, and together they acquired the St. Luke's Episcopal Church building, cemetary and grounds establishing the beginning of the current St. Luke's UM church on 170.
Returning to Bluffton, in 1890 the first church was built on the current Calhoun St. site.
In 1940 this church was destroyed by a hurricane when one of the live oaks fell and landed right on the roof of the church building.
By 1945, under the leadership of the Charles E. Ulmer family a new building was built.
The educational building was constructed in 1962.
The present sanctuary was built in 1974 and was a gift from the W.L. Mingledorff family, including the chancel window in memory of Mr. Walter Mingledorff.
The church is now within Bluffton's National Register of Historic District and in 1996 was officialy entered in the National Register of Historic places.
In 2015 we expanded our sanctuary, and added wings to accommodate fellowship hall, music and education departments, classrooms and offices.

History Corner

The stained-glass window behind the choir loft was designed and executed for the Bluffton United Methodist Church by the Willet Studio, has a figure of Jesus in the center. He opens His arms in invitation saying, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden
and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you...” (Mathew 11:28. 29). A yoke is enclosed in a diamond shaped panel at His feet. He stands superimposed upon a cross; not hanging on to it, but its presence is there.

In the cross arms are the alpha and omega, first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. He said, “I am the alpha and omega, the beginning and the ending.” (Revelation 1:8).

At top is another symbol derived from the book of Revelation; the lamb holds a white banner with a red cross which is the banner of the victory of life over sin and death.

The background is composed of a decorative vine forming medallions ornamented with leaves and bunches of grapes. “I am the vine, ye are the branches” (John 15:5). Here people are representative of those who labor, those who are burdened and sick and a family group.

History Committee members: Al & Dian Litster, Joyce Atwood, Barbara McCann, Sarah Snow, Carolyn Smith, Gary Taylor and

Mark Thomas.
Historians, Al & Dian Litster, tallowal@sc.rr.com, 843-705-6221