History of Marion FMC

The Marion Society became a reality on October 28, 1878. Rev. W. C. Thompson, who was pastor of the Cedar Rapids Free Methodist Church, also became pastor to the new Marion Society.  Some of the charter members were: Mrs. Humphrey, Mrs. Suzy McGowan, and Mr. William McGowan. Services were first held in the home of John Holman, next in a Seventh Day Adventist Church, and as growth continued a building was purchased and placed on the corner of 7th St and 4th Ave in Marion.  Services and activities were organized from that site until the late 1960's when the church doors were closed, the building sold, and the work declared "...under the superintendent."

The Free Methodist Church in Marion lay dormant for about the next decade until 1977, ninety-nine years after the organization of the first society, when the work began again under the leadership of the Toddville pastor, Rev Donald L. Brail, and the Iowa conference Superintendent, Rev. J. Wesley Wilson.  In 1978 using land donated by Thomas E. McGowan, construction began on the new church building.

August 10, 2020 our church building was heavily damaged by the derecho. After three years and $250k dollars the church building has been repaired, remolded and modernized. 

Today....