Our story

In 1902, a group of five men: Captain T.C. Brown, Mr. H.J. Sterling, Mr. Ernest Sparks, Mr. L.W. Hubbard and Mr. J.J. Schabinger got together and composed a letter to the Methodist Church in West Palm Beach. They asked for help in establishing a church in Delray.  Once approved, funds were raised quickly. The railroad donated the property, people pledged from 50cents to $25.00 and pledges of labor were secured to construct the building. The first service at the Methodist Episcopal Church South in Delray was held on March 17, 1903, with 12 members and Rev. C. Fred Blackburn as pastor.  The building was not complete, without doors or windows and sailcloth covering part of the roof.

In the 1920s Delray had its first building boom and the original church building on the corner of Swinton and Atlantic Ave. became too small for the congregation. A new building was started on the corner of Federal Highway and NE 1st Street.  The congregation was able to    hold the first service in the unfinished building on Easter Sunday 1928. However, in September of that same year, a hurricane demolished the original building and severely damaged the new (unfinished) one on Federal Highway. The original bell from the first church steeple which had called everyone in town to Sunday School for many years, was still usable and was given to the St. Paul AME Church where it stands today in front of their church on NW 5th Ave . 

The town and the congregation continued to grow, so by the 1960s, the lack of space for activity rooms and parking led the congregation to consider another move.  In 1963, the church bought our current property  at the comer of Swinton Ave. and Lake Ida Road,  was the original homestead of John J. Schabinger, one of the 5 men to organize the church.

 Groundbreaking for the new church building took place Thursday, August 29, 1968. Work began on the new church and continued until it was finished in 1969. On Palm Sunday 1969, the new spire was put into place atop the new church under construction. The first service at Cason United Methodist Church took place on Sunday, September 7, 1969, and the following Sunday, September 14, 1969, the official opening service, there were over 650 in attendance. 

We recently celebrated our 120th birthday, and we remain a light shining God's love in our community.  Over the past five years, Cason has experienced renewal. We have done the hard work of asking God how can we help? How can we embrace and catch the “new thing” God is always doing.
 
But one thing will never change – our congregation will always be a place where anyone  can find and know the love of God, and be part of an inclusive, missional faith community, loving others as Christ loved us.

Join us at Cason, where all are welcome and all are loved.