Biography

Francis Asbury United Methodist Church was located at 15447 Old Hammond Highway, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

In early 1966, Rev. Frank Robinson was sent to organize a new Methodist Church in the eastern part of East Baton Rouge Parish. He spent his first few months visiting with families in the area. When the Louisiana Conference and District leaders purchased 10.6 acres of land at 15447 Old Hammond Hwy, 3 acres were deeded to the new church. In May, the first service was held in a tent (with a sawdust floor) on the property. They decided to name the church after the great Methodist, Francis Asbury.

The initial congregation of 60 people soon started on their first building -- now being used as the education building -- in the summer of 1967. The Anna Gray Noe Memorial Organ was donated to the church in 1971. In 1972, the Corbin United Methodist Church was added to Asbury. In 1973, the Joel Hedrick family donated their equity in a home to be used as a parsonage. A new parking lot was constructed.

As the church grew in membership, a larger church was needed. The present sanctuary was completed in May 1977. Since then, the education building, sanctuary, and kitchen have undergone renovations. A reconditioned building was constructed in 1976-1977 to increase space. A plan, called "Realizing the Vision", was undertaken in 1996 to renovate the sanctuary. Construction was scheduled to begin in the summer of 1997.

Francis Asbury disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church in May 2023.

Source: Timothy Hebert, “The Historical Register of the Louisiana Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church,” (Louisiana: Louisiana Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, 2004), page BR-25.

Found in 1 Collection or Record: