Monroe United Methodist Church was located at 401 Sherrouse Avenue, Monroe, Louisiana.

Rev. W.C. Mason (of the Gordon Avenue Methodist Church) and D.S. Rev. H.M. Johnson led a group of laypersons that thought a church was needed in a growing area of Monroe. An organizational meeting was held by the two ministers and seventeen laypersons in March of 1945. Rev. Mason began holding services at the Sherrouse Elementary School. The name “Memorial” was proposed by Fred Willis and it was approved.

By September 1, the new congregation had 68 charter members. Three adjacent lots were purchased on Sherrouse Avenue. In the summer of 1946, the church got its first full-time pastor when Rev. George Pearce agreed to come over from Alexandria. A parsonage was soon acquired at 215 Bell Street. Work began on a two-story brick education building by November 1947 and the cornerstone was laid on February 8, 1948. During Rev. Pearce’s three years at Memorial, the membership rose to almost 500.

The original parsonage was sold in 1951 and a home on the same block as the church was purchased. After the purchase of two more lots and a donation from the real estate company, the church owned the entire block.

In 1953, fundraising began towards a new sanctuary. The new church was constructed in 1955-56 under the leadership of Rev. Ralph Cain. It’s first service was held on April 22, 1956. Since several items were excluded from the building contract to keep it under budget, additional work and items (such as air conditioning) were added afterwards. In 1970, the parking area was paved.

Memorial United Methodist Church merged with First United Methodist Church in December 2015.

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 NO-68.