One-hundred-and-fifty years ago, the American Civil War thundered to a close, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C., and in Blooming Grove, Ohio, future president Warren G. Harding was born.

Lesser known, perhaps, is that 1865 was also the year R.C. Smith founded in the old Fawcett log cabin, in what was not yet even the town of Slaughter, the First United Methodist Church.

A tidy tale summed on a few of the stained glass windows at the back of the sanctuary in today’s church at 100 N Street Southeast, which was built in 1963 upon the congregation’s move from its second home near the site of the current Merrill Gardens construction on South Division Street.

For every one of its 150 years, the First United Methodist Church has been an active, vital part of the community.

A sampling of the congregation reads a bit like a who’s who of Auburn’s movers and shakers. Here are board members of ACAP Child and Family Services, board members of the Auburn Food Bank, present Councilman John Holman, former Mayor Chuck Booth and many educators, including former Auburn School District Superintendent James Fugate.

“It’s really surprising, that when you look around our congregation members, we have a lot of people who have fingers out into all aspects of the Auburn community,” said Church Secretary Kim Baker.

“I’m always impressed when we start asking people what other organizations they are part of, how many people stand up,” added Crystal Goetz, Christian education and family life ministries director at the church.

Today, First United Methodist supports a number of youth organizations, among them the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H and Campfire.

Every Monday evening for the last 20 years, it has been the site of the popular Auburn Food Bank-sponsored Community Supper. As a complement to the program, a medical van rolls in every other week, providing free health care for people who otherwise could not afford it.

ACAP Child and Family Services, which was founded at the church in the 1960s, is now back at the roost.

Every Christmas, the church is the site of the Marine Corps Toys for Tots. The Corps collects the toys and brings them to distribution centers like the Auburn church and the DSHS (Department of Social and Health Services) offices, where they are given as holiday gifts to needy children in the community. The DSHS makes a list of clients on public assistance who are active, pending or recently closed and provides that list to Toys for Tots. The Auburn church got involved five ago after DSHS asked if it would be willing to host a distribution.

From 4:30 to 6 p.m. Oct. 25, as it does every year, the church will hold its Trunk or Treat event in the parking lot, letting local kids garner their goodies from the decorated and candy-stuffed trunks of vehicles.

It is among the few churches in Auburn that still has a church organ, and an organist to play it.

There’s vacation Bible School in the summer, and there are evening Bible studies.

On Sundays it offers the classic worship service, Sunday School, and finally a modern worship service that brings a more relaxed style with a band-leading program.

It also provides for the emergency needs of struggling families.

From 1 to 4:30 p.m., Oct. 10 the church plans to celebrate every single one the candles on its cake by offering the community a self-guided tour of its history, in images displayed throughout the building. Videos, photos, entertainment and artifacts and opportunities to chat with church members will be part of the event.

A reservation-only dinner is at 5 p.m. after the open house, providing a delicious dinner, music, entertainment, and guest speakers. The cost is $10 per seat, and RSVPs must be made by Thursday, Oct. 1.

To make a reservation or for additional information, contact Crystal Goetz at 253-833-3470.