Bellevue United Methodist Church7501 Old Harding RoadNashville, TN  37221
 Historical background and highlights

1784   In England, John Wesley, at the age of 81, sends ordained priest Thomas Coke to America to organize an American Methodist Church and to ordain Francis Asbury and others. In December, the “Christmas Conference” is held at Lovely Lane Chapel in Baltimore, Maryland to constitute the new church, the Methodist Episcopal Church in America.

1790  Newton, Allison, and Levin Edney, from Pasquo-Tank, North Carolina settle in Davidson County, TN.

1799  Newton and Allison Edney buy 500 acres of land on the Harpeth River from Thomas Molloy and Henry Dunham. 

1803  At the Second Annual Tennessee Conference, Bishop Francis Asbury appoints Levin        Edney to the Nashville Circuit.  Several families worship in their “Methodist- Episcopal” faith both outdoors and in their homes. 

1809  On Sept. 5, Newton Edney deeds to his brother Levin, Aquilla Sugg, and William Roach a plot of land to build a house of worship. It was named Edney’s Meeting House.   The congregation to become BUMC is officially born. 

1813 Edney’s Meeting House burns to the ground after a school boy discovers a hive of  bees on the structure and tries to burn it out. One mile to the west, on “Backbone Ridge”, a new structure is built and named Edney’s Chapel.  

1855 The N&C (Nashville & Chattanooga) Railroad places track through “Belleview,”             destining this community, rather than Pasquo, as the geographical hub of the area.

1910  Church members John F. and Anna Joslin Thompson deed the congregation land on the north side of the Big Harpeth River on Old Harding Road to replace the 97-year-old Edney’s Chapel. On Sept 20 the new Belleview Methodist-Episcopal Church South at 7544 Old Harding Rd is dedicated and a Sunday School is organized.  

1939   The three separate Methodist denominations, The Methodist-Episcopal Church, The Methodi-Episcopal Church South and The Methodist Protestant Church unite to form The Methodist Church. 

1946   Two denominations with Methodist-influenced roots, The Evangelical Church and  The United Brethren Church unite to become The Evangelical United Brethren Church (EUB). 

1950    A fellowship hall and kitchen are added to Belleview Methodist Church at its                  7544 Old Harding Road location.  The fellowship hall doubles as Sunday school  classrooms. 

1965    The congregation raises the funds to purchase land at 7501 Old Harding Rd. Thus the site of the “new” (and current) Belleview Methodist Church is obtained. 

1969    The name “Belleview” is changed to “Bellevue” to reflect the current spelling used  in the area. On Aug 31, Bellevue United Methodist Church holds its last service at  544 Old Harding Road  and on Sept 7,  the congregation has its first service at the new location, 7501 Old Harding Road.  “Phase One” of the church building is completed with a sanctuary, a small office, and an educational wing. 

1976   “Phase Two” of BUMC is completed with a new sanctuary.  The original sanctuary becomes a multipurpose fellowship hall; the church office becomes a kitchen. With foresight, the new sanctuary is planned to eventually to become the church’s Fellowship Hall.  A new entrance to sanctuary is created through a foyer which also has new offices for the pastor and church secretary. On November  21, a Consecration Service is held for the additions. 

1983   The congregation celebrates its 175^th anniversary.                        

1988    On May 29 the groundbreaking for “Phase Three” is held.  The church building running perpendicular to the original education wing, is created for education rooms for children, the nursery, bathrooms, and a choir room.  An enclosed garden is created accessible through the original church entry.  A steeple is placed atop the new foyer. 

1993   The loan on the church parsonage at 7515 Old Harding Road is paid off and a         dedication is held on May 22. 

1997   On May 18 the groundbreaking for “Phase Four” is held.  The 1976 sanctuary is converted into a “large fellowship hall” with a large, commercial kitchen.  The education wing is restructured to include a utility room and bathroom with showers to enhance the ministry to the homeless.  Living quarters for the custodian, a reconfigured  small fellowship hall, wide hallway, larger church library, additional classroom, a chapel, space for the Bellevue Community Food Bank, a welcome center, church offices, choir suite, and a new sanctuary.   

1998   One year later, on May 17 the Consecration service is held in the beautiful new           sanctuary. On August 30, the “large fellowship hall” (former sanctuary) is dedicated. On October 11, the congregation first views in the sanctuary the beautiful stained glass window with the descending white dove.  

1999 - 2000    A pre-school playground is built behind the church and accessible to the      children’s wing.  Donated to the church in memory of Miriam Minter (Ann Snead Reed’s mother). 

2000    A memorial garden is created in the courtyard adjacent to the steeple entrance as     a Columbarium with a wall of niches for holding cremated remains. In the new sanctuary, a new Schantz organ is installed and first played for worship on March 26.  On May 22, the dedication recital is played by guest organist Steven J. Morris from Houston, TX.             

2001   A wall is removed between two classrooms in the education wing to create the               Youth Suite. 

2002    The “large fellowship hall” is officially named the Greer Christian Life Center in memory of Aubrey and Mary Frances (“Fran”) Greer. 

2009    Bellevue United Methodist Church celebrates its Bicentennial Anniversary with 200 years of faithful ministry and service to God’s honor and Bellevue United Methodist Church                                                                                                        

                                                             Archives and History Committee