The history of Searcy First Methodist Church is long and rich. We can confidently trace our heritage back to the incorporation of Searcy in 1836, although it is believed our faith community began even earlier. Our congregation was originally part of the Little Rock Circuit and called the Little Red River Mission. It was then visited by circuit rider preachers who made their rounds on horseback.

In 1851 we were known as the Searcy Mission, and four lots of land where our sanctuary now sits were donated and deeded to our congregation by Israel M. Moore, a surveyer from Pennsylvania who settled in White County in 1836. A simple frame building was erected on the land and served the congregation until 1872 when it was rolled one block to the south, where our current Youth & Children's Building is today.

In 1874, our current sanctuary was completed and has been our home for worship for almost 150 years. Over the last 100 years, our campus has grown to add an education building, an additional chapel, business offices, multi-purpose gym, and a youth and children's building. Our campus also includes the Maribeth Kessler Mission Thrift Shop, which is housed in the Yarnell home on Center Street.

Over the course of our congregation's history, our campus and buildings may have changed, but the heartbeat of our church family has always been steady. Our faith community exists to glorify God, grow in full devotion to Jesus Christ, and to connect the unconnected.