The beautiful Central United Methodist Church (CUMC), the first Protestant church in the Philippines, was founded on March 5, 1899 during the American Occupation and originally named the Central Methodist Episcopal Church. The church’s history is closely intertwined with that of Knox United Methodist Church. Both churches were the result of Filipino-American ties during the surrender of Manila in 1898.
Central United Methodist Church (CUMC)
On August 28, 1898, the first Protestant worship service in the Philippines, officiated by Rev. George C. Stull, was attended by both American soldiers and Filipino civilians. During the Philippine–American War, the congregation separated itself from Knox United Methodist Church, the American component, who transferred its services to the YMCA and was organized in 1899.
The massive pointed, Gothic-style arch of the facade
On December 23, 1901, its first chapel of the CUMC was completed but, in November 1906, it was replaced by a structure, designed by C.B. Ripley, made of stone. In 1916, the church was renamed as the Central Student Church and, in 1932, the present structure, the third church on site, was designed by Juan Marcos Arellano using Gothic Revival architecture, was completed and inaugurated on June 19, 1932. That same year, it was elevated to a cathedral. Among Methodists the church is known as the “cathedral.”
National Historical Institute (NHI) plaque installed in 1985 (Tagalog)
During the Liberation of Manila in 1945, fighting between the combined Filipino and American troops and the Japanese Imperial forces severely damaged the CUMC and rendered it unusable. Its congregation was again reunited with Knox United Methodist Church until 1949, when the CUMC was rebuilt, following its original Arellano design, in its original site along San Luis Street (now T.M. Kalaw Street). The rebuilt church was inaugurated on December 25, 1949. In 1985, a historical marker was installed by the National Historical Institute.
Since then, membership of CUMC has shifted rapidly, from predominantly American to a mixed Filipino and American demographic. Former Chief JusticeJosé Abad Santos and Dr. Jorge Bocobo (former Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, 1942-44) used to congregate here.
Central United Methodist Church: 694 Kalaw Ave.cor. Taft Ave., Brgy. 666, Ermita, Manila, 1000 Metro Manila. Tel: (02) 8525 7329. Fax: (02) 8525-7590. E-mail: info@cumc-manila.org. Website: www.cumc-manila.org. Sunday church services here are held in Tagalog (8 AM), Ilocano (9:20 AM) and English (10:40 AM). Vesper at 5:30 PM. Coordinates: 14.582662°N 120.983586°E.
How to Get There: Take the LRT to United Nations Avenue Station. The church is across from Plaza Olivia Salamanca.