M1 Church
OUR HISTORY
Martinsville First Church of the Nazarene started in a little "upper room" in downtown Martinsville, IN in 1935. Thirteen individuals organized the church and started having services in a rented upstairs room with one hanging light. That group believed God wanted a Nazarene Church to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in this community. The group prayed, fasted, invited, and grew. That room soon became too small, so property was obtained at Walnut & Graham Streets. In 1961, Pastor Earl Marvel set a standard with over 1,000 in attendance for Easter! That facility also became too small. In 1968, under the leadership of Pastor Jim Palmer... new property was purchased in the Sunrise Edition of Martinsville. Parsonage #1 was constructed that year, with the Sanctuary, education wings, and offices were finished and dedicated in September, 1970. Martinsville High School was constructed west of this property in 1977, giving M1 an ideal location for ministry and outreach.
In 1982, Pastor John Friend again set the bar with over 1,040 in attendance for Easter!
In 1984, Dr. E.J. Steinert led M1 in adding a gymnasium, kitchen, bathrooms/showers, and classrooms to the facility. God has blessed M1 with a tremendous location and facility to meet the needs of a growing and community minded Church today.
M1 Church continues to reach out to our community with the life-changing Good News of Jesus. The M1 Food Pantry meets the needs of the hungry in Martinsville and Morgan County... while M1 Ministries focus on families and faith. We believe today, like the pioneers of M1 did yesterday, that God has M1 here for "such a time as this..." and the greatest days of His Church are still ahead.
