Learn More About Gathering Point

..The history of the Methodist church in Dayton began when the Methodist Episcopal circuit riders started classes in the township in 1830. The early Methodist classes met in the school house until the first church building was erected in 1843 at the corner of Harrison and Main streets in the town of Dayton.

The church relocated to the corner of Pennsylvania and Walnut streets in 1865, where the congregation remained until moving to its present location on Dayton Road, just south of State Road 38. A new church building was built on this site, and services were first held here on February 16, 1975. During this time the Dayton church evolved from the Methodist Episcopal Church to the Methodist Church and finally to the United Methodist Church.

The first Methodist Women’s Group at  was organized in 1870. The first youth ministry began in 1944. Lay Witness Missions were an important part of the Church’s history, beginning in 1970. Dayton Church held its first successful Missions Conference in 1975. Our Senior Teens older adult ministry was started in 1990.

The church grew dramatically during the 22-year ministry of Rev. Dr. John Walls, from 1988 to 2009. In 1995, a large addition was added, which included our Ministry Center. In 2002, the current sanctuary and offices were added.

The Dayton United Methodist Church began holding a Global Impact Celebration Missions Conference in 2006. Since that time the church has given over $100,000 per year to missions and sent numerous mission teams to Ghana, West Africa, to India, to Guatemala, and to various projects locally and in the United States.

Pastor Mike Dominick, began in July of 2009 and retired January 2023. His ministry continued the long tradition of Biblical preaching, love for Jesus Christ and service and mission.

God has faithfully blessed the Methodist church in Dayton, and we celebrate her long history as we are now Gathering Point Church, a Global Methodist Church congregation with Lead Pastor, Ryan VanMatre.