A Brief History of
Burns United Methodist Church
More than 130 years ago, a handful of Black men and women in Des Moines sought to worship God with dignity, joy, and freedom. Like Abraham of old, they wandered from place to place, holding tightly to their faith in a land that often held them at arm’s length. But they were undeterred. These faithful souls—though small in number—were mighty in conviction, and their prayers were answered when the Methodist Church extended a hand of welcome, offering acceptance, assistance, and pastoral leadership.
On Tuesday, May 8, 1866, at 8:00 a.m., the Twenty-Third Annual Conference of the Iowa Methodist Episcopal Church convened at Fifth Street Methodist Church at Fifth and Court Avenue in downtown Des Moines. Presided over by Bishop Davis W. Clark, this historic session led to the formal organization of Iowa’s very first Negro Methodist Episcopal Church.
In honor of Bishop Francis Burns—the first Black bishop in Episcopal Methodism, consecrated in 1858—the name “Burns” was adopted for the congregation. Though small, serving a county with only 60 Black residents in 1867, the church was filled with radiant hope and an unshakable belief in the Gospel. Their first worship space stood at East Second and Maple Street, where idealism and endurance formed the bedrock of this new spiritual home.
In 1903, Burns built a new church at 12th and Crocker Streets. But fate dealt a hard blow, and the building was lost under unknown circumstances and eventually repurposed as a carpet factory. For 16 years, the congregation worshipped wherever they could—an abandoned school at Third and Court Avenue, storefronts, and empty houses—yet they never lost sight of their mission.
In 1928, their perseverance bore fruit when they acquired a new house of worship at 811 Crocker Street, the former home of Crocker Hill Methodist Church (now Immanuel United Methodist). In just two years, the determined congregation paid off its mortgage, celebrating the burning of the mortgage on March 23, 1930—a symbol of triumph and tenacity.
In 1947, disaster struck again. A fire caused by an overheated furnace devastated the church, inflicting $50,000 worth of damage. But once again, the people of Burns rose from the ashes. With worship temporarily relocated to the YMCA at Fourth and Keosauqua, they got to work. Under the skilled carpentry and spiritual leadership of Rev. John E. Turnstile, they rebuilt the sanctuary—brick by brick, prayer by prayer.
Rooted in Faith. Resilient in Spirit. Rising with Purpose.
For many years, Burns was a part of the Central West Conference within the all-Black Central Jurisdiction. But on June 15, 1965, a new chapter opened: under the leadership of Bishop James S. Thomas, Burns was officially integrated into the South Iowa Annual Conference—the first such act of integration in the conference’s 100-year history.
In 1966, the church embraced a new direction, joining forces with Trinity and Gatchel United Methodist Churches to form the Inner-City Cooperative Parish. Together, they launched impactful ministries including children’s breakfasts, senior luncheons, tutoring programs, and other vital outreach services. Then in June 1984, Burns once again became a single-point charge, standing independently and boldly in its witness.
In recognition of its enduring legacy, Burns United Methodist Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 15, 1977—the first congregation in the nation to receive this honor despite its building being less than a century old. Long before African Americans were permitted to own land in Iowa, Burns had already staked its claim as a house of God and a sanctuary for justice, making it the oldest Black congregation in the state. A commemorative plaque still hangs inside the church today as a testament to that honor.
This brief history cannot capture all the tears shed, prayers prayed, or miracles manifested across the decades. What we do know is this: Burns United Methodist Church was born from struggle, raised in hope, and sustained by faith. It has weathered storms, overcome adversity, and emerged as a vital, living part of God’s mission in the world.
Today, we do not rest on the accomplishments of the past, but build upon them—answering Christ’s call to serve, to witness, and to rise anew. Burns remains a place where faith meets action, where community is nurtured, and where the Gospel continues to shine through lives transformed.
To God be the glory for all that has been—and all that is yet to come.