The Path of Grace United Methodist Church story began in 1885 as Arlington Hills Swedish Episcopal Church. The original congregation was a group of Swedish immigrants who started meeting in homes. A Sunday school class of seven was organized in 1885 when the first preaching services began on Sunday afternoons. Swedish was spoken at all services until 1914 when evening service began in English.

Our current church was built in 1970 on eight beautiful acres in Maplewood. Some of the stained glass windows from the 1940 building were brought to the new building and have been restored and are now displayed. In 1995, a new educational wing was added and renovations of the sanctuary and other rooms were made.

We come together as one family, not only Swedish-Americans but Americans enriched by many nationalities. So, in our diversity there is unity in the body of Christ. In our present church home is a prevailing symbol that exemplified this – the flame, part of the global United Methodist logo – reminding us of God’s eternal spirit and love which should consume and continue to unite us all through further decades of greatness. Charter members are still represented among us by the fifth and sixth generations. Many of our members have been with us fifty, sixty, seventy years or more and surprising numbers of their descendants have remained in our church.

Our church name was changed to Path of Grace in 2017. The name – one that would feel relevant to new visitors – is welcoming, approachable, and transformative. The concept of Grace is a key component of United Methodist and Wesleyan theology, tradition, and teaching, and the idea of a directional pathway implies a journey that anyone can join at any step of the way.

In 2020, we celebrated 130 years of faith and service to God. We are eager to see what God will continue to do here at Path of Grace!