Joy Chapel circa 1936

Our History

The Methodist movement was launched in 1729 when John Wesley, a newly ordained priest in the Church of England, began to lead young men at Oxford University to study and pursue a devoted Christian life. Over the decades, the movement grew. By 1769, it had moved to America, and by 1784, the Methodist Episcopal Church was established at Lovely Lane in Baltimore.

The movement spread to Southern Maryland, and in 1832, Miley Jones was converted at a camp meeting in Calvert County. Jones became a key figure in the Methodist movement within the Patuxent district of St. Mary's County. He led James Joy, originally a Roman Catholic, to embrace Methodism around 1851. Together, they formed the inaugural congregation of the St. Mary's Circuit, Baltimore Conference Methodist Episcopal Church, initially referred to as Joy's and subsequently as Joy's Neighborhood, with meetings initially held in James Joy's residence.

The inaugural Joy Chapel was dedicated in 1868. However, due to deterioration, construction of a new Joy Chapel commenced, and it was dedicated in October 1894, situated at the current location of our Memorial Chapel and Cemetery on Joy Chapel Road in Hollywood. The second Joy Chapel succumbed to a fire, leading to the erection of a third Joy Chapel on the grounds of our existing church in 1933. Subsequently 1946, the foundation stone for our current brick church edifice was laid.

In the 1970s, Hollywood UMC partnered with Galilee UMC in Oakville, with our pastor overseeing both congregations. Following the closure of Galilee UMC in 1983, its congregation joined Hollywood UMC, and the fellowship hall was subsequently named Galilee Hall.