Since 1802 the people called Methodist have been gathering in the greater Cortland area. Through the years change has been a constant for the church. Along the way, Cortland First Methodist has been a fixture in the community as partners in helping this to be a wonderful place to live. For those who have a longer history with Cortland may remember the old downtown building which housed the United Methodist Church. In 1996 the congregation moved to a new, and present location, on Route 222 to the West of the city.

After the move from downtown there were some challenging years for the congregation which brought about more change. In 2003 it looked as though the church may be forced to close, and then God began a great rebuilding effort. Currently we are still rebuilding and working to keep step with what God is doing in our community and world. As we look to the future, it seems very bright.