A House on Acacia Avenue, Rooted in Long Bar
First United Methodist Church of Oroville sits at 45 Acacia Avenue, on the hill overlooking the historic town of Oroville in Butte County. The congregation that gathers there each Sunday morning traces its story back to 1849, when the first Methodist services in the area were held at the Long Bar mining camp. In 1857 the Methodist Society was formally organized by J. R. Tansey, with its original headquarters at Bidwell Bar. The name on the door today is First United Methodist Church of Oroville, but the people inside belong to a line of worship that has been holding prayer meetings in these foothills for more than 165 years.
Three Church Buildings, One Congregation
The current Acacia Avenue sanctuary is the third home of the Oroville Methodists. In May 1878 the First Methodist Episcopal Church was incorporated, and on April 4, 1879, the cornerstone was laid at the northeast corner of Bird and Lincoln streets. That first church was finished in 1883. As Oroville grew, a much larger building was begun at Robinson and Lincoln in 1909 and dedicated in March 1911 at a cost of $22,000; the Reuter Pipe Organ was installed in that building in 1925. Ground was broken for the present Acacia Avenue church in February 1965, and a month later the fifty-five-year-old Robinson and Lincoln sanctuary was torn down. The first worship services at the new building were held on September 26, 1965, and the congregation has been meeting on Acacia Avenue ever since. A 125-year history of the church, "The Faith of our Fathers, 1857-1982," is available for those who want to read the full story.
Sunday Mornings at 10:30
Worship is held every Sunday at 10:30 AM in the sanctuary. Visitors who walk through the doors are greeted by a team of greeters, handed a printed bulletin, and pointed to a seat by an usher. The service blends congregational singing, prayers, Scripture reading, preaching, and teaching, with every part grounded in the Bible. The congregation affirms the Apostle's Creed and the Nicene Creed, two of the oldest Christian confessions, which may be read together during the service. Most Sundays, Pastor Tom Cota brings the message. Coffee and conversation follow the service, giving newcomers a chance to meet the pastor and other members. Every service is livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel, so anyone who cannot be there in person can join from home.
A Hmong Ministry Woven into the Life of the Church
Alongside its English-language congregation, First United Methodist has long been a gathering place for Hmong Christians in the Oroville area. A Hmong Bible Reader is linked from the church's Bible resources, and Hmong preaching has shaped the church for years. Pastor Cheng Yang has preached in the pulpit across multiple services, and Pastor Chuckua Yang has served as a guest pastor. A 2018 Hmong Laity Revival was hosted at the church, with morning and afternoon sessions recorded for the sermon archive. Members of the Hmong fellowship are named and remembered in the Pastor's Corner notes, including new members Ka Khang and Xia Xiong, who joined the church recently and were welcomed by the whole congregation.
Pastoral Leadership and Staff
Pastor Tom Cota and his wife Evelyn Cota shepherd the congregation together, signing the weekly Pastor's Corner letter as a pair. The Cotas write about the life of the church in a warm, conversational voice: they have reported on the sanctuary air conditioning being out of service and the social hall stepping in, asked the church to keep Jeremy, Erin, and Taylor in prayer as they searched for permanent housing after a fire, and lifted up members like Larry and Glenda Ott and Linda Herrick during hard seasons. The closing verse of each letter is Hebrews 10:25: "Let us not give up the habit of meeting together... but let us encourage one another all the more." The staff team also includes Patty Bell as Director of Music, who oversees the church's choral life, and an Audio/Video Director who runs the livestream and media ministry.
Bible Reading, Prayer, and the Church App
Discipleship is built into the rhythm of the week. The church offers a full set of online Bible reading plans that members can follow on their own schedule: a Bible in a Year plan, an Old Testament in a Year plan, a New Testament in 90 Days plan, a Gospels in 30 Days plan, and a Psalms and Proverbs in 30 Days plan. A Prayer Wall lets members post requests and pray for one another, and a Golden Feather Newsletter carries news from the congregation. The Our Church app, available free on the Apple App Store and Google Play, brings the sermon archive, calendar, and contact information to a phone, with "Oroville" typed into the search bar to land on this congregation.
Giving and Getting Connected
Online giving is set up through a secure giving page that supports one-time and recurring gifts, with options to direct a donation to the Tithe, the General Fund, the Building Fund, the HVAC System, the Sound System, Insurance, or Property Taxes. The church's teaching on giving is built around 2 Corinthians 9:7: "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." Newcomers who want a personal introduction can fill out a connect form on the New Here page, and the office can be reached at 530-534-9455 or orovilleumc45@gmail.com.
What to Wear, Where to Park, and What to Expect
The church keeps its welcome practical. Parking is in front of the building. Dress is open: some members wear ties, others wear shorts, and the leadership has been known to joke that Jesus was not exactly a tie-wearing guy. Every outfit is welcome. A connect form on the New Here page lets first-time visitors share their name and prayer requests, and a staff member follows up after the visit. The goal of the greeters, ushers, and pastor is simple - to make a Sunday at First United Methodist feel like coming home, whether it is a guest's first sanctuary in decades or their hundredth Sunday in a row.