In the spring of 1956, a survey of the Amboy area was conducted to determine how many families were interested in the foundation of a Methodist church. Sixty families indicated a desire to establish a new church.
Reverend Maurice Burroughs agreed to serve as pastor and help the group get started. Although, he had a full-time job elsewhere, he spent a great deal of time helping the church with the many problems involved during the first year.
The first service was held on April 15, 1956, in the home of Mrs. Gladys Buckels and continued to meet there for eight Sundays before being organized as Amboy Methodist Church.
A committee was appointed to select a suitable plot of land for a building. Mr. Frank Warden, a prominent layman of Washington Avenue Methodist Church, along with the assistance of the North Arkansas Methodist Conference and Reverend Henry Hickey, Conway District Superintendent, helped raise the down payment for a lot at 311 Military Drive, North Little Rock.
The membership of the church, under the direction of Mr. Leonard McBryde, purchased a tent which was used for a meeting place for several months.
Thirty-four charter members elected C. E. Puckett as Sunday School Superintendent and J. E. Tisdale, Leonard McBriyde, and Jack Morgan as trustees. Stewards included Grady Morgan, Fred Malone, and Edward McDowell. Mrs. Grady (Dixie) Morgan was treasurer, and Mrs. Fred (Lucy) Malone served as secretary. Sunday School teachers were Mr. and Mrs. Roy Marsh, Mrs. Carroll Morgan, Miss Sherrie Buckels, and Mrs. Constance Morgan.
First year members included Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Akers, Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Burroughs, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Braden, Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Chaney, Mrs. Maurice Burroughs, Mr. and Mrs.W. A. Glover, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Kelley, Mrs. A. King, H. R. Hollan, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard McBriyde, Mr. and Mrs. Edward McDowell, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Malone, Tommy Malone, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Marsh, Mr. and Mrs. Grady Morgan, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Morgan, Constance Morgan, Lynn Morgan, C. E. Puckett, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Rosamond, Mr. and Mrs. John Tisdale, Mrs. J. L. Smith, Mrs. Audrey Van Marion, G. R. Moore, Mrs. Gladys Buckels, Sherrie Buckels, and Charles Miller.
During the summer a building was erected with members doing much of the labor. It consisted of a large room for a sanctuary and classrooms, a kitchen, restroom, an office and a nursery. Services were held there in the fall of 1956.
In 1957, Reverend Bob Edwards was assigned as full-time pastor and the membership increased to 210. In the fall of 1958, plans were made for a new sanctuary which was completed in 1959 at a cost of $38,000 with a seating capacity of 200. A service of consecration was held on September 30, 1959, with 226 persons in attendance. Participants included the pastor, Reverend Edwards, former pastor, Reverend Burroughs, Bishop Paul V. Galloway, J. E. Tisdale, chairman of trustees, Eli Davis, building committee chairman, and C. E. Puckett, church lay leader.
Reverend John Jump was the third pastor and served during the 1961-1962 church year. He was followed by Reverend Dois Kennedy who was the pastor until June of 1971. During this period, the church continued to grow and six classrooms were added to the complex.
With the membership having risen to 481 in 1968, there was a need for additional classroom space. A multi-purpose building consisting of a fellowship hall, kitchen, four classrooms, storage rooms and restrooms was built and named Tisdale Hall in memory of Mr. John E. Tisdale. At this time, the original building was remodeled to add more classroom space, an office for the pastor, and a separate room for the church secretary.
A consecration service was held on January 26, 1969, with Bishop Paul V. Galloway and Reverend Ben Jordan, District Superintendent, leading the service. On May 1, 1983, a celebration was held to celebrate the end of debt for Amboy United Methodist Church.
