In 1887, a camp meeting led by the Reverend David Arnold led to the establishment of the Gilford United Brethren in Christ Church after Henry Shannon and John Cragg invited Arnold to preach to area settlers. In 1889, Charles and Naomi Phipps donated land for a church building, and church members laid the cornerstone later that year. In 1968, a merger with the Methodist denomination changed the name to Gilford United Methodist Church.