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History of Central United Methodist Church
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John Brewer's pen and ink drawing |
- Top Right: Church and Windsor Streets, 1844
- Top Middle: Windsor and Hayne Streets, NW Corner, 1870
- Middle Left: Windsor and Hayne Streets, NE Corner, 1902
- Bottom: Our present location on South Hayne Street and Sunset, 1983
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The "society" that became Central Church was probably formed in May of 1843, when the
Rev. W.A. McSwain preached to a handful of believers at Winchester's store. The County of Union had just formed the
previous December; the very next month the county commissioners bought seventy-five acres for the county seat. The
first plat of the town square shows the location of the church on the southeast corner of Church and Windsor Streets;
it was simply marked "church" because it was the the only church there until the 1880's.
The first official record of the Methodist Church in Monroe was a payment of $3.05 for ministerial support, dated on
August 9, 1844. Thus it is that we celebrate 1844 as the founding year for our church. Church members built a log
house of worship on Windsor Street (see top left of drawing), which they used for thirty years before selling it to
the new Presbyterian Church and moving west to a new building on the northwest corner of Windsor and Hayne Streets
(see top middle drawing).
The devastating results of the War Between the States and Reconstruction were replaced by an explosion of growth in
the local population and economy. In 1865 the Monroe Church became a paying appointment after being on a circuit for
over twenty years. It was named the Monroe Methodist Episcopal Church, South, the two branches of Methodism having
split before the war.
By the end of the century the Methodists were ready to expand again. The cornerstone of a beautiful brick Gothic
building was laid in 1900 (see middle left drawing), and the congregation moved across Hayne Street to its fine new
edifice in July of 1902. The Board of Stewards voted to change the name of the church to Central to coincide with the
opening of the new building. Space was needed for a growing church and so an education building was added in 1921. A
new parsonage was also built.
In 1939 the three branches of Methodism united and our church changed names again - to Central Methodist Church. In
May of 1944 the church celebrated its centennial with appropriate services and the publication of a small book containing
a short history with pictures and information about the church.
The years after World War II were ones of tremendous growth for Central. The church facility, suffering from years of
neglect due partly to wartime shortages, was hard pressed to meet the needs of a growing congregation. An ambitious
building program was launched in the mid-1950s. The first phase was a new parsonage, dedicated in 1959. Plans for
expansion of the lovely 1902 building were soon discouraged because of structural damage due to roof leaks that defied
corrective measures. In 1961 the congregation reluctantly agreed to build a new church elsewhere. A full block was
purchased, bounded by Hayne, Church and Barden streets. The new plant, consisting of a fellowship hall, offices,
classrooms, a kitchen, and a lovely round chapel, was occupied in May of 1969.The fellowship hall served for worship
services for fourteen years until the new sanctuary was completed in 1983.
Virginia Bjorlin, Church Historian
Virginia's Bjorlin's book, Acts 29: The First 150 Years of Central Methodist Church, may be purchased at the
business office for fifteen dollars.
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| 801 South Hayne Street • Monroe, NC 28112 • (704) 289-3186 |
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©2010 Central United Methodist Church |
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