Historical Sketch and Directory of the Central Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Monroe, NC 1907
Excerpts by Rev. William R. Ware
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| Rev. Ware 1907 |
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2nd Church 1870-72
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| 1st Church 1842 |
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"The territory now known as Union County and Monroe was first
include in the Wateree Circuit, S.C. Conference, 1810-36; then
Lancaster Circuit, 1836-41; then Waxhaw Circuit, 1841-42; then Pleasant
Grove Circuit, 1842-65; then Monroe Circuit and Monroe station were
formed."...Monroe first appears as a paying appointment August 9, 1844, and paid that year for support of the ministry $3.05. But in 1841 Rev. W.A. McSwain had preached here on the sills of T.D. Winchester's store. The upstairs of said store was used for the Methodist to preach in until a church was built in 1842-43 [First church - southeast corner of Church and Windsor Streets] on the lot now occupied by the Presbyterians, which property was owned and occupied until the building of the present house of worship, 1870-72 [built on northwest corner of Windsor and Hayne Streets.]
"...In 1844 the Rev. David Derick was presiding elder and Rev. Abel Hoyle pastor of the Monroe Circuit. Bro Hoyle died that year, September 8th. His salary was $165.60.
"...In 1870 Monroe and all adjacent territory was set off from the South Carolina Conference by the General Conference in the North Carolina Conference. At the fourth quarterly conference of this year a committee of five appointed to build a new church and the trustees authorized to sell the old church. The following are the Building Committee: H.M Houston, Thos. D. Winchester, A.F. Stevens and E.A. Armfield. They built the present church.
"...Although our handsome, commodious and well-appointed church building here was completed in 1902, before the Conference was held here in the fall of that year, it was never dedicated until yesterday. [May 28, 1905] It was encumbered by a debt of some $7,000 contracted in building, until early in last year, when Dr. J.C. Rowe, probably the most popular and influential pastor this church has ever had, set himself to the task of liquidating it, which was done in a surprisingly short time."
History of Central United Methodist Church
Virginia Bjorlin, Church Historian
from Church website
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| 1900 |
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| Heritage Room Collection |
"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."
"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."