Wow! How do we get over 200 years of history into one page? That’s how far back Weaverville United Methodist Church can trace its roots. Let’s look at some of the significant events and dates in our church life to see how we got to where we are today.
The Early Church
For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. Matthew 18:20
Methodism was served by circuit riders who traveled throughout a region preaching to gatherings. WUMC can see its history beginning with the formation of the French Broad Circuit campground being established in 1810 near Weaverville. A small log cabin church was built near the campground, our first church structure. According to his diary, Francis Asbury, the first Bishop of the Methodist Church in America, preached at that campground and stayed at the home of John Weaver.
Our Church Building
The main church building
The Sanctuary
Our first permanent structure with a steeple was built in 1891 on Church Street in Weaverville, site of the current parsonage. Both tragedy and blessing visited WUMC on July 4, 1917. On that date lightning struck the church steeple and the building burned to the ground leaving only the foundation. Some members wanted to rebuild at the current site. Several with vision for the future, and guided by their faith, wanted to move the church to Main Street which was even then a major thoroughfare through the region. A donation of land by members Charles Moore and William Reeves where the current church sits made the move possible. Thus began a new age of growth for our church. Construction on the new church was completed in 1920.
Most members and visitors to our church immediately notice the beautiful stain glassed windows. Did you know that one of them contains Tiffany glass? The Good Shepherd window was donated by Mrs. Charles Moore in memory of her husband who died before the building was completed. The windows origins were not discovered until 1976. The sanctuary building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Fellowship Center once housed an auto repair an appliance repair shop until we renovated it in 2003 for its current purpose.
Our Mission History
And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me’ Matthew 25:40
Our church building and facilities are important to us, but they are there so that we may gather to prepare for, and do, our mission work. And that mission goes back to our early days of WUMC, even predating our first church building in 1891. If you think about it early Methodism has its early roots in the circuit riders. Weren’t they “going out into the community” to do the work of the Lord? From its beginning to the current day, WUMC has been actively involved in the mission field within our local community.
As our first church building was being established local members were instrumental in starting “a primary school of high grade in our bounds”, a school for high-school aged boys. The church history records that in 1904 the church members supported a new Missionary Society. Church records also indicate we started supporting a local Boy Scout Troop in 1925; a proud tradition we continue to support today.
Throughout the years we have supported ministries at local, national, and international levels. Members supported local military members during World War II. In our most recent conflict in the Middle East we collected donations and sent hundreds of Daily Devotionals to deployed military personnel.
Members of our church have gone on hurricane and flood relief missions. Our youth group has travel to other states and outside the U.S. on mission trips. We have supported North Buncombe Samaritan Ministries both through financial donations and supplies. For years at Christmas we have donated gifts and food for those in need both locally and in other states. We have cleaned out gutters for shut-ins, built handicap access ramps, and fed the homeless.
With our circuit rider Methodist tradition, we recognize the church is not a building with walls. It is in the community. Along with our long standing sponsorship of thriving Boy Scout and Girl Scout units, this sense of mission continues to this day as we support various ministries such as Kairos prison ministry.
