West Market Street United Methodist Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids West Market St. United Methodist Church |
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West Market Street United Methodist Church, September 2019
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | United Methodist Church |
| District | Northern Piedmont District of the Western North Carolina Annual Conference |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Episcopal polity |
| Leadership | Bishop Kenneth H. Carter, Jr. |
| Location | |
| Location | Greensboro, North Carolina, United States |
| Designated as NHL | National Register of Historic Places |
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West Market Street Methodist Episcopal Church, South
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 Location in North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | 302 W. Market St., Greensboro, North Carolina |
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1893 |
| Architect | Foulk, S.W. |
| Architectural style | Romanesque, Richardsonian Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 85003198 |
| Added to NRHP | December 19, 1985 |
The West Market Street United Methodist Church (WMSUMC) is a very old church in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is over 190 years old and is located right in downtown Greensboro, across from the courthouse. It is a large church with about 1700 members. The main church building, called the sanctuary, was built between 1893 and 1898. This was the third church building for the congregation. Today, the church has grown to include a larger education center and other buildings, like an Early Childhood Center.
History of the Church
The story of West Market Street United Methodist Church began in the 1820s. A group of Methodists in Greensboro started holding services at the Greensboro Male Academy. In 1830, a minister named Reverend Peter Doub encouraged them to build their own church.
The first church building was started on August 14, 1830, and finished in 1831. It was called the Greensboro Methodist Episcopal Church. This was the very first church building in the small town of Greensboro. At that time, the church had 64 members.
In 1849, the church decided to build a new, bigger building. They bought land on West Market Street. This new church was finished in 1851. By then, the church had almost 200 members. In 1866, many of the church's black members joined St. Matthews, which was the first Methodist church for African Americans in Greensboro.
As the church grew, it helped start several other churches in Greensboro. These included Centenary in 1884, College Place in 1899, and others like Bethel, Park Place, and Christ in the 20th century. The church also started special groups. In 1879, a group for women called the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society was formed. In 1880, Mrs. Sidney Bumpass started the first children's missionary group, called "Busy Bees."
In 1892, the church decided to build its third and current main building. It was finished in 1898 and officially opened in 1901 after all the building costs were paid. Some of the windows in this church came from the German exhibit at the World's Columbian Exposition, a big fair held in Chicago.
A building for Sunday school was added next to the church in 1920. By 1930, the church had grown to 1,922 members. To celebrate its 100th birthday, the church published a short history and held special events. In 1932, another church, Park Place Methodist Episcopal Church, joined with West Market Street due to money problems during the Great Depression.
The name of the church changed over time. In 1939, several Methodist churches joined together to form The Methodist Church. Then, in 1968, The Methodist Church and The Evangelical United Brethren Church merged. This created The United Methodist Church, which is why the church is now called West Market Street United Methodist Church.
Church Services
Today, West Market Street United Methodist Church holds two services on Sundays. There is a traditional service in the main Sanctuary at 11:00 AM. There is also a modern service in the Fellowship Hall at 9:00 AM. The church also has special services throughout the year. These include services for Advent and Christmas, and for Lent and Easter. Both Sunday services are also offered online.
Music Programs
Music is an important part of the church's services. For the traditional service, music often features the large pipe organ. A grand piano, harpsichord, and other instruments are also used. The church has a choir with about 20 regular singers.
For the modern service, a band plays contemporary Christian music. The band includes church members and professional musicians. They use instruments like drums, guitars, a bass, and an electric piano.
The church also has a children's choir. They perform during both the traditional and modern services. The church also hosts concerts, playing different types of music from jazz to classical.
Helping Others
West Market Street United Methodist Church helps people both locally and around the world. Locally, they support organizations like Greensboro Urban Ministries. They also help build houses for Habitat for Humanity. The church provides services to Washington Street Montessori School. This program has grown a lot over the years.
The church also does mission work in other countries. Teams from the church have worked in places like Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Mexico, Africa, and Guatemala.
Youth Activities
The Youth Ministry at West Market Street is for young people in grades 6 through 12. The youth are usually divided into a senior high group and a middle school group. They have Sunday school classes, youth group meetings, and go on mission trips. Recently, youth mission teams have worked in West Virginia, Wilmington, North Carolina, and Nassau, Bahamas.
Between 1998 and 2001, the church updated many of its buildings. They made the main church building more flexible and easier to access for everyone. They also built a new building for the Early Childhood Center. In 2014, a recreation area was added to the roof of the Education Building. In 2019, the Fellowship Hall was updated to better fit the modern worship service.
The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it is an important historic building. To help keep the building in good shape, the church started the Legacy Fund Program. This fund helps pay for big projects to maintain the historic building.
During the COVID pandemic, in-person church services stopped in March 2020. However, the church staff quickly started offering online worship and learning options. Today, Sunday services are still offered online, along with the in-person services.
This church started in 1830. It is looking forward to celebrating its 200th birthday in 2030!
