Wesley United Methodist Church was organized in 1870, shortly after the end of the Civil War.
The organization of the church was an outgrowth of the desire of the Black community to have a greater voice in church affairs. From its inception, Wesley United Methodist Church has been a beacon of perpetual inspiration to the Black community. It served as the hub for spiritual, cultural, and social events. During decades of segregation and deep racial divisiveness, Wesley provided a haven where whites and blacks could assemble without impunity.

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Built in 1878, and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the church has been battered by time and environmental elements, but the traditional of community “service and goodwill” established more than a century ago still prevails. Much of the success of Wesley United Methodist Church can be credited to the founders who envisioned a mission and directed the establishment and the activities of the Church. John Wesley Dunn, presiding elder of the Greenwood District from 1877-1879, organized worshippers in Greenwood in 1870. In 1878, Wesley Chapel, later renamed Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church, was erected on Washington Street above the Elk’s Club. Pioneer trustees were John Wesley Dunn, Jr., Willis Nero, Austin Stansell, Thomas McCain, and Green McGregor. Wesley remained at the Washington Street location from 1870-1890.

 

The frame building was moved to the new location and remained there until it was destroyed by fire on January 4, 1920. Work on the present brick structure was begun in 1921, following the approval of the building plans by the Bureau of Architecture of the M. E. Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Bureau approval was granted on December 20, 1920. The plans, along with a sanctuary that seats 500, included four classrooms, a choir room, a small office, and a companion gymnasium wing. The Church has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places due to its architectural design and significance to its surrounding communities which have also been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Rev. H. B. Hart was pastor at the time. Formal dedication of the present structure was in January, 1922. During the decade of 1920-1930, the newly located church served as refuge for the destitute, a haven for the educationally deprived, and a source of strength for the socially and civilly neglected citizens of the area. During this era, the church was pastored by E. R. Miller (1925) and J. M. Marsh (1930). The facilities were used to house homeless families during the Depression, and it became the center for Black graduation exercises during the “separate but equal” policy which prevailed until facilities became available through the schools. During the days of The Civil Rights Movement, Wesley housed workers and was a site for meetings. In 1972, during the tenure of Rev. J. Q. C James the white and black United Methodist conferences merged into one conference.

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Wesley United Methodist Church
Pastoral Leadership Over The Years
1901 ~ Rev. R. Sevelle
1902 ~ Rev. T. W. Davis
1904 ~ Rev. B. H. S. Ferguson
1906 ~ Rev. C. W. Walton
1908 ~ Rev. H. B. Hart
1909 ~ Rev. J. W. Winbush
1911 ~ Rev. M. C. McEven
1913 ~ Rev. J. W. Bird
1915 ~ Rev. N. R. Clee
1916 ~ Rev. W. H. Gilliam
1918 ~ Rev. H. B. Hart
1925 ~ Rev. E. R. Miller
1930 ~ Rev. J. M. Marsh
1932 ~ Rev. E. A. Mays
1934 ~ Rev. C. W. Jones
1935 ~ Rev. D. L. Morgan
1937 ~ Rev. M. J. Stallings
1946 ~ Rev. A. O. Holmes
1950 ~ Rev. M. W. Lindsey
1952 ~ Rev. A. Q. Hill
1960 ~ Rev. I. L. Rucker
1968 ~ Rev. W. G. Pruiett
1970 ~ Rev. J. Q. C. James
1993 ~ Rev. H. D. Lewis
1998 ~ Rev. Riley Forrest
1998 ~ Rev. Patrick L. Phillips
2001 ~ Rev. Eddie D. Brown
2004 ~ Rev. Fitzgerald Lovett
2007 ~ Rev. Ever Jean Burt
2010 ~ Rev. Mattie Gipson
2011 ~ Rev. Annzette Thomas
2013 ~ Rev. Steven Owens
2016 ~ Rev. B. A. McCaskill
2018 ~ Rev. Mary Willis

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