A History of the Southern Pines UMC

On June 1, 1954, Reverend E.E. Whitley moved his family into a small house at 435 North Ashe Street, Southern Pines. He was sent to the Sandhills as the shepherd for a small group of people who earnestly desired to bring into formation the Southern Pines Methodist Church. He was sent to pastor a congregation that was not yet an official church.

In the early years of the 1950s, Methodists in Southern Pines had difficult choices to make. Some would make weekly journeys to churches in other areas. Others, who were less inclined to travel, attended churches of other denominations. Still others simply were without a church at all.

Gradually, it became apparent that there were a sufficient number of persons in the immediate area who were inclined to Methodism that it warranted the establishment of a new congregation. These concerned people contacted the Methodist conference headquarters in Raleigh, explained their need, and, appealed for their help. Response to this request came in the form of a visit to Southern Pines from the Board of Missions and Church Extension of the Fayetteville District. With this support, land was purchased in Southern Pines, at the corner of North May Street and East Maine Avenue, for a future church building. In addition, the house on Ashe Street was bought for the parsonage.

In an effort to launch the new congregation, Reverend Whitley and a group of dedicated Methodists placed notices in the local newspaper, The Pilot, and started a vigorous telephone campaign. On Sunday, June 13, 1954, the first service of the new congregation was held at the Community Hall on South May Street (this building has since been razed and apartments built on the site). Eleven people worshipped at the first service: Rev. E. E. Whitley, his wife Betty and their sons Greg and Barry, Mrs. Joseph S. Hiatt, Jr., and sons Joseph III and Robert, Mr. and Mrs. P.J. Russell, and Mrs. James Springer and her daughter Sally.

These few people persisted throughout the hot summer. Church services were held every Sunday with attendance varying from eight to twenty. There were some who became discouraged, feeling that the efforts would not succeed, and that Southern Pines would never have a Methodist Church.

Reverend Tom Collins was then called from Raleigh to hold revival services. Reverend Collins, the Executive Secretary of the Board of Missions and Church Extension, stayed in Southern Pines for a week, raising the hopes of the tiny congregation with the encouragement that, if her people persisted, the church would succeed. The District Superintendent, Reverend O. L. Hathaway, procured a piano, hymnals were borrowed from Page Memorial Church in Aberdeen, and services were continued. Even with the wonderful support, Reverend Whitely might have had some cause for concern, as shown by the following collections during this period:

On September 11, 1955, construction of the church began with a Groundbreaking Service at the new site on Midland Road. Bishop W. W. Peele of Laurinburg spoke and led the groundbreaking pledge and prayer. Rev. Robert L. Bame gave the call to worship and presided. Others taking part in the service were Rev. O.L. Hathaway, Fayetteville District Superintendent; Rev. Tom A. Collins of Raleigh, Executive Secretary, Conference Board of Missions; and the following officers of the new local church: E. Earl Hubbard, Chairman of the Board; Frank Roberts, Chairman of the Trustees; Mrs. J. S. Hiatt, Jr., WSCS President; Captain Henry Jones, Church School Superintendent.

A choir of approximately ten members was organized and met regularly at the parsonage. Later, a junior choir was organized and met weekly. A Methodist Youth Fellowship of about thirteen members conducted regular Sunday evening meetings.

Meanwhile, the study and worship of God was carried on in various locations throughout Southern Pines. A kindergarten class assembled at the parsonage on North Ashe Street. The primary grades met in the basement of the civic building and the adults upstairs. The juniors gathered in a school bus parked outside the civic building every Sunday morning. Prayer meetings were held in private homes on Wednesday evenings.

The Woman's Society of Christian Service, officially organized September 13, 1954, initially had twenty-four members. The women of the Southern Pines Methodist Church were constantly working to meet needs of all kinds: arranging flowers for services, obtaining furniture for the parsonage, raising money by holding bazaars, chicken suppers, Brunswick stews, bake sales, pansy plant sales, and even a hat sale!

The Methodist Men was chartered in May 1955, when twenty-six members heard Nelson Gibson, Fayetteville District Lay Leader, give the main address. The women of the church, who were accustomed to pampering the men, prepared supper.

The first worship service in the newly constructed sanctuary building was held on December 2, 1956, with the Formal Opening Service on January 6, 1957. The $115,000 building was made possible through generous giving by members of the congregation, donations from friends, the $17,000 gift of the $10 Club and, of course, a mortgage. In the months that followed, many individuals and church groups provided furnishings for the sanctuary and the educational building. The congregation numbered one hundred ninety.

 The new church had no pews. Folding chairs were used, with scraping and clattering whenever the congregation rose during services. After a few years, a campaign to buy pews met with success.

Four years later, in the fall of 1961, after months of planning, the church began construction of a new parsonage. This was made possible through the sale of property donated by Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Hines, Jr., through a gift from the Fayetteville District Board of Missions and Church Extension, and through the sale of the former parsonage on North Ashe Street. Mr. J. W. Reeves donated the lot at the corner of Midland Road and Clematis Road. The cost of the eight-room, two-bath parsonage was approximately $26,500. In May 1962, the Rev. Robert C. Mooney and his family became the first occupants of this new parsonage. Even though we were a mission church, we found it very difficult to meet our financial obligations. In December, during the first few years of our church, Mr. J.W. Reeves would quietly meet with the Pastor and Financial Chairman, inquire what our indebtedness was, and write a check for the amount needed. Without the gifts of this most generous benefactor, our church would not have thrived as it did. Mr. Reeves is no longer living, but our Fellowship Hall is named Reeves Hall in grateful memory of him.

The original church building has not been altered externally, but many changes have taken place within the walls. Three of the four originally large classrooms in the basement have been sub-divided into smaller Sunday School classrooms for additional space. The downstairs bathrooms and a storage room have been added. The original "Ladies Parlor" has been made into an executive suite containing the church secretary's office, the senior pastor's study and a conference room. The biggest project was the renovation of the first floor classrooms into a Fellowship Hall for our church. This was accomplished during the ministry of Rev. John Paschal (1974-1979) and was made possible by Mrs. J.W. Reeves, as a memorial to her husband.

In 1981, Mrs. Robert C. Purvis paid off the final indebtedness of our church, enabling the mortgage to be burned and the church to be debt-free for the first time. A Service of Dedication for the Southern Pines United Methodist Church was held on March 28, 1982, with our resident Bishop, William R. Cannon, preaching. The Sanford District Superintendent, Rev. J. Thomas Smith, and the pastor, Rev. W. Edward Privette (1981-1986), were liturgists for the service. Former pastors of the church and retired ministers present assisted in offering prayers of dedication.

By 1983 the membership had grown to 640. The Long Range Planning Committee reported to our Charge Conference on the needs for additional space in our church facility. A Building Committee was elected, with Larry Newsome as chairman, to guide the construction of a new Fellowship Hall and music room. In addition, the kitchen was enlarged, and, the old Fellowship Hall was divided into classrooms.

The Reverend Dr. Mark W. Wethington was appointed to our congregation in June 1998. In 1999, land was acquired at 165 Longleaf Rd., just off Highway 22, and a new parsonage was built at a cost of $250,000. In July 2000, in his second year of appointment, Dr. Wethington, his wife, Bobbi, and their children, moved into this new home. For two years, the former parsonage at 100 Clematis Road served as a youth center. In 2001,a $25,000 gift by Helen Waram allowed the church to build a new children's playground. At the Annual Conference of 2002, a new associate minister was appointed to Southern Pines United Methodist Church, Rev. Erin Martin. She and her husband moved into the renovated house, formerly a parsonage, then a youth annex, and once again a parsonage.

On March 22, 1999, a Strategic Plan was unanimously adopted by the Administrative Council. The theme of this long range plan was "Catch the Spirit of Following Christ into a New Millennium." This plan centered on mission and outreach, on worship, church programming, evangelism, staffing and facility needs.

Out of this plan, further study of our financial means and facility needs took place, under the guidance of the consulting firm of Bush/Holderness. On February 21, 2000, the Charge Conference voted unanimously to build a new sanctuary. A Building Committee was appointed, with Mr. Larry Newsome as chair. It was decided that the new sanctuary building would be termed Phase I and would include seating for approximately 600, with additional space on the lower floor for a chapel, youth space and future music room and offices. The addition of an elevator would also make our facility fully accessible, and added parking lots would be a long-needed complement. A capital campaign was entered into entitled, "Forward Through the Ages." Under the leadership of the consultant, Mary Holderness from Durham, $1.3 million was raised toward the cost of $2.4 million for Phase I. An additional approximately $100,000 was raised in unpledged giving during the building of the new sanctuary. The Capital Campaign Committee was chaired by Bill Clark and Bill Brock. Other members of the committee included Lynn Neal, Dan Pate, Bill Stewart, Sarah R. Hiatt, Earl Hubbard, Larry Newsome, Byron Fellows, Decatur and Betty Richardson, and Emily Shore.

WKWW Architects of Charlotte was employed as the designer, with Bonson Hobson as the primary architect. John William Brown Company out of Sanford, with the contractor Seth Cox, was awarded the building contract. To celebrate this vision and to "kick it off," a Pentecost Sunday Celebration was held on June 11, 2000, under a big tent. The inspirational worship service was followed by a delicious dinner on the grounds. A Ground Breaking Service was held on Easter Sunday, April 15, 2001, with the Senior Pastor, Mark W. Wethington presiding. Others taking part in the leadership of this service were: Dr. William Stewart, Chair of the Administrative Council; Emily Shore, a youth; Corrine Taylor, Worship Committee Chair; Myron Dice, Stephen Minisry Leader; Decatur Richardson, Lay Leader; Olivia Orndorff and Rebecca Aubry, children; and Larry Newsome, Building Committee Chair.

During the construction of the new sanctuary, our Senior High UM Youth Fellowship collected favorite bible verses from members of the congregation and inscribed them with permanent markers on the framing of the walls of the new sanctuary. More than 100 verses were inscribed, and even though the verses will no longer be seen, we will know they are there, as a symbol of the foundational nature of the Word of God.

Now to Him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than we can ask or imagine, to Him be glory in the church and in Jesus Christ to all generations forever and ever.

The following ministers have served the Southern Pines United Methodist Church. We give God thanks for their leadership.

Rev. Ed E. Whitley 1954 - October 31, 1954
Rev. Robert L. Bame 1954 - 1959
Rev. Robert C. Mooney, Jr. 1959 - 1963
Rev. A. L. Thompson 1963 - 1968
Rev. Herman Winberry 1968 - 1970
Rev. Vergil Queen 1970 - 1974
Rev. John S. Paschal 1974 - 1979
Rev. Frank C.Grill 1979 - 1981
Rev. Ed Privette 1981 - 1986
Rev. RodneyG. Hamm 1986 - 1990
Rev. Paul G. Bunn 1990 - 1994
Rev. Ed J. Morrison 1994 - 1998
Rev. Mark W. Wethington 1998 - 2005


Learn more about our 50th Anniversary- September 2004.