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Click on these links for information on our church:
2009 Charge Conference Booklet Letter on the Economic Crisis from the Holston Annual Conference Resident Bishop
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Our History
“T The first recorded history of the Methodist Church at Surgoinsville began in 1816 with the Carters Valley circuit and was pastored by W. S. Manson. The first church was located in the east corner of the Cemetery next to the First Baptist Church of Surgoinsville. This building was a pioneer log structure used by the membership of the church until 1895. Members of this church was interred in the cemetery beside the church as early as 1817. In the early church, the pastors, known as “Circuit Riders”, had to travel many miles on horseback to reach their charge. Most of the time they spent the nights with their parishioners and were often fed fried chicken and the originated the Methodist terminology of “eating fried chicken.” The early Surgoinsville church remained in the Carters Valley Circuit from 1816 until 1849 when it became a part of the Kingsport Circuit. From 1849 to 1853, it remained in the Kingsport Circuit; then, in 1853, was transferred to the Rogersville Circuit. For the years 1854 through 1858 no records were found. From 1858 to 1860, it was again in the Rogersville Circuit, and in 1860 was known as the Rogersville Circuit and Colored Mission. From 1861 to 1864, it was again a part of the Rogersville Circuit. In 1865, the Surgoinsville church became a part of the Rogersville and Rutledge circuit. From 1873 to 1884, the church again became a part of the Rogersville circuit, and from 1885 to 1896 was one of the churches of the Hawkins circuit. In 1899, the Surgoinsville church became a part of the Surgoinsville circuit where it remained until 1951 when it became a one station charge. In 1844, the main body of the Methodist Church split over the issue of slavery forming the Methodist Episcopal church, South. The two bodies of the Methodist Church in Surgoinsville continued to worship together in the log structure until 1895 when the Methodist Episcopal Church, South built a new church. The new building was dedicated October 10, 1901 by Dr. Sullins Dosser, with E. W. Walker as pastor. The first trustees of the new church were: C. W. Whitaker, J. W. Massengill, Gynes L. Henderson, James Forgey, W. A. Caldwell, J.W. Carmack and John Caldwell. In addition to these founding father there were other contributors. It is recalled that Mrs. Anne Chambers Carmack Kensinger rode many miles on horseback getting contributions for the building fund. It has been said that this white frame structure was one of the finest Methodist Churches in the area. It was located in the church yard just east of the present First United Methodist Church in Surgoinsville. From the minutes of the Quarterly Conference of the Methodist Church, South it is recorded that Mr. C. E. Kensinger was licensed to preach as a local pastor in 1895-1896. He was also a public school teacher in the schools of Hawkins County. Immediately thereafter, in 1896-1897, Mr. Neal Bellamy was licensed to preach as a local preacher. He was a leader in the church and was for many years the Sunday School Superintendent and Bible teacher. These minutes also record the first youth organization at the Surgoinsville Methodist Church. Known as the Epworth League, it was organized in 1894. It had a struggling existence but experienced growth as a stronger organization in 1896 and received special commendation at the quarterly Conference. Also recorded was that the first Children’s Day Service at Surgoinsville Methodist Church, South was conducted in 1896. The earliest known parsonage for the Surgoinsville Circuit was a two story frame building located at the corner of what is now Center Avenue and Old Highway 11W. This property was purchased on September 4, 1914, during the pastorate of J. S. Henley, from H. P. and Jeanne Mehler for $585. It served as a home for the pastor of the Surgoinsville Circuit of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South and the Methodist Episcopal Church, merged to form the Methodist Church. The Methodist Episcopal Church
congregation built a new church in 1896, pastored by J. C. Hodge. It was
located “on the hill” on property now owned by K. D. Manis adjoining the lot
owned by Raymond King. The trustees of this new building were: Wan C. Cox,
Thomas Caldwell, Silas H. Frazer, William Looney and Litten C. Rutledge. A
parsonage for this church was built opposite the church on the north side of Old
Highway 11W during the ministry of S. H. Harris. The building in is now the home
of Mrs. Robert S. Sorah. The white frame church served the Surgoinsville Methodist Episcopal congregation from1896 until it burned in 1922. Records show the congregation worshiped at the Surgoinsville Methodist Episcopal Church South until 1939 when the two Methodist churches merged to form the Methodist church. When unification of the Methodist churches occurred in 1939, the churches of the Surgoinsville Circuit of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South were: Amis Chapel, Cold Springs, Fudges Chapel, Kincaid, Maple, Meadowview and Surgoinsville. The churches of the Methodist Episcopal Church were: Valley View, Ross Camp Ground, Grange Hall, Clouds Bend, and Surgoinsville. Following World War II many changes took place at the Surgoinsville Methodist Church. Many people were added to the membership roll. During the pastorate of Keener W. Baldwin (1948-1951) the church began to see the need for more space to house the educational facilities. Not being financially able to build a new church, a basement was excavated under the existing building. This expansion added four new classrooms. A two-story frame structure, with five classrooms, two of which opened to enlarge the sanctuary, had previously been added to the west side of the building. In 1948, the two-story frame house purchased in 1914 to serve as a parsonage was torn down. In its place a six room brick house was erected. The Keener W. Baldwin family became the first occupants of the new parsonage in 1949. During the 1953 pastorate of Joe M. Dew, a concrete block garage was erected on the parsonage property. During 1950, still under the leadership of Keener W. Baldwin, plans were finalized for the Surgoinsville Methodist Church to separate from the Surgoinsville Circuit and become a full time charge. The name selected for the new charge was Surgoinsville First Methodist Church. George G. Richardson was appointed pastor of the new charge. Rev. Richardson served for two and a half years until his death in 1953. Robert E. Fritts completed his pastorate. At the 1953 Annual Conference with Bishop Roy E. Short presiding, a realignment of the districts of the Holston Conference was enacted. The Surgoinsville First Methodist Church was moved from the Morristown District and placed with other area churches to form a new district to be known as the Kingsport District. William S. Steele was appointed as the first District Superintendent. At the 1968 General Conference of the Methodist Church a resolution to merge with the Evangelical United Brethren Church to form a new church to be known as the United Methodist Church was passed. The Surgoinsville church then became the Surgoinsville First United Methodist Church. A committee was appointed to look into the possibility of building a new church at the 1958 Quarterly Conference, while Sterling Turner was pastor. This building committee was composed of the following persons: Halva L. Pierce, Ralph W. Bellamy, James Hammond, Dale Allen, Raymond King, Starnes Looney, Thelma A. Raines, Robert Sandidge and James N. Thurman. The greater portion of the building fund became available in 1969 through a very generous endowment made by the benefactor, the late Clyde W. Harrell, for the sum of $100,000 toward the church structure and a $50,000 trust fund for the maintenance of the adjoining cemetery and the church. The church underwrote a loan of $44,000 to compete the financing. The ground breaking ceremony for the new building was conducted Sunday, August 17, 1969, at 5:00 in the afternoon. Taking part in the ceremony were Harold C. Harris, District Superintendent, Maurice Lay, Pastor, Halva L. Pierce and Ralph W. Bellamy, Building Committee Chairmen, along with Grace Bellamy and Kate Hyder, representing the family of the late Clyde W. Harrell. The dream of the church became a reality Sunday evening on June 14, 1970 when Rev. Maurice Lay, Pastor, conducted the first service in the new A-frame brick building. The consecration service was held on October 18, 1970 with Bishop L. Scott Allen delivering the message. In May 1975, during the pastorate of Robert Bean, the indebtedness on the building was paid in full. The dedication service was held Sunday, June 22, 1975. Bishop L. Scott Allen conducted this service, also.
During the 1980s & 1990s our church family grew and as we grew, we needed to expand. Therefore, in 1987 our church added the building known as the Little House for additional Sunday School space and community use. During the tenure of Rev. Mark Gooden our church grew both in size and depth. In 2000 the church bought the property across the street known as the "Kensinger property" to increase parking and for further church expansion. In 2004 our church adopted our current mission statement, which is "For All to Know and Share the Love of Christ." As we seek Christ, may He bless us and make us a blessing to the world. The original historical data of this account was compiled by the late Dale Allen and Ralph Jennings, past Church Historians, with the efficient and grateful help of Carrie Lee Allen and the late Virginia Jennings and published in 1984. |
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First United Methodist Church; 621 Old Stage Road; P.O. Box 134; Surgoinsville, Tennessee Phone: (423)345-2279 Send mail to surgoinsvilleumc@bellsouth.net with questions or comments about this web site. Last modified: 09/02/10 |
wo
hundred years ago, 60 circuit-riding preachers
gathered together on Christmas Eve in a small meeting house on Lovely
Lane, just a few blocks away, near the harbor of old Baltimore, to organize the
Methodist Episcopal church. From a few thousand members to 8.3 million in
the United States alone, the Methodist church
has grown by leaps and bounds. It was the first Christian denomination to be
organized in America, and represents the greatest cross section of American Life
of any denomination.” (Saturday Evening Post). Of this heritage, we are
justly proud and trace our beginning.
By 1976 the maintenance of the
twenty-seven year old building being used as a parsonage became a major item in
the church budget. The Charge Conference elected a building committee to
procure a new parsonage. Members of the building committee were: James N.
Thurman, Chairman; Haskell Skelton, Kyle Christian and Raymond King. During the
first week in June 1977, a new spit level, four bedroom, brick building located
on Dogwood Drive in the Holston Hills Subdivision was ready for the first
occupants, the Robert Bean family. Bishop H. Ellis Finger delivered the
consecration address on April 29, 1979 with Charles H. McKinney, pastor. The
dedication service was held by District Superintendent, Nelson Woody, on June 6,
1982 while David Smith was pastor.