Craven County Centenary United Methodist Church

New Bern, NC

Methodism has a rich history in New Bern, NC. Beginning with George Whitefield bringing the

Gospel message in 1739 to Joseph Pilmore preaching to Methodists in New Bern on December 25, 1772, the message of Jesus Christ has touched the lives of the good people of New Bern for over 200 years.

George Whitefield was 25 years old when he arrived in New Bern to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ. He and John Wesley were both part of the “Methodists” at Oxford. Later, Whitefield adhered to Calvinism, while John Wesley remained a strong advocate of Arminianism. Mr. John Green III writes that Whitefield preached in the afternoon of Christmas day 1739 after much prayer with his message being well received by his listeners. What a blessing that has been for New Bern ever since!

Rev. Pilmore was sent to America as a missionary by John Wesley and he made his way on horseback to New Bern in 1772. He entered North Carolina from Virginia earlier in December and travelled along the coast preaching in small towns. He preached in Moyock, Currituck Courthouse, Tulls Creek Chapel, Indian Town, and in Edenton before arriving in New Bern on Christmas Eve. He preached to a host of Methodist gathering on Christmas Day marking the founding of Centenary UMC (Methodist Meeting House by John Burgwin Green III). Like Whitefield thirty-three years before, Pilmore preached in the afternoon of Christmas day. Pilmore would stay in New Bern for six more days before itinerating.

Bishop Francis Asbury and Bishop Richard Whatcoat both preached in New Bern with Bishop Asbury preaching fourteen times in this great city.

In 1775, the Methodist Society in New Bern purchased a lot at the corner of Hancock Street and Pleasant Alley and in 1802 built Andrew’s Chapel. By 1776, Centenary was part of the Carolina Circuit.

Andrew’s Chapel became the first location of what is now Centenary UMC. The first deed was dated October 9, 1795 at the corner of Hancock Street and Pleasant Alley Lane. In 1802, Andrew’s Chapel was completed and became the second Church building in New Bern.

While Rev. John E. Edwards was pastor, a lot was purchased at 511 New Street for a new location just across from New Bern Academy. The second location was built in 1843-44 and the name was changed from Andrew’s Chapel to Centenary in centennial celebration of John Wesley’s conversion at Aldersgate. Rev. John E. Edwards was not the pastor when the church was completed after he and his wife lost an infant son on June 1, 1841. Their son was buried in the Centenary plot at the Cedar Grove Cemetery.

In the Conference minutes of the Methodist Episcopal Church, two Methodist churches in New Bern existed with “Centenary with 256 white members and led by Rev. Bryant and Andrew Chapel, the old meetinghouse on Hancock Street, with 800 colored members led by the Rev. W.J. Parks” (John Burgwin Green III, Methodist Meeting House” The Early History of Centenary United Methodist Church, pg. 66).

On June 12, 1899, Bishop Wilson preached a sermon at Centenary based on John 8:12. The title was “Christ the Light of the World”. The focus of the sermon was three-fold: (1) Christ is the Light of the World; (2) The Light is available to those who follow Him; and (3) All such shall find Him indeed the Light of Life.

Centenary would move once more in 1904 when the new sanctuary was built at its present location at the corner of Middle and New Street. The first brick for the present sanctuary was laid on December 7, 1903 with Rev. Gaston Adams as the presiding Elder. Rev. Adams had met the congregation just a day earlier and helped guide its construction. In May 1905, a new baptismal font for the new location was donated by Little Helpers, the Children’s Missionary Society, for $250. On Sunday, October 22, 1905, Bishop William Duncan dedicated Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church.

In the years that followed, God’s Holy Word was proclaimed and lived out by the faithful Methodists of Centenary. Membership grew and lives were changed for the glory of God.

In the early hours of September 15, 1936, a fire broke out in the sanctuary and the ceiling collapsed. Across the street, Catholic nuns prayed that the stain glass windows would be spared and they were. The extensive damage did not dampen the spirits of the faithful. Repairs were begun and completed for Centenary to host the Centennial Session of the North Carolina Conference in November of that same year (1936).

The North Carolina Annual Conference has met in New Bern at Andrew’s Chapel in 1840 and at Centenary in 1846, 1858, 1868, 1888, 1900, 1907, 1921, 1936, and 1957.

Bishop T.A. Morris presided over the January 1840 Annual Conference held in New Bern. Bishop William Capers presided over the December 1846 Conference. The 1858 Annual Conference was presided over by Bishop H.H. Kavannaugh in December. The Thirty-

third NC Annual Conference was presided over by Bishop D.S. Goggett in December of 1868. Bishop John C. Granbery presided over the Fifty-Second Session of the NC Annual Conference from Wednesday, November 28 – Tuesday, December 4, 1888. Bishop Henry C. Morrison presided over the 1900 NC Annual Conference that met from Wednesday, December 5 – Monday, December 10. The 1907 NC Annual Conference was held from Wednesday, December 4 – Sunday, December 8 with Bishop Charles B. Galloway presiding. Bishop U. V. W. Darlington presided over the 1921 Annual Conference from Wednesday, November 16 – Sunday, November 20. Bishop Paul B. Kern presided over the November 1936 Annual Conference. The final North Carolina Annual Conference to meet at Centenary met when Bishop Paul Garber presided over the June 24-27, 1957 conference.

In 1951, a new Austin pipe organ was installed in the sanctuary. It was later replaced by a Létourneau Organ in 2004. The 36 stops and 33 ranks and

totaled 1861 pipe organ was designed by Orgues Létourneau Limitée in Quebec, Canada. It was shipped from Canada to New Bern and debuted on May 9, 2004.

Centenary has had several additions and renovations over the years. In 1956, the John A. Russell Educational Building was erected. In 1966, the Sanctuary was renovated with large Sunday School rooms converted into the chapel and the Ladies’ parlor into a library.

The 1966 renovation included a series of stained glass panels being added between the narthex and the sanctuary focused on the history of Methodism and Centenary. They were made in Great Britain and shipped to New Bern. The panels include: (1) John Wesley, Founder of Methodism; (2) John, Susannah, and Charles Wesley; (3) Christmas Conference at Lovely Lane Chapel in Baltimore in 1784; (4) Francis Asbury preaching on horseback; (5) First NC Annual Conference held at Green Hill House in Louisburg, NC in April 1785; and (6) Andrew’s Chapel, 511 New Street, and 309 New Street locations of Centenary.

In October 1972, Bishop Robert M. Blackburn preached the Bicentennial Service. Following the

service, a time capsule was buried by the Old Bell from the 511 New Street location by the United Methodist Youth Fellowship.

In September 2013, a Columbarium and Memorial Garden was approved for construction along the New Street side. It was built in 2014 with 18 persons interred as of December 4, 2019. It was dedicated in honor of Mary Coxe Bullock who was the guiding force for the building and construction of the Columbarium and Memorial Garden. The cross sculpture was designed and constructed by Benny Thompson.

Centenary United Methodist Church is officially recognized as the oldest continuous Methodist Congregation in the North Carolina Annual Conference. It is also the oldest continuous congregation South and East of Baltimore, MD.

Andrew’s Chapel/Centenary Clergy

Andrew’s Chapel 1800 Benjamin Mathews 1801 Christopher Mooring 1802 Samuel Rishter 1803 Thomas Mann 1804 John Somerwell 1805 William Hubbard 1806 David Mintz 1807 Richard Lottimer 1808 Thomas Shonds 1809 Erasmus Hill 1810 Enoch Jones 1811 William Hill 1812 Leroy Merritt 1813 Chas. Callaway 1814 James Thomas 1815 R. Griffith 1816 Menton Thrift 1817 F. Harris 1818-1819 John T. Brame 1820 J.T. Wright 1821 Amos C. Treadwell 1822-1823 Ethelbert Drake 1824 F.A. Ward 1825 Geo. A. Bain 1826 Daniel Hall 1827-1828 Thos. Crowder 1829 Christopher Thomas 1830 Leroy M. Lee 1831-1832 C. Leach 1833 I. Atkinson 1834 David Wood 1835 G.W. Langhorne 1836 Jas. Jamieson 1837-1838 G.W. Langhorne 1839-1840 J. H. Davis 1841-1842 J. E. Edwards Name was changed to Centenary. 1842-1845 William E. Pell 1846 S. D. Bumpas 1847-1848 S. S. Bryant 1849-1850 Chas. F. Deems 1851 Ira T. Wyche 1852-1853 N. H. D. Wilson 1854-1855 Jos. H. Wheeler 1856-1857 Chas. P. Jones 1858 Abram Weaver

1859-1860 Jas. H. Brent 1860-1861 John F. Long 1862 L. S. Burkhead 1863-1864 Jas. Suydam 1865-1866 Joel W. Tucker 1867-1869 R. A. Willis 1870-1872 L. L. Hendren 1873-1876 W. C. Gannon 1877-1880 J. R. Brooks 1881-1882 F. H. Wood 1883-1885 L. S. Burkhead 1886-1889 L. W. Crawford 1890 Jas. E. Mann 1890-1893 R. A. Willis 1894 James T. Lyon 1895 L. L. Nash 1896-1897 F. A. Bishop 1898-1900 R. B. John 1900-1903 Rodah F. Bumpas Centenary was moved to third location. 1904-1906 Gaston Troy Adams 1907-1909 R. C. Beaman 1910-1913 J. B. Hurley 1914-1917 E. H. McWhorter 1918-1921 H. A. Humble 1921-1923 W. V. McRae 1923-1925 J. W. Harrell 1925-1929 N. H. D. Wilson 1929-1934 A. J. Hobbs, Jr. 1934-1938 L. C. Larkin 1938-1940 C. B. Culbreh 1940-1944 Leon Russell 1944-1945 W. A. Cade 1945-1950 R. L. Jerome 1950-1951 H. K. King 1951-1957 J. A. Russell 1957-1962 J. W. Lineberger 1962-1964 W. R. Stevens 1964-1969 Albert F. Fisher 1969-1970 Troy J. Barret 1970-1973 James H. Miller, Jr. 1973-1979 Ernie R. Porter 1980-1983 Norwood L. Jones 1983-1989 Roger V. Elliott 1989-1996 William W. Sherman, Jr. 1996-2001 Carol W. Goehring 1996-2001 David J. Goehring

2001-2007 Danny G. Allen 2002-2007 Charlene P. Guider 2007-2019 Susan Pate Greenwood 2019- Thomas Greener

Centenary Associate Pastors 1965-1967 J. A. Tingle 1967-1969 J. J. Williams, Jr. 1969-1970 Danny C. Wise 1971-1972 Robert S. Pullman

1979-1983 Lynn T. Wall 1986-1989 Linda M. Kelly 1989-1993 Andrea R. Woodhouse 1993-1996 Wayne A. Price 2001-2002 Bryan R. Shaw 2007-2014 Bryan S. Huffman 2014-2015 Laura K. Thompson 2014-2015 Jamie L Thompson 2015-2019 Rick Moser 2019- Michael Williams

Previous Locations: Andrew’s Chapel (Hancock Street); Centenary (511 New Street) Current Location: Centenary (309 New Street) Graveyard or Columbarium: Columbarium (309 New Street)