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Wesley Grove's Church History |
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1872 - Wesley Grove began as an open air Sunday School class in a grove of chestnuts. Those chestnuts have vanished, replaced by a row of homes along Route 124, several of them homes of Wesley Grove members. The Sunday School Society of Chestnut Grove - the origins of today's church - was founded by C.J. Burdette, Charles W. Browning, Singleton L. King, and F.B. Day.
1880 - Singleton L. King donated land across from the open air Sunday School to build Wesley Grove Church. That year, the church had 78 Sunday School members.
1883 - Thomas G. Woodfield bought an acre of land very close to the present day church. The Woodfield Store supplied products as diverse as shoes, gingham and farm needs. Woodfield became the name of the community in which Wesley Grove Church was built. Thomas Woodfield was the first postmaster of Woodfield. The James B. Hawkins family, later owners, sold supplies to the community for 75 years. They sold the store to the Ralph Ketchums. Descendants of all three families belong today to the Wesley Grove church.
1910 - With a committee spearheaded by Singleton L. King, David Ward, James Burdette, Eli G. Ward, John Burdette, and J. Oscar Burns, a new Wesley Grove Church was erected at the old site. The building had two rooms, the sanctuary, and the Sunday School behind it. The beautiful stained glass windows were donated by various groups and individuals in the church. Men of the church built this structure. Wesley Grove incorporated as Wesley Grove Methodist Episcopal Church.
1939 - As a result of the southern and northern branches uniting, Wesley Grove became Wesley Grove Methodist Church.
1959 - Church built it's own parsonage on Route 124 (previous parsonage was located in Laytonsville).
1969 - The Evangelical United Brethren united with the Methodists, and Wesley Grove became Wesley Grove United Methodist Church.
Last Revised: May 6, 2009