Our History

First Methodist Church, Established 1821

 

   The Methodist Episcopal Church in Greenville is believed to have organized about 1821. The town of Greenville had been settled in 1819, largely including Methodists from South Carolina.  The church was probably organized in the home of a devout Methodist family.

   The first church building, built in 1822, was a wooden structure located at the rear of the Old Cemetery (Pioneer Cemetery) and was used as a community church by all faiths in the city at that time. The small, unpainted building was destroyed by fire in 1846. 

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   In 1848, a new building was erected on the site of the present sanctuary.  This property was originally deeded to individuals as Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.  In September of 1893, the remainder of the present property was acquired.  This building occupied the Greenville Collegiate Institute, founded by the church when the original building was purchased.  The large two-story school was erected in 1880, but a fire in 1893 destroyed the upper story and ended the Greenville Collegiate Institute. The undamaged lower floor was purchased by individuals and presented to the Greenville Methodist Church.  It was used as a public school, parsonage, and the first educational building.

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    The steeple of the sanctuary was destroyed by fire in 1885, and the building was without a steeple until the renovation of 1905 when the front and rear walls were razed.  At this time, the original windows were replaced by the beautiful, stained glass, memorial windows which remain.  Also, the present choir loft and balcony were installed.  The front of the church was greatly enlarged, with the present towers and three entrances made at this time.

   The church had previously been heated by three open fireplaces on each side wall and lighted by a tremendous central chandelier of oil lamps. In the renovation, the fireplaces were removed, and the chandelier was replaced by electric lights.

    The completely unique object of the church is the Pastor’s Window in the balcony, which dates back to approximately the time of the 1905 renovation. The window is inscribed with the names of pastors from 1871 to the present time.​

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    In 1907, the first pipe organ was installed, and in 1949, a new pipe organ replaced the original. The present one was installed in 1966. The addition housing the social hall, kitchen, and more Sunday School rooms was constructed in 1949. 

    In the middle 1960s, the church was again renovated. At this time, the front of the sanctuary was remodeled adding a large balcony with two covered doorways. This renovation included another new pipe organ, “one of the finest in the Southeast”. 

         

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    Above is the last photograph of the Sanctuary prior to the remodeling in 1905. The last service was a wedding, when Miss Ethel Stanley was married to Henry Bragg Parker. On the evening before, Miss Salome Wilkinson wed Mr. Warren S. Horton. The decorations were not removed, as the contractor started razing the front and rear walls early the following morning. 

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Pictured Above: First Methodist Church, 1910; Parsonage 1921​

 

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    ​​Thirty years later, more renovations were necessary. The kitchen was expanded and remodeled with the current stove and island installed.  Outside, the covered drive and ramp were added, along with the foyer area. The hall bathrooms were completely renovated, and the floors of the fellowship hall were refinished with plantation shutters mounted in these windows. In the sanctuary, the pews and floors were refinished with new carpeting added.  Also, the stained glass windows were restored.

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​​​​​​    In 2014, the current sound system was installed in the sanctuary along with a new Carillon Bell System that could be heard throughout the downtown. With the support of the congregation, the church carried out a landscaping and beautification project—planting trees and shrubs around the property and installing an irrigation system. The pipe organ underwent major upgrades in 2016, and continues to be maintained to produce beautiful sounds to this day.

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    Following these projects, the office building which includes the parlor, prayer chapel, and a Sunday school/meeting room were renovated in 2017. Layers of carpet from over the years were pulled up to expose the lovely, original wooden floors. Many members stepped in to pull out the numerous, original nails so that the floors could be refinished. New ceiling tiles and LED lights were also installed in this building and in the Fellowship Hall. New roofs were put on the church in 2020.

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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    Through the years, maintenance has been done throughout both buildings including the additions of heating and cooling systems, and various types of plumbing, electrical, and foundation work.

    In August 2024, Greenville First Methodist Church separated from the United Methodist denomination.

This history is meant to document major renovations only. If you know of any discrepancies, please notify the church office.​​​​           

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