Our mission is to assist people in recognizing God’s call to a new life through faith in Christ Jesus. We exist to worship God, to serve Christ and to love our neighbors in the same way God loves us. We are a family of believers who profess our imperfections at the same time that we strive to help each other become more Christ-like through worship, education, service and fellowship.
The Methodist Church of Warrenton, North Carolina had its beginning more than two hundred years ago when the earliest Methodists worshipped in a small log meeting-house located on land once owned by Dr. R.S.F. Peete on East Church Street. The lot is marked “148 Church” on the original map of Warrenton, which was chartered in 1779.
According to Mrs. Montgomery in her Sketches of Old Warrenton, “The first church to be organized for church worship was the work of the Methodist denomination.”
The small church grew steadily, and on October 6, 1812, lot 92, as shown on the original map of Warrenton, was purchased and a frame church was constructed on the corner of Church and Bragg Streets.
During the ministry of The Reverend J.N. Cole, 1888-90, it was determined that the church needed extensive repairs and expansion, and the decision was made to purchase lots 78 and 74 south of “Old Eaton Place.” There a new brick church was erected and thus launched the beginning of Wesley Memorial in the location we know today. The church was dedicated as “Wesley Memorial” by Bishop A.W. Wilson on November 25, 1894.
In 1927, the Education Building was completed, and during the ministry of Dr. C.W. Robbins, 1945-49, the church membership became keenly aware of the need for a larger and more worshipful church. On February 12, 1950, a Tellers organ, given by George G. Allen and members of the church, was dedicated in memory of Miss Ethel Allen. In June 1952, George G. Allen gave a substantial sum so that the church could purchase the “Old Eaton Place” for a parsonage. With funds received from the sale of the old parsonage, located on the corner of Ridgeway and Front Streets, together with money contributed by the members of the church, the “Old Eaton Place” was renovated and remodeled. Its beautiful furnishings were the gift of Mrs. George G. Allen and to honor her, the parsonage was named the “Mary Burwell Allen Parsonage.”
In 1955, the church building program came to life again with a generous and unsolicited gift from George G. Allen. The congregation gratefully accepted this challenge, and put on a drive to raise an additional $20,000 to proceed with buildings plans. A ground-breaking ceremony was held on Sunday, June 12, 1955, and the work on a church expansion began.
On Easter Sunday, 1956, the Wesley Memorial congregation held its first service in the renovated and expanded church facility. The gratitude of the congregation was expressed in the “Easter Offering for Others” in the amount of $800, which was used for mission projects.
By this time, it was agreed that the Education Building needed updating, and with the generous support and guidance of Wright and Mariam Tisdale, a building committee completed the renovation and decorated the entire building, completing the project by Christmas of 1956.
Since the 1956 Education Building renovation, the congregation of Wesley Memorial has undertaken various projects and upgrades, one being a major project to make the church facility more accessible, but the facility itself, as a whole, has remained the same.
Thanks to the generous support and dedicated work of devoted individuals and church members over the years, the congregation continues to find Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church a special place to worship and grow in faith.