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A Century of Ministry & Service at
Wendell United Methodist Church
(1903-2003)
The foundation for the establishment of the Wendell United Methodist Church began in 1903. During that year, the Rev. Frank Eure held services in the Old Wendell School Building with a small group once a month for a period of three years. It was from this group that the church was officially organized. On March 31, 1906, Jarrett Broadwell, Daniel Broadwell, and Bryant Richardson were appointed Trustee for a Wendell Methodist Church at the quarterly conference.
In January 1907, a committee was appointed to build a church at Wendell. Rev. A.D. Wilcox became pastor of the Zebulon-Wendell charge in 1907. Under his leadership, the first Methodist Church was built in Wendell on Third Street. The dedication for the new church was held on March 22, 1908 with Rev. J.C. Kilge of Trinity College, now known as Duke University, delivering the dedication sermon. Only ten charter members were enrolled at the time of the dedication. The Methodist congregation outgrew the pioneer building in just sixteen years.
In 1922, under the leadership of Rev. W.L. Loy, the decision was made to build a new Methodist Church on the corner of Main Street and Wilson Avenue (now Wendell Blvd.) In 1923, the new church was dedicated and named Main Street Methodist Church. The name was later changed to Wendell Methodist Church and then to Wendell United Methodist Church. The new church was occupied in 1924 with the first Sunday school held on January 18, 1924. The church remained in the Zebulon charge until July 1955, when Wendell became a station and the Rev. Sidney G. Boone was appointed as the first full time pastor.
As our church grew in membership and ministry, the church purchased the house next door in 1984, which became known as the “Methodist House”. In 1995, the Building Committee started preparing for our increasing growth. The new Fellowship Hall was completed in 1997. Currently, we are adding an elevator and are remodeling the church basement. We look forward to continued growth, both in body and in spirit.
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