Center United Methodist Church is located on the corner of Lake Brandt Road and James Doak Parkway. While it looks like so many modern churches in Greensboro, its rich history in the area dates back two centuries. According to the church's history, shared here on their website, in the early 1800's, people came from miles around to attend mutiple-day camp meetings on the Shelton family farm. As many as 5,000 to 6,000 people would attend.
Center UMC has had many changes over the century. At one time it was a Methodist Episcopal Church. Over the years, sanctuaries have been built and rebuilt; a parsonage and classrooms added. The church tries hard to attract people in the community. While they no longer attract people by the thousands, they still have a presence in Summerfield in a community where farms are being replaced by housing developments. Hopefully, as the population of the area continues to grow, they can attract new members who will continue its fine work, including documenting the rich history of the church!
I like the architectural design. We don't have Methodist churches here- the Methodists and Congregationalist denominations, along with some Presbyterian churches, merged nearly a century ago in what's now the United Church.
Posted by: William Kendall | Sunday, January 24, 2016 at 02:42 PM