History is hard to sum up.

Buildings, people, and experiences come to mind.

Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church is all of these things and more.

Historical Accounts note that the church was formally organized in the year 1875.

For a quite a number of years prior to 1875, men and women of the Methodist Faith in the community held infrequent meetings in the different homes in the town and its immediate vicinity. These meetings were in the main conducted by itinerant ministers traveling through the countryside of eastern North Carolina, mostly on horse back.

Larry Chandler currently serves as the church’s pastor.
He also serves at Cedar Grove United Methodist Church, and Wesley Chapel down in the Alligator Community.

Chandler was charged at all three churches in 2012.

Chandler did not originally feel called to be a pastor.

“However, as a Christian, I felt God calling me to share my story of salvation with others. Also he wanted to share His love with everyone. God loves everyone, however some folks need someone to share that with them,” said Chandler in an interview in 2013.

Church activities include a Bible study and prayer meeting with a pending start date. A church choir practice that starts at 6:30 p.m., a Fellowship Breakfast held on the first Sunday of the month at 9 a.m.

Various fellowship programs are also available.

An Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting is held Thursday night at 8 p.m.

“Just recently, they asked about adding an additional night. It is my understanding that they want to start to meet Monday nights too,” said Chandler.

A Potter’s House After School Program is available for those interested in sending their children.

“We feel that there is a great need for this kind of program among the young families of our community and their children. Our program will be located at Wesley Memorial, but will run separately from the business of the church,” said Trudee Farley, a member of the church’s organizing committee, when the program started in 2013.

The Potter’s House is continuing to give the children that attend individual help with homework and enrichment activities that help develop skills for study, work, and play.

“We provide creative projects and crafts to nurture all aspects of the children’s talents. We have visited the library for their activities, book sale, and just to visit and read. We have participated in activities at the 4-H Center, taken walks around our church and we are inviting community visitors to share information and projects.

We applied for and received a grant from the Duke Endowment Fund. Our first project from this will be to build a playground on the lot next to our church. This will give us additional ways for safe exercise for our children. We are considering other ways the remaining funds can be used to purchase items that will be helpful to our students as they grown and learn each day,” said Farley.