On July 31st we will celebrate our 125th year of exitance and a welcoming homecoming. Many activities are planned with food provided. We have extended the registration period through July 28th so if you have not registered yet either sign on to Realm and register here or just call the church office at (252) 249-0213 and Freda will be glad to get your information and register you.
Following is an article which we recently published . It describes some of the more notable facts about our journey of faith for 125 years.
OUMC Celebrates Its 125th Anniversary on July 31
Oriental United Methodist Church will celebrate 125 years of Christian service to the community on July 31, and anyone who has been associated with the church as well as its PEACE Preschool is invited! OUMC began meeting before Oriental itself was incorporated, and as one of the first churches in the village, it has a rich past. When the church was formed in 1887, worship services were held only once a month. A lot has changed at OUMC since then – but the church’s mission has not!
OUMC initially met in a wooden schoolhouse, but by 1894, enough money was raised for the construction of a wooden church at its present site, which was completed in 1897. In 1910, the church decided to build a brick structure, selling the wooden building to the Episcopalians. However, a great loss was suffered in 1934, when a fire destroyed everything but the brick walls – but despite the Great Depression, money was raised for rebuilding the church in 1936. Since then, the church has undergone major repair several times, most recently after Hurricane Florence.
Of course, OUMC has always been more about people than a building. The Rev. Fernie S. Becton was its first pastor, and Arthur Midyette donated the land for the church. The church’s first full-time pastor was the Rev. David Jenkins, who came to the church in 1980. Many past pastors will be in attendance at the July 31 Homecoming, including Rev. H. Gray Southern (1983-86), Rev. Stan Brown (1996-2004), Rev. Charles Moseley (2012-2017), and Rev. Jimmy Weaver (2017-2019) – along with present pastor Rev. Dr. Anne Sims.
OUMC also has been dedicated to serving the village of Oriental through the years. OUMC formed the PEACE Preschool (Preschool Enrichment and Christian Education) in 1988 through the early 2000s, began sponsoring Prime Time in 2001 as a mission to provide programs for the 50-plus population, and dedicated the Community Labyrinth in 2019.
Come and join the celebration on Sunday, July 31! Start the morning with an 8:30 a.m. music service at Lou Mac Park, featuring Ken Belangia, Jimmy Weaver and others. After that, attendees are invited to explore the Community Labyrinth, and then move to the church where the Homecoming Service will be held in the Sanctuary at 10:30 a.m., featuring the Rev. H. Gray Southern.
After the service, enjoy a traditional pulled pork lunch accompanied by plenty of homemade side dishes and desserts. Food will be served outdoors, with seating available both outdoors and in the Fellowship Hall. To register to attend the 125th Anniversary Homecoming, please call the church office at (252) 249-0213 by Thursday, July 28th.