A Brief History of Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church

By Willie Morris

PLEASANT UNITED METHODIST CHURCH CELEBRATES 200 YEARS-1822-2022

Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church, located in the Northeastern corner of Newberry

County and about twelve miles from the city of Newberry, has a long and rich history. In the last months of the American Revolution, settlers from Virginia and other states came into the area where Mt. Pleasant Church now stands. Some of these pioneers had become acquainted with Methodist preachers and services in Virginia and Maryland, but, of course, when they reached the Broad River Valley and made their homes, there were no Methodist churches or circuit riders.

Then, in the last days of the Revolution, there came into this wild new land a horseman who crossed Broad River just south of where Peak now stands and continued on to the area where the group of newly-settled Virginians lived. As if in answer to prayer, this man was a Methodist preacher, James Foster. This preacher was hard at work doing what he loved, preaching and instructing people in the gospel. He served as a local preacher in our area until his health failed. Although James Foster did not found the Mt. Pleasant Church, his efforts were certainly responsible for providing the climate that led to its creation.

Mt. Pleasant Church was actually founded in the year 1822. Before this date, however, the Methodist Bishop Francis Asbury found on the western side of Broad River a flourishing Methodist congregation worshipping in “Parrot’s Log Church”. Perhaps this log church was the forerunner to Mt. Pleasant Church, since a family named Parrott was among the early members of Mt. Pleasant.

The church was organized in 1822, and soon the small congregation undertook to build a permanent house of worship. One source says that this church was presumably destroyed by General Sherman during the Civil War. A second building was erected in the 1860s. Tragedy struck Mt. Pleasant Church in 1943 when lightning hit the church building and burned it down. A new church and our present church were completed in 1949.

Over the years, Mt. Pleasant Church has been part of several circuits. In 1967, Mt. Pleasant Church left the Pomaria Circuit and became a station church. In 1968, The Methodist Church and The Evangelical United Brethren joined together and Mt. Pleasant became a church within the United Methodist Church. In 2021, Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church was joined with O’Neal United Methodist Church. Our Pastor serving both churches is Rev. Darlene Kelley.

It has been said that we are so indebted to the past that we are merely midgets who stand on the shoulders of giants. At Mount Pleasant United Methodist, we recognize that we build upon the labors of those giants who have proceeded us in the 200-year history of our church. We thank God for the dedication and service of such people and ask for His guidance in the years ahead.

Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church is expecting a visit from Methodist Bishop Francis Asbury on Sunday, May 1 at 11:00 AM. Methodist Bishop Francis Asbury steps out of the past from over 200 years ago and comes to life in a dramatic portrayal by Rev. W. Robert Borom. In this stirring monologue, Asbury reminisces about his boyhood conversion, his call into the ministry, his coming to America as a missionary preacher, and his experiences during ceaseless travels while preaching and organizing churches across frontier America during the late 1700s and early 1800s. Convinced that his beloved Methodist Church still has a mission to accomplish, Asbury challenges present-day church members to re-kindle the flame of early Methodism. Francis Asbury was born in 1745 in England and died in 1816 in America. He was the first Bishop elected by the newly-formed Methodist Episcopal Church in America in 1784. It was estimated that Asbury traveled well over 250,000 miles on horseback during his ministry, thus becoming known as “The Bishop on Horseback” and “The Prophet of the Long Road.” Rev. Borom is a United Methodist Minister, a graduate of Georgia Tech and Candler School of Theology (Emory University). He has written several historical articles which appear in The Encyclopedia of World Methodism and edited a book on the history of the South Georgia Conference. His Asbury drama has been performed for numerous local churches, annual conference events, and other special occasions. A videotape of his drama was produced by Drew University as part of a series on American Methodist History. Please join the members of Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church on Sunday, May 1, for Rev. Borom’s presentation of Bishop Francis Asbury.

Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church, 2360 Mt.

Pleasant Road, Pomaria, SC 29126

200th. Anniversary----200 years of Blessings---1822-2022

Special guests:

January 9---Rev. DeVon Ruth

February 6—Rev. Dr. Stephen Love

March 20----Rev. George Riser

April 24-----Rev. Dr. Webb Belangia

May 1-------Rev. Robert Borom, portraying Bishop Francis Asbury

May 22-----Rev. Paul Rogers

June 26-----Rev. Bob Huggins

July 24-------Rev. Jim Harris

August 21—Priscilla Griffith, Homecoming

Senior Citizens Sunday

Performance by Glenn Bonner Band at Reese

Building after Homecoming Lunch

October 23—Bishop L. Jonathan Holston