Page 2 - History of the United Methodist Church in Rockingham County

History of Congregations of Winchester District June 12, 2024

PREFACE

The various churches in the Winchester area have provided spiritual leadership for the families
for more than 200 years. This history is a step in documenting that experience, so that the families who
have made up these congregations will not be forgotten, nor their accomplishments be unheralded.

Note that at various times, and in various conferences and denominations, the geographic extent
of Winchester District extended north to parts of what is now West Virginia, east beyond Loudoun Co.
to parts of Fairfax City, as well as Fairfax and Prince William Counties, and south beyond Harrisonburg.
Indeed, Harrisonburg District was originally created as a division of Winchester District soon after the
merger in 1968 of The Evangelical United Brethren and The Methodist Church. In so far as possible,
this history extends to any class, society, congregation, and church that was at any time included in
Winchester District.

Note that the History of Harrisonburg District is included in Vol. 5 and Vol. 6 for its churches
and in Vol. 7 for its preachers (biographical sketches of its preachers since 1972 will be completed
Summer 2016, with the assistant of District Superintendent Tommy Herndon, Jr.). The goal is to
complete an edition of this history by June 2018, in time for the 50th Anniversary of United Methodism
in Virginia.

The 150th Anniversary History of UMC Winchester District, 1777-2016 comprises eight volumes
as follows:

 Vol. 1, General History of Winchester District and Churches in Winchester and Loudoun County
(includes history of the charges and the preachers-pastors appointed to them)

 Vol. 2, History of Churches in Loudoun County
 Vol. 3, History of Churches in Frederick County
 Vol. 4, History of Churches in Fauquier, Warren, Culpeper, and Other Counties
 Vol. 5, History of Churches in Augusta, Harrisonburg and Rockingham Counties—Harrisonburg

District History Vol. 1
 Vol. 6, History of Churches in Page and Shenandoah Counties—Harrisonburg District History

Vol. 2
 Vol. 7, History of the Preachers, 1777-2016 (biographical sketches)
 Vol. 8, Quarterly Charge and Annual District Conference Minutes, 1843-1968.

This history is primarily based on the following primary sources:
 Local records found at and provided by local churches, to include Quarterly Conference Reports

going back to 1895
 Journals of the EUB, MC, and UMC Virginia Annual Conferences, 1939-2014 [currently

archived at the UMC Winchester District Office, 21 South Kent Street, Winchester, VA 22601-
5049; WinchesterDS@vaumc.org; (O) 540-662-7332]
 Stephen E. Bradley, Jr., Compiler, The Ministerial Heritage of the Virginia Conference of The
United Methodist Church. Volume One, The Ministers and Their Records, 1773-2007; and

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