Howard United Methodist Charge

In August 1900, Bother R.N. Wesley, Pastor of the Butler Methodist Circuit organized a new church that was to become known as Wesley United Methodist. At first, the new congregation had only evening service, meeting in the school house which was located across the road from the present church building.

In 1901, Wesley Church was transferred to the Geneva Circuit, but 1902 found them back as part of the Butler Charge. 1904 was a building year as members contributed and volunteered their labor to erect the church building. Wesley Church was completed free of debt.

The roots of Wesley Church extended back to about 1897 when Stephen Bazemore, a good Baptist, organized a Sunday School in the school house. With that beginning, Wesley Church was to be the center of worship for Methodists and Baptist alike for some time. Brother Bazemore continued as superintendant of the Sunday School until the new church was completed. Charter members for the new church were drawn from the Howard and Carsonville Churches.

The next years were to be times of repeated changes as the Methodist Church combined, realigned, and changed the circuits in the area. In 1910, Wesley became part of the Talbot Circuit, but only for two years. In 1912, the Church ws agan assigned to the Butler Charge. In 1920, a new charge, The Howard Circuit was established. Composed of Howard, Wesley, Union, and Crowell Churches, this Charge lasted until 1913, when it was discontinued. At theis time Wesley retuned to the Butler Circuit. In 1955, the Howard Charge was again established, this time with six churched--including wesley, and it continues to this day.

 

 

 

Copied with permission from Sand Country Cooking, Published by Howard United Methodist Charge, 1978