175 Years of Service

Providence United Methodist of Goldsboro, NC is one of the oldest churches in Wayne County. The actual date of organization is unknown but believed to be before or around 1800. Members of the church are listed in the 1790 census of Wayne County.

On November 26, 1811, James Bradbury deeded an acre of his land south of the Neuse River to William McKinne, Jr. for the purpose of building a house of worship. William McKinne built a Providence Meeting House on the land later deeded it to the trustees of the Meeting House and The Methodist Episcopal Church of the United States on August 22, 1826 in open court in Waynesborough, North Carolina. Waynesborough State Park is located near this site.

In 1865 this Meeting House was located three quarters of a mile east of the present church located on Providence Church Road. In that year, it is reported that the church burned as a result of a woods fire during an encampment of Federal Troops nearby.

After the fire, the congregation met in homes until 1877 when a new sanctuary was constructed on land deeded by Richard Davis. Another facility was built in 1888. The facility was enlarged in the late 1930's.

In January 1958, a new sanctuary was dedicated and the old sanctuary became classrooms. A parsonage was built in 1960 when Providence became a station. In 1964 a children's classroom wing was completed. A new education wing was completed in 1976 and the old 1888 sanctuary was moved to a site on the church grounds and named The Providence Historical Sanctuary. The Scout Troop at Providence meets in the old sanctuary.

Recent renovations and additions to the sanctuary include remodeling the chancel, installing carpet, pew upholstery, placement of Bibles in the pews and installation of stained glass in the chancel area. Stained glass windows were placed in all the sanctuary windows. A building committee is presently planning a larger education facility.

Providence continues for the glory of God to reach out and minister to the community as it has over the last approximately two hundred years.

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