Church History
1883: The First Methodist Church of Mount Holly was founded by circuit riders in 1883. During that time, Methodists in Mount Holly shared a church building used by all Christian denominations, on the present site of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd on South Main Street.
Thirty-eight members led by Reverend S. J. McLeod,
organized the First Methodist Episcopal (ME) - South,
congregation in Mount Holly. The church was part of the
Gaston Circuit, Shelby District, which included eight other
churches, including Ebenezer and Moore’s Chapel in
Mecklenburg County.
1912: The Church continued to grow until March 1912,
when during the pastorate of Reverend J. A. Bowles,
a catastrophe occurred, in the form of a high wind which
swept the church off its foundations during Sunday
worship. The amazingly resilient Church Trustees met
that same afternoon and made plans to rebuild.
A new brick church was begun later that year at the
corner of South Main and Catawba Streets.
Thirty-eight members led by Reverend S. J. McLeod,
organized the First Methodist Episcopal (ME) - South,
congregation in Mount Holly. The church was part of the
Gaston Circuit, Shelby District, which included eight other
churches, including Ebenezer and Moore’s Chapel in
Mecklenburg County.
1912: The Church continued to grow until March 1912,
when during the pastorate of Reverend J. A. Bowles,
a catastrophe occurred, in the form of a high wind which
swept the church off its foundations during Sunday
worship. The amazingly resilient Church Trustees met
that same afternoon and made plans to rebuild.
A new brick church was begun later that year at the
corner of South Main and Catawba Streets.
1958: The church outgrew itself and in late 1958, land was purchased on North Main Street where the church stands today. The church was completed in phases with the main sanctuary finished in 1975.
1968: The Methodist Church merged with the Church of the United Brethren, to create the United Methodist Church (UMC).
2023: In July of 2023, our congregation voted to disaffiliate from the UMC and return to the doctrinal roots established by our founder, John Wesley in the late 1700s. We are now a Global Methodist Church (GMC) congregation. Link to GMC website
Our current minister, Reverend Tom Newman - who with his wife Jeana, moved here from Roxboro, N.C. in September 2025.
1968: The Methodist Church merged with the Church of the United Brethren, to create the United Methodist Church (UMC).
2023: In July of 2023, our congregation voted to disaffiliate from the UMC and return to the doctrinal roots established by our founder, John Wesley in the late 1700s. We are now a Global Methodist Church (GMC) congregation. Link to GMC website
Our current minister, Reverend Tom Newman - who with his wife Jeana, moved here from Roxboro, N.C. in September 2025.