Thursday September 09 , 2010
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History of St. Paul's

In the spring of 1919, a small group of men from the First Methodist Church now known as Christ Church United Methodist in Charleston, West Virginia, joined with local Methodists to form a Methodist Church in the one-year-old town of Nitro. The first service was held in the YMCA clubhouse. Four adults and eight children attended that first service, fifteen persons attended the second week and by the third week twenty-six were in attendance. Attendance continued to grow each week.

Rev. T. G. Fletcher was appointed as the first full-time pastor in 1921. In 1922 the church purchased the Woman's Dormitory Building standing on the site of the current Educational building on 20th Street. It was called the First Methodist Church of Nitro. In 1935, the name of the Church was changed to St. Paul's Methodist Church. The church continued to grow and by 1950 membership exceeded 500. Work began on a new sanctuary and in 1952 the first service was held in the current sanctuary. The current Educational building was completed in 1989.

During the late 1970's, the church membership began to decline. The membership stood at 200 in 1990 and the Church committed itself in 1991 to turn in a new direction! Since that time, the Church has grown to over 300 members with an average worship attendance of 230.

St. Paul's is the church it is today because of the people working together to build a spiritual home with love, hope and opportunity where God's grace is given and received by all.

T. G. Fletcher
1921-1923

A. F. Shomo
1937-1942

J. Ronald Casto
1961-1965

Wilbur Turner (P.M.)
1975-1981

E. L. Lowery
1923-1927

Lloyd Myers
1942-1949

Charles Roth
1965-1968

Dr. Marvan Frame
1981-1991

O. L. Hawkins
1927-1931

J. G. Fisher
1949-1955

Kenneth Ball
1968-1972

Dr. Okey Harless
1991-2003

U. E. Willis
1931-1937

Arnold Belcher
1955-1961

James B. Arbogast
1972-1981

Dr. Thomas McDowell
2003-2007


Mark E. Smith 2007-Present

CANCELLED...Children's Summer Camp

Check Google Calendar

Angels for a Miracle!

Walk registration form is in newsletter.

CELEBRATION OF MISSIONS...August 7 [3-8]

Lake Ridenhour

RUMMAGE SALE...Saturday, Sept 4th [8-2]

Member Login

2008 20th Street
Nitro, WV 25143
304-755-3561

StPaulsUMC@wvdsl.net

Church office Hours
Monday - Friday
9:00am - 2:00pm