Celebrating Who We Are!!!!!!!

OUR HISTORY

Two churches of the United Methodist faith, the John Wesley United Methodist Church, organized in 1867, located in Aquasco, Maryland and the St. Thomas United Methodist Church, organized in 1868, located in Baden, Maryland, operated as the Woodville Charge for more than 100 years. These two churches represented the first black churches established in the area following the Civil War.

Early records indicate that the members of John Wesley and St. Thomas Churches were inspired by the following great pastors:  Reverends G. T. Pinckney (1873- -), George H. Booze (1897-1899), Elizah Ayers (1899-1901), A. H. Tighman (1901-1905), George W. Cohen (1905-1908), Richard H. Adams (1908-1911), Robert F. Coates (1911-1922), Rufus R. Reid (1922-1929), C. E. O. Smallwood (1929-1938), Joseph N. Yearwood (1938-1947), Ernest F. Johnson, Sr. (1947-1966), and Charles A. Johnson, II (1966-1973).  These two churches, under the capable leadership of these ministers, made many accomplishments over the years.

The Dream of a Merger

St. Thomas and John Wesley Churches, the Woodville Charge, both wanting to do more for the Kingdom of God, dared to step out on faith. In March 1973, a special charge conference was held and a task force, consisting of two representatives from each church, was commissioned to study the proposal of the merger of these two churches. Under the leadership and administration at that time of Reverend Charles A. Johnson, II, the task force worked diligently to develop a plan of merger.  In early June 1973, the final plans for the merger were completed.

On Saturday, July 7, 1973, the task force presented the final plan of merger to the Woodville Charge Conference. The late Dr. James D. Foy, Washington East District Superintendent of the former Baltimore Conference, called the conference to order at 10:00 a.m. Reverend Johnson read the plan of merger. The plan stated in part: “Whereas, it is earnestly believed, after due consideration by the task force commissioned to study the proposal of merger for the churches of the Woodville Charge, that these two bodies functioning as one, will be enabled to further the goal of mission, evangelism, stewardship, witness and nurture, so that the Kingdom of God would be even greater enhanced through a merger of John Wesley and St. Thomas United Methodist Churches.”  The task force proposed that the effective date for the merger would be July 15, 1973.  The vote was overwhelming and at 11:03 a.m., Christ United Methodist Church was born.

Mission Statement