History of Center United Methodist Church
Glenda Burgess, Church Historian

Since 1887 Center Church has had a rich history of serving the people in the Catawba/Sherrills Ford community. A group of concerned citizens met at the Walden School house, located near the intersection of Harwell and Lowrance roads, until the church was built. The first church was a brush arbor in which services were held while raising money for the church building.

The church was officially organized as a part of the Catawba Charge in late 1888, just prior to the meeting of the North Carolina Annual Conference which was held in December. The Reverend C. M. Gentry was the pastor. Land for a permanent place of worship was given by Joseph and Mary Beal. A deed was drawn in 1888 and construction began immediately thereafter. The original deed of sales, filed October 1, 1888 is stored in a safety deposit box at Peoples Bank of Catawba.

The deed to the land was made out to the church trustees, James T. Harwell, P. L. Jones, and Alexander Blalock; the Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South; and to their successors in office.

Church Buildings

The congregation worshiped in the brush arbor until the church was finished in the later part of 1890. This church had two doors and Fred Rudisill recalled that the women used the door on the right and the men used the door on the left. The men and women never sat together during worship. The church was rebuilt in 1926 and this new structure had a center door and Sunday School rooms in extended sides of the sanctuary. This building was brick veneered and remodeled in 1944. During the pastorate of Reverend W. E. Rufty in 1959, plans were made for an educational building. The new building was completed in July of 1960 with ten classrooms, a church office, restrooms, kitchen and fellowship hall.

During one of Reverend Rufty's sermons in 1960, he was filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and he became so emotional he could not finish his sermon. His wife finished it for him. Mrs. Rufty was so dedicated to her husband and to Center Church that a Sunday School classroom was named for her--the Rufty Class.

At church conference in June 1991, the members of Center Church approved building a new sanctuary. The last service in the red brick church took place on Sunday, July 14, 1991. In order to keep the closeness the old church had, the new sanctuary was built in a Y-type church with seating closer to the altar. The old church had to be torn down to accommodate the new church. The old church was sacrificed to God with the assistance of the Bandy's Fire Department. The first service in the new Worship Center was held under the pastorate of the Reverend Dave Cash on Mother's Day, May 1992. The new sanctuary had seating for 240. In order to enhance the beauty of the new Worship Center and to make the church complex totally handicap accessible, improvements were also made to the Educational Building and the grounds.

The new sanctuary has a stained-glass mural depictig the church history which depicts the dedication and faithful witness of the church's members both past and present. It provides more than just a historical timeline. It calls us to faith. By water and the Spirit, we are baptized into the family of God. The sacrament of Holly Communion is a memorial meal and a reminder of God's grace given freely to each believr. God's hand extends throughout all history and reaches down to touch our hearts.



There are three wooden beams that stretch along the cathedral ceiling toward a large cross at the altar, representing the Trinity. Behind the altar are two stone walls, representing the rock upon which Peter built his church. Just like those first disciples of Christ and our ancestors, we too are called as kingdom builders.

Pictures of Center Church as it grew and changed throughout the years.


Parsonages

Around 1939 the green sided old house, that now stands in the curve across from Balls Creek Campground, was the parsonage fro the five-point Balls Creek Charge. The BCC consisted of Pisgah, Friendship, Mountain View, St. Paul and Center. The Reverends Sisk, Forbis, Banks and Harrison lived in this parsonage.

According to infomation given by Cleo Ikard and under the pastorate of Reverend Forbis, the 1943 photo, shown below, was taken for the purpose of sending one to all the young men of Center's congregation who were currently serving in the military during the war years. A newspaper clipping she gave to Glenda Burgis said, May 31, twenty-seven men who have entered the armed services fro Center Methodist Church on Balls Creek Charge, were honored Sunday when the curch held its annual homecoming event. A salute to the boys was read by Winnis Hilderbran, Edsel Bandy, Cleo Pope and Melva Rudisill.



In 1950, when St. Paul left the five-point charge, the new four-point Balls Creek Charge used a home on Highway 16 as the parsonage for the next 19 years. The pastors living in this parsonage were the Reverends Harrison, Carver, Rufty, Harkey, Shankle and Pennigar.

In 1969, the Balls Creek Four-Point Charge under the pastorate of Reverend Frank Pennigar was separated into a two-point charge, Center/Pisgah Charge, was formed. Land was purchased from the Frye Family and a new parsonage was built adjourning the Center property. In June 1969, the Reverend M. C. Ellerbe came out of retirement and with his family, moved into the new parsonage. Reverend Ellerbe was in an auto accident in 1970. While recovering, he preached from his wheel chair using a little Testament and no notes.


Center was on the Catawba Charge 32 years, the Claremont Circuit for one year, the Balls Creek charge for 49 years and the Center-Pisgah Charge for 29 years. In June 1998, the Center-Pisgah charge separated, with Center going station under the pastorate of the Reverend Nick Rochester.

The Center Church Ball Field and the concession stand was completed in the spring of 2000.

In 2009, Center celebrates 122 years as a fellowship of believers in the church of Jesus Christ. Celebrate joyfully and look to God to lead us in the years to come.

Open Hearts - Open Minds - Open Doors
4945 Sherrills Ford Road      Catawba NC 28609     828-241-4122/828-241-4121 (Fax)                                                            CUMC Location Map
Last Updated May 29, 2009--cd