Memorial United Methodist Church is located six miles west of Franklin, NC on the left side of Old Highway 64 at the intersection of Wayah Road.  It was formed by the merging of
Carson Chapel and Mt. Zion
United Methodist Churches in 1967.

The building site was donated and deeded to the church by Mr. A.B. Slagle, a former member of
Mt. Zion.  It consists of about 18 acres and lies almost exactly halfway between the two churches.

Rev. Donald Noblitt was pastor of Mt. Zion and Rev. P.F. Snyder was pastor of Carson Chapel when plans for the merger were started.  The congregations met in the summer at Carson Chapel and at Mt. Zion during the cold months, while plans were being finalized and the new church constructed.

The new church was named by the members (unanimously) “Memorial United Methodist Church” in memory of departed loved ones.

Construction of the church began in 1970 while
Rev. William Haselden as pastor (1968-1973).  Members of the building committee consisted of: Nelson Waldroop, Chairman; Earl Cabe, Treasurer; Siler Slagle, Fred Slagle, Cecil Parker, Homer Greene, Florence Sherill, Charles Nolen and Earl Harrison.

Members of the Board of Trustees were Jeff Enloe, Nelson Waldroop, Harold Moore, Wayne Harrison, Wayne Pendergrass, Siler Slagle, Cecil Parker, Jim Cunningham, Sr. and Fred S. Moore.

Construction was by Haywood Contractors, of Lake Junaluska.  James D. Padgett of Asheville was the architect.  He received a Certificate of Recognition for Fural Churches Design from the Randolph E. Dumont Design Co., which is sponsored by the Committee on Church Architecture of NC conference and the W.N.C. conference of the United Methodist Church.

The church is a functional church. It was one of the first churches in the county not built in the traditional idea of a church and received quite a bit of interest during the building process.  One person remarked to Mrs. Harriet Setser, an older member, that it looked like a barn.  She replied, “Well, after all, wasn’t Jesus born in a stable?”.  After completion of the church, everyone was pleased with the results.

The landscaping of the church grounds was done by the men of the church.

The first service was held in Memorial on February 28, 1971.  The officiating minister was Rev. Paul Barker, as Rev. William Haselden, the regular minister, was ill.

The Formal Opening Service and The Service for “Laying of the Cornerstone” were held on April 18, 1971, with Bishop Earl G. Hunt officiating.  Other participants were Rev. Harley Dickson, District Superintendent; Rev. William Haselden, Rev. C. E. Murray, Rev. Donald Noblitt, Rev. Paul Barker and Soloist, Conrad Hefner, who sang
 “How Great Thou Art”.

Acknowledgment of appreciation was made to the many persons who made this building project a success by their prayers, Talents, Efforts, Time, finance and interest.

A box containing records of written church related facts, pictures, etc. was placed in a cornerstone of the church. The stone was then replaced and sealed by the minister and the builder of the church.

On June 26, 1977, Memorial Church was dedicated to the “Glory of God and Service to Mankind”.  The minister in charge was Rev. Joel Carter (1973-1981).  Participants in the service were Bishop L. Scott Allen of Charlotte, Dr. James Coleman, District Superintendent and Rev. William Haselden.  The mortgage was burned by Earl Cabe, Gilmer Setser and Eugene Crawford.  The members of the Planning Committee for Dedication Day were Steve Roylston, Chairman; Florence Sherrill, Co-coordinator; Harriet Setser, Historian; Jim Cunningham, Sr., Chairman of Administrative Board; and Charles Nolen, Chairman of Trustees.

The first officers of the church were Bob Bryson, Sunday School Superintendent; Myra Waldroop, assistant Superintendent; Katherine Pendergrass, Secretary of Sunday School; Mae Belle Cabe, Financial Secretary; Clara Harrison, Treasurer; and Sara Bryson, who has served as Recording Secretary since 1967.

The first person to join Memorial Church was Michael Gregory Enloe on April 11, 1971.  The first baby to be christened was Stephen Frederick Enloe on august 27, 1972.  The first funeral was for Mrs. Leona Waldroop Moore on March 11, 1972.  The first wedding was for Miss Carolyn Juanita Setser to Warren Larry Waters on February 15, 1975.

The bell in the tower is from the Carson Chapel Church.  The cross in the front of the church was made by Fred Slagle from material of the altar rail at Carson Chapel.  The brass cross on the piano was made and donated by Charles Nolen.  The Christian flag was given by the Friendship Class; the Communion Element Cover and Table Cover were given by the Adult Class.

The following memorials have been given; the United States Flag by the family of Max Greene; the candle holders and the small cross in the Narthex were given by the family of J.C. Weaver; the altar rail by the family and friends of Charles Ronald Waldroop; the organ by the family and friends of Lida A. Slagle; the folding doors in the Narthex by the United Methodist Women in memory of Leona W. Moore; Cokesbury Hymnals by Gladys Barrett in memory of Floyd Barrett and Cecil Parker; the Communion Service by Betty Slagle Kemper in memory of her grand parents, J. Henry and Margaret Gillespie Slagle; the poem “Abou Ben Adem”, in the Narthex was given in memory of Nina Rae Waldroop Slagle by the Macon County Extension Office and the FHA Office; the Psalm in the Friendship Class was place there in memory of Nina Rae Slagle; the Psalm in the Narthex by Mrs. Eleanora McNish in honor of her son, Tommy during the time he was a Prisoner of War in Vietnam; the brass flower urn and the Paraments by Steve and Mary Slagle Roylston in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Slagle; the Chalice and Advent Wreath in memory of Gladys Barrett Bearce by friends; the stained glass window by Bill and Shirley Hunter in memory of Shirley’s father, Dr. Russell J. Jones; and the Organ Lamp in memory of Mrs. Jake Mathews by her husband and family.

Pastors of Memorial United Methodist Church