"Entering a new century of devotion and recommitment to Jesus Christ"

What was to become Simpson Memorial United Methodist Church began in 1833 in the basement of the Asbury Chapel on Quarrier Street.  As was customary during that period, the congregation was under the supervision of white ministerial leadership.  The determination and perseverance of this group grew and in 1866, they had their own African-American minister and leadership.  They also began one of the first free schools for African-American children.  In 1870 a frame church structure was built near the corner of Quarrier and Dickinson streets.  In 1887, this structure burned, but was rebuilt the following year, and named 'Simpson` after the Bishop Matthew Simpson.

 From 1870-1914, Simpson hosted two sessions of the Washington Conference (1886, 1895), and was also the site for the first organizational meeting of the West Virginia Negro Teachers Association.  The church was also the training ground for innumerable black pastors of the time.

In 1914, the church purchased the land where the current church stands on Shrewsbury Street.  The building was completed in 1915.  The union of the Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal South and the Methodist Protestant Church affected the Church in 1939.  This reunion led to the creation of the new Central Jurisdiction, with Simpson located in the Washington Conference of the new jurisdiction.  

Between the years of 1939 and 1955, Simpson became a significant religious landmark and institution.  The Church was known for its outreach to metropolitan Charleston families, as well as its scouting, music, nursery school, and christian education programs.  The 1940`s and 50`s saw Simpson grow to 750 members under the pastoral leadership of Reverend John H. Woods in 1955.  

By the 1960`s, times were changing.  The neighborhood known as the Triangle District of Charleston, which the church served, was effectively demolished in the early 1960`s, greatly affecting Simpson`s membership.  This scattered many members of the church.  The physical environment of Simpson was changing, and the social landscape was not far behind.

In June of 1965, the West Virginia Area of the Methodist Church was officially desegregated when twenty-five black churches, including Simpson, were received into the West Virginia Annual Conference.  The first African-American district superintendent of the new union was appointed during this time.

The past 30 years have been challenging and rewarding for Simpson Church.  One of its sons, Homer Davis served as district superintendent from 1983-1989.  Reverend Davis is one of several members of Simpson who have been recognized in the Methodist church and the community of Charleston.  There has also been cooperation with Charleston District Outreach Ministries in an after school-tutoring program.

As it looks forward to the new millennium Simpson Memorial United Methodist church stands on the rock of Christ and a proud heritage as a socially active, friendly church.  The arrival in 2001 of Simpson's first female pastor, Rev. F. Olive Davis, creates all kinds of wonderful possibilities of Simpson being engaged in mission and ministry that she brings will spark "new life" into our church.

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