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!

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