History in the Making

Where John and Charles Wesley once walked and worked on Saint Simons Island, a new church is growing...

In 1736, Reverend John Wesley, the new religious leader for the three-year-old colony of Georgia, arrived in Savannah. His brother Charles came as Secretary to Gen. Oglethorpe and priest to the brand new Fort Frederica on the North end of Saint Simons Island. Later, John Wesley became known as the Father of  Methodism, and Charles Wesley as a great hymnodist. At Christmas in 1784, the Methodist Episcopal Church in America was organized.

In 1983, a South Georgia Conference-wide Church Extension Survey indicated the need for another United Methodist Church on the island. The St. Simons United Methodist Church administrative board voted to be the sponsoring congregation on August 27, 1986. In November 1986, a New Church Steering Committee, composed of members of St. Simons UMC and leaders from the Waycross District and South Georgia Conference, was organized. Following a survey of the North end of the Island, plans were completed for starting the new church.

The establishment of Wesley Memorial Garden and the gift of adjacent land provided an ideal building site. Bishop Frank L. Robertson, a retired United Methodist Church bishop living on the Island, was appointed Founding Pastor by Bishop Ernest Fitzgerald.

On April 4, 1987, the St. Simons United Methodist Church commissioned 55 of its members to help establish the new church. Sunday School classes began the following Sunday, and Bishop Robertson preached the first service in the former St. Williams Catholic Church on Frederica Road (which is now Lord of Life Lutheran Church). Within ten days there were 101 charter members of the new church. On May 17, 1987, the church was officially constituted, officers elected, and the name "Wesley United Methodist Church at Frederica" was adopted in a meeting presided over by Dr. Marion Edwards, then-Superintendent of the Waycross District. In August 1987, a building committee was elected at Charge Conference. On December 13, 1987, all services moved to Lovely Lane Chapel and other buildings on the beautiful campus of Epworth By-The-Sea. Ground breaking services were held for the present site on March 27, 1988. At the Annual Conference in Macon in June 1988, Rev. Wright Culpepper was appointed as the new pastor of the congregation, which by now had grown to over 200 members. On July 24, 1988, ground clearing for construction began at the new site.

In April 1989, Joe Justin Walters joined the Wesley staff as our Director of Music.

The first services in the new building were held on January 7, 1990, and the building was consecrated by South Georgia Bishop Richard C. Looney on March 4, 1990. On December 30, 1990 the Mary Haines Davidson Leonard Children's Center was named and on the following Sunday the Robertson Library was dedicated in honor of Bishop and Mrs. Frank L. Robertson.

The present Sanctuary, dedicated in 1990

By September 1991, membership and attendance at the regular 10:30 worship service had grown to the extent that an 8:30 a.m. service was added. Between theses two services, many worshippers participate in any of twelve Sunday School classes. In September 1992, the beautiful new Moller pipe organ, with seven full ranks of pipes plus chimes, was installed to enhance the music program which now includes an adult Chancel Choir and two children's choirs.

In June 1993, Rob Grotheer was added to the church ministry staff as Diaconal Minister relating to Youth and Programs. Rob left Wesley in July 1998 when he was appointed to return to his home church, Isle of Hope United Methodist Church, in Savannah.

In June 1995, Wesley welcomed Rev. Tom Martin as new pastor. Rev. Martin's family, wife Flo, and sons Thomas and Matthew, have added so much to the life of Wesley.

In the Spring of 1998, many members of Wesley participated in a Revisioning program to establish priorities and plans to take the church into 2000 and beyond. Presently, the church is underway with a special campaign called "Miracle Sunday" to raise funds to pay off the church debt and provide additional funding for expanded ministries and growth of the church. The current membership consists of over 600 members, as well as a large active visitor list.