The heritage of West Jeffeson United Methodist Church is rooted in the spirit of our founder, John Wesley; who described his religious awakening as "I felt my heart strangely warmed." It includes the vision of circuit riding preachers, our charter members, their descendents and all who have since joined our church. Today, our church is located in the community of West Jefferson, North Carolina at the College Avenue and Second Street.
Methodism came to Ashe County in the warm hearts of circuit riders. These young men rode their horses from place to place holding services. In our area, as early as 1783, they traveled the high country of Grayson County, Virginia and Ashe County, North Carolina. The first official record of a circuit calle Ashe is at the Tennessee Methodist Conference, October 30, 1817, with 100 members listed as the Ashe Circuit. There were no meeting houses in those early days. Services were held in the open or in homes. The circuit riding preachers held these services every day of the week whenever and wherever a group could be gathered.
More than 100 years passed and during the winter of 1921/22 the Methodist people residing in West Jefferson felt the call to organize a local church. On April 20, 1921 our church was formally organized with 12 charter members. They were: Mr. and Mrs. J. I. Seagraves, Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Faw, Mrs. A. E. Graybeal, Miss Jennie Graybeal, Mrs. E. D. Jones, Miss Nona Kirby (the first person to be baptized in our church), Mr. T. E. Parker, Mr. J. A. Roland and Mr. and Mrs. James Allen, Sr. The North Carolina Conference of The Methodist Episcopal Church recognized their desire and placed the new West Jefferson Church in the Jefferson Circuit. Services were held in the local movie house. However, increasing membership and the lack of proper lighting forced the young congregation to move to the school.
The congregation continued to grow and the desire to build a permanent church structure was made. On October 25, 1925 the deed for the church property was registered to transfer it from the owners to the church trustees for asum of three hundred dollars. A small building was put up on the back of the lot and services began to be held there until the main building could be erected.
Within five years the congregation had more than one hundred members. The new building was erected with brick hauled with horse and wagon over the mountain from North Wilkesboro. The Women's Missionary Society raised $1,500.00 and was given the honor of laying the cornerstone of the brick sanctuary. In 1958, an educational wing was added, giving much needed classroom space. During the same period changes were made in the sanctuary, adding a divided chancel and rearrangement of the stained glass windows. In 1995 a handicapped ramp was added to the sanctuary and later air conditioning was also added.
On June 12, 1959, the charter was approved for the formation of the United Methodist Men, who are also very active in the church and community. In 1968 the Women's Missionary Society merged with the Wesleyan Service Guild and became the United Methodist Women as it stands today.
In 2001 a new paved parking lot as added and plans for renovation of the church building were begun. In 2005 a $2,300,000 full renovation of the sanctuary to return it to its original architectural style with additional seating, additional classrooms, an elevator, a fellowship hall, offices for staff and areas for gathering and greeting was begun.
Ourtreach to the community is at the heart of the mission and ministry of our church. For example, in 2003 we completed the construction of a home for six developmentally-disabled adults who are now part of our church family.
Today the people of West Jefferson United Methodist Church work to serve God with multiple ministries, rooted in the warm hearts of John Wesley and those young circuit riding preachers. We are a multigenerational congregation whose members celebrate diversity with open hearts, open minds and open doors.
