Our Vision

Central UMC is becoming a diverse community united in Christ, nurturing children, youth, and adults into Christian leaders, promoting justice, and making an impact locally, nationally, and globally through compassionate service.

Our Mission

To make disciples for Jesus Christ, for the transformation of the world.

Celebrating 155 Years

The history of Central United Methodist Church has connections back to the early 1700’s when Quakers built a log Meeting House on the northern edge of the Friends’ Central Cemetary, across the street from our current church.

In 1784, John Wesley acknowledged the separation of Methodists from the Church of England. At the ‘Christmas Conference’ in Baltimore, the Methodist Episcopal Church was formed with Frances Asbury serving as one of the church’s first bishops.

In 1789, a Methodist Meeting House in Bargaintown, New Jersey became part of the Methodist Preaching Circuit.

In 1813, Bishop Asbury preached in the English Meeting House in English Creek leading 30 families to create a permanent Methodist Society in 1814. This Society build Zion Methodist Meeting House on Zion Road in 1822.

At the urging of Captain John Walker, a “centrally-located” church to serve the people of Leedsville (now Linwood) and Bakersville (now Northfield) was built on Shore Road in Leedsville. The name selected was Central Methodist Episcopal Church and the cornerstone was laid on June 19, 1860( It should be noted that the name Central Avenue was not established until 1904.) with James F. Morrell as the church’s pastor.