History of the Church - 2006 by Grey Maynard
Condensed history of THE KENOVA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Written by Grey Maynard, Church Historian Emeritus in 2006
Established in 1894 as a mission church of the Ceredo Methodist Church, the church building was originally located at 16th and Pine Streets. In 1913 it was moved to the northwest corner of 15th and Poplar Streets and almost immediately suffered the flood of 1913. In 1921, a new building and parsonage were built on the corner after the old building was razed. The buildings were inundated by another flood in 1937.
In 1922 the M. E. Church, South began a congregation and a church was built mid-block on the southside of the 1600 block of Poplar Street and continued there until 1939 when the Methodist Church which it is called today. There was no EUB congregation in Kenova or Ceredo. No impact was made at Kenova United Methodist Church.
The parsonage was sold in 1969 and moved less than three blocks away. The present parsonage at the northeast corner of 17th and Chestnut Streets was purchased and is in use as such today.
In 1980 a new sanctuary and fellowship hall were completed at the corner site where the parsonage had been.
In 2003 the 1921 building was razed and a new structure arose which contained Sunday School rooms along with offices, rest rooms and two new gathering areas, one on the ground floor and another on the second floor at the entrance to the sanctuary.
We have been blessed by God and continue to be every day. As you can see by the full schedule of activities we endeavor to carry out Christ’s Great Commission, “Go and make disciples”.
We have become a fellowship who long to receive and share the love of Jesus Christ and that continues to attract new people. From our beginning in 1894 to the present (2006) , the church has been served by thirty six pastors.
With a starting membership of less than 100 (which was decimated circa 1900 by the moving of the N 7 W shops to Portsmouth, Ohio), the church now has 769 members.
The congregation is kept busy with Sunday Services, small groups, youth activities, children’s ministries and an excellent music ministry involving all ages. United Methodist Men and United Methodist Women groups are well attended and are engaged in mission work outside the church. With God’s help and guidance, we move ever onward!