CHURCH HISTORY

The Methodist Episcopal Church in Honeybrook had its beginnings at a meeting in the home of William Climenson in 1823. Henry Boehm, a traveling companion of Francis Asbury in earlier years, presided at the meeting at which a resolution was passed to erect a “Meeting House.”

James Quein and Nathan Griffith were appointed to locate a lot and superintend the building of the meetinghouse. A1/4 acre lot was purchased and the church built in 1824 under the Ministry of Rev. Jacob Gruber. The first church in Waynesburg was located within the Methodist Cemetery located at the corner of Chestnut and Water Streets.

By 1832 it became evident that the 30 by 40 foot church was too small for the growing membership. After much consideration, a decision was made to erect a new church nearer the center of Waynesburg. The land the present church is situated upon was purchased from William Buchanan. The old church was torn down, with the stones from the old church used to build the walls around the cemetery. Some of the other materials from the old church were used in the construction of the new one.

The first major improvement to the church came in 1867 with a new roof and other exterior changes. In 1876 Waynesburg was renamed Honeybrook. In 1898 the first steam heating plant was purchased for $600 and then eight stain glass windows were dedicated in 1899.

A new pipe organ was dedicated in April of 1916 and electric lights replaced kerosene lamps. Ten years later the rear addition, now the Sunday School Primary and Junior Departments, was added. The outside of the church was painted white to replace the raspberry red.

Over 60 pastors have served Honeybrook United Methodist Church. A great and continuing blessing to the church has been the many dedicated Lay Leaders and individual church members from 1823 up to and including the present date. The common goal and mission of the church has been to bring God’s Word of Life to the daily lives of His People. We are so thankful for our heritage of Faith, which has been passed on to our children and ourselves. We rejoice in the past and look forward to the future but, must importantly, we claim God’s grace and the Holy Spirit’s empowerment for today.

Thanks be to God!

If you would like a more detailed account of the church history, please read (part 1 and part 2) the 1981 newspaper articles.