About Us
Church History, Our First 100 Years:
Historian’s Note: There are only limited written records
which chronicle the early years of our church, and some of these records give
two accounts of some events. Much of the early history is taken from notes made
by Mrs. O.E. Bivins, a charter member and church historian.
(Prepared by Betty Brown, 2005)
There were few people in Efland in the late 1800s, but many
believed and exercised their faith by attending services out-of-doors in bush
arbors. The people wanted a church and in 1898 the Orange Circuit sent Rev. W.M.
Pike to preach at Efland. More than five years later, October 3, 1903, the
conference appointed an investigative committee comprised of S.T. Forrest, C.C.
Smith and Miss Lillian Thompson to consider the wisdom of constructing a church
at Efland. At the December Conference of that year, the investigative committee
reported to the Conference that the people wanted a church and that $300.00 had
been pledged (some accounts credit this as donated by Mr. Robert H. Sharpe). By
the March 1904 conference $500.00 had been pledged to this project. The
Conference appointed the following trustees for the church property: S.T.
Forrest, C.C. Smith, L.A. Boggs, C.H. Pratt, and H.D. Brown. These trustees,
with the assistance of the Rev. W.D. Fogleman, selected a site and one acre of
land at that location was secured from Mr. Stephen Taylor Forrest and wife Lena
D. Forrest. (Some records indicate that this land was a gift from Mr. and Mrs.
Forrest.)
 We believe May 14, 1905 is the date the church was
organized as the Efland Methodist Protestant Church. There were 17 charter
members. A Sabbath school had been organized a year earlier and was in full
operation on that date.
The first church was built of wood. In 1910 a bell tower
was added, and memorial windows installed (as you see them today). The people
were devoted to their church, and by 1924 a parsonage was built so the minister
could live in the community. Sunday school rooms were added, and the building
was turned around to face the new highway. The building was brick-veneered, the
walls of the sanctuary were plastered, a new ceiling was put in, and a new
pulpit and choir stall added. We are told all the enhancements “made it a
beautiful place to worship.” All of these renovations cost approximately
$11,000.00 and the people celebrated the church made new.
 In 1935 the church was formally dedicated, and in 1939 the
church name was changed to Efland Methodist Church. The name was changed again
in 1968 to our current name of Efland United Methodist Church.
There have been many other changes to the church through
the years. In 1967 a three-bell carillon was installed, in 1991 the sanctuary
was renovated, in 2003, a handicap ramp was added, and in 2004 memorial windows
were placed over the front and side doors. In 2004 and 2005, we celebrated our
Sunday school history, our youth programs, marriages performed in the church,
our Methodist men and women, our veterans, and on May 14, 2005 we buried a time
capsule to be opened on May 14, 2105. The big celebration of our 100th
Anniversary was held June 5, 2005. Bishop Al Gwinn, the Rev. Bill Gattis, the
Rev. Cindy Lister and student pastor  Grant Woodley presided at our service.
Like the service of 1935 was described “as a beautiful day to worship God,” so
was our day.
We have had wonderful help through the years. Thirty-three
pastors have ministered to us. In our early years we were in a multi-church
charge. Most of our ministers were student pastors. In the 1967-1968 year we
became a one-station charge, and in 1984-1985 our pastorate became full-time.
We pride ourselves on having a wonderful worship relationship with all the
community churches, and we share service several times a year rotating among the
churches. To us our church is beautiful, but the true beauty we have
and have had is our church in action. So many have worked hard to make life
better for others.
 The Veterans Housing Corporation helped get houses for
returning veterans, the Efland Town Council worked for the betterment of the
community, the Rescue squad and Fire Department, the ladies auxiliaries, Relay
for Life, Crop Walk, Ruritan Club, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Habitat for
Humanity, school and health fair workers and many, many more volunteers have
been and are our church in action as we try to heed Christ’ call to “do unto the
least,” knowing that when we do we are serving Him. And so, we begin our second
century “loving God in Christian fellowship through serving others.”
Links:
The United Methodist Church
www.umc.org
NC Annual Conference
www.nccumc.org
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