Charleston church celebrates 225th anniversary

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Charleston’s largest United Methodist Church on Sunday celebrated 225 years since its founding in 1797.

Sunday was a great day of service for Bethel United Methodist as the church celebrated its landmark 225th anniversary.

Reverend Susan Leonard said that the church is “thriving strong with great joy for the future.”

“We are celebrating the 225th anniversary of the time that Bishop Francis Asbury declared that there shall be a church out in the country, on the boundary of Charleston and it shall be called ‘Bethel.'”

Rev. Leonard said that Bethel United Methodist Church created a community as by 1798, people were attending the church every Sunday.

“This church has been a vital witness to life marked by personal faith in Christ and social holiness,” said Leonard. She adds that the church has been “aware of the folks who find themselves overlooked without a voice,” in addition to being the frontline of social activism, coming from a place of personal faith.

In celebrating the church’s anniversary, two in-person services were held in addition to a live stream of the service.

“For me personally, this day brings much joy,” Leonard said. “I think back about the history on which we stand in a church that stayed open through the civil war, a church that has withstood a hurricane, fires, even now a pandemic – and we are still standing and we are as strong and committed as we’ve ever been.”