A BRIEF HISTORY OF COMMUNITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

 
Community Methodist Church was organized September 7, 1952, with 87 charter members meeting at the Kempsville Community House. The Rev. Douglas Newman, pastor of Oak Grove Methodist, was the founding pastor.  In Oct. 1952, the congregation moved into Kempsville High School (now Kemps Landing School). The first worship service in the new sanctuary was on October 10, 1954. A parsonage was built next to the Church. There were 333 members. By 1955, with a membership over 400 the first addition (office and scout room) was built.
 
A second addition was built during the pastorate of Rev. Roach (1955 - 1960) and we had our first acolytes and the Men's Fellowship began. Our third pastor, Rev. Moseley (1960 - 1962) saw to it that the property located on Alton Road purchased. Community Methodist went to two Sunday morning worship services during the pastorate of Rev. Kibler when our membership rose to 1,148.
 
After having four different Pastors serve Community during the eighteen months from January 1967 to June 1968, the Rev. Abe Moyer was appointed. We built our current parsonage. Rev. Rose came to our church in 1974 and his strong guidance brought stability back to Community. We paid our debt off in full and restarted the UMM (United Methodist Men). The present sanctuary was completed in 1984 under the pastorate of Rev. Logan, and we went back to two Sunday morning worship services. In 1989, during the pastorate of Rev. Morgan, the two-story educational unit was built and membership reached 1,600 in 1991. In 2002, the building expansion was completed, we entered into a new, enlarged sanctuary and the building dedicated.