What is Kernstown UMC About?
In Our Words:
- Helping, loving and serving others
- God and love. To learn right from wrong, how to help our community and how to be a good person.
- Family- a family of faith that I have chosen. A family to grow with, to share with and to love. In the loved of this family of Christians we serve God in our community and our world and through this we learn about our God and each other.
- Having fun while worshiping the Lord…
- Family- Every time since my wife and I stepped into KUMC, we have always felt at home. There was never pressure to be involved, just welcomed involvement at our own pace!
- Family– We can depend on each other the same way we can depend on parents, brothers and sisters. Anytime I need help getting somewhere there is always someone willing to give me a ride. In times of hardship we support each other. In times of joy we celebrate together and of course we always enjoy eating together, we’re Methodists!
- My peace and communication with our Lord
- ...being a wonderful support network for our family.
- Friends and family worshipping and serving our Lord together. Young and old and in between-all are welcome and encourage to participate.
- …being a home away from home. Having family there to support through lifes struggles and joys.
- Comfort and happiness! My life with the church dates about 60 years. We were married in this church. A week without our church service and friends feels empty.
- Family and friends sharing God’s word
- KUMC is a home, a family with all the good things that come with these. KUMC is also a church - having all the good associated with churches; preaching of the word, pastoral care, teaching for spiritual growth, and the Holy Spirit’s love!
- …an encouraging family of believers
- Caring. Connecting. Serving. Outreach. Worshiping. Fellowhship.
- We went to three different churches before finding Kernstown! As a Scout Master for our local Troup 14, I felt a feeling of genuine friendship and fellowship when we joined. I feel part of the congregation and I’m pleased to donate my time and resources to the Church.
- Community and fellowship - Encouragement & growth spiritually as a family of believers
- Warmth and Caring…Fellowship and Love… Giving and Sharing
History of the church ?
The exact date of the organization of the Methodist Society of Kernstown is not known. The first meetings were held in the home of Mother Wade, who lived in the community. The Market Street Methodist Church was the Winchester Station over small churches in the territory. Kernstown was one of these churches.
At Kernstown a “class” was formed by Nimrod Kern under the guidance of circuit riders who visited the churches to check on the progress of spiritual living. This class met once a week in homes of the members for sharing their Christian witness, for Bible study and prayer. Nimrod who was a real spiritual force in the church had on 44 members 10 of which who had the name of Kern, (hence the name of Kern’s Town was adopted. Nimrod served 60 years aiding progress and growth in our church.
On the 13th of August 1836, Adam and Margaret Kern (parents of Nimrod Kern) deeded a parcel of land (approximately ½ acres) to the trustees of the Kernstown Episcopal Church for the erection of a building to house the worshipping community. The first church was located on Shawnee Drive down bordering the railroad track.
During the Civil War, the Army of the North burned down the church and also the parsonage. During this period the people gather together to worship with the Opequon Presbyterian Church across the fields to the west.
In 1871 a piece of land along the turnpike was deeded to the Trustees of the Church so they could build and dedicate a place of worship to the service of Almighty God. In 1873 the Rev. William G. Eggleston labored to see a new church built and dedicated, which bordered the turnpike facing west. There have been six structures throughout the past century plus, this is where Kernstown UMC resides today.