Methodist Episcopal Church

Methodist Episcopal Church. Greenwood Furnace. , Dedicated in 1867 "To the Worship of God in Your Own Way.", The early 19th century was a time of great religious fervor, when evangelistic and missionary efforts made strides to increase church membership. At the forefront of the movement in the America was the Methodist Episcopal Church. Methodist ministers on horseback, called "Circuit Riders," traveled village to village, preaching and generating converts. Iron furnace villages were often rough and tumble places, so Ironmasters embraced religion, seeing It as a way to improve the performance of workers., During the early years of Greenwood Furnace, there were no formal religious services. However, by 1850, Methodist circuit riders were regularly preaching here. At the close of the Civil War, the community grew with the addition of a Second furnace. In 1865, work began on a church., The Stone Church , This stone church was built at a cost of $6,000. On September 1, 1867, it was dedicated "To the Worship of God in your own Way.", At that time, services lasted most of the day. Lay leaders conducted the service, with the minister arriving at a specified time to deliver a lengthy sermon., With the closing of the Greenwood Works, the church was used for seed storage. As the former residents returned for reunions, they were upset at seeing the church used as a warehouse. Following a letter to Governor Fisher, the church was returned to the people as a house of worship. It was repaired and rededicated in 1928. Today, it stands as a proud reminder of the village of Greenwood Furnace.