Mission Statement
At Hickory Ridge United Methodist Church, our purpose is to communicate God’s Word through evangelism, to provide fellowship and community to believers, to educate God’s people through discipleship, to demonstrate God’s love through service, and to celebrate God’s presence in worship.
History of the Congregation
Hickory Ridge Methodist Protestant Church was organized in 1847 by the Reverend Allison Gray. The six charter members were Mr. And Mrs. James Crews, Mrs. Pattie Banner, Miss Mary Banner, Mrs. Nancy Cox, and Miss Louisa Cox. Some of their descendants worship here now.
The first services were held in a log schoolhouse near where the present church now stands by the Reverend Quinton Holton, a traveling preacher of the old Yadkin Circuit. This circuit included Davidson, Forsyth, Stokes, and Surry Counties. Since the circuit was larger, services weren’t held very often.
In 1848 the Reverend George Whitaker from Enfield held a camp meeting under an arbor on the school grounds. A number of converts were added to the group. Many other camp meetings were held. As the membership grew, it saw the need for a church building. William Cox and Matthew Crews bought two acres of land. One acre was bought on September 8, 1850, at a cost of $7.00. Immediately a frame building 30 feet by 45 feet was erected. This was a good church for that time. The group worshiped in that building until the early 1900’s, when a larger one-room frame church was built on the second acre of land, which was purchased on December 31, 1891 at a cost of $25.00. This church building remained in service until early 1952.
In 1939 when the Methodist Episcopal, the Methodist Episcopal South, and the Methodist Protestant denominations united, Hickory Ridge became a member of the greater Methodist Church.
On Thanksgiving Day 1951, the foundation for a new brick veneer church was staked off. This church had a sanctuary, four classrooms, a dining room, and a kitchen. The first service in the new brick structure was held April 6, 1952, by the pastor, the Reverend Fred L. Setzer.
Still the congregation grew. In July 1958 a lot 60’ x 150’ was purchased from Silas Moser. A second groundbreaking service was held July 5, 1959. Construction began and on Easter Sunday 1960, we worshiped in our new church. The Reverend R. A. Hunter was pastor. He served two separate terms, a total of 16 years.
The old sanctuary was used for an assembly room for Sunday school until early 1964 when it was converted into a nursery, a library, two small classrooms, and one large classroom.
In the late 1970s, Rev. Robert Kerr started a music group called The Mustard Seeds, made up of a number of young people from Hickory Ridge United Methodist Church and Palmyra United Methodist Church. The group recorded an album titled “Looking for the Day.”
Other ministers who have served our congregation are as follows:
| Pastor’s Historical Position | Pastor’s Name | Pastor’s Years of Service |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Cicero Harris | |
| 2nd | I.I. York | |
| 3rd | J.F. Dosier | |
| 4th | Rev. Modin | |
| 5th | Rev. Austin | |
| 6th | E.G. Loudermilk | |
| 7th | W. C. Lassiter | |
| 8th | O. P. Ruth | |
| 9th | J. G. W. Holloway | |
| 10th | Rev. Lucas | |
| 11th | T. A. Williams | |
| 12th | A. O. Lindley | |
| 13th | C. H. Whitaker | |
| 14th | W. F. Kennett | |
| 15th | E. A. Bingham | |
| 16th | George Curry | |
| 17th | R. C. Stubbins | |
| 18th | L. W. Gerringer | |
| 19th | R. A. Hunter | 1930-1939 |
| 20th | Joseph Shackford | 1939-1943 |
| 21st | Aubert M. Smith | 1943-1948 |
| 22nd | C. E. Murray | 1948-1949 |
| 23rd | John R. Hamilton | 1949-1952 |
| 24th | Fred Setzer | 1952-1954 |
| 25th | R. A. Hunter | 1954-1961 |
| 26th | James Murr | 1961-1962 |
| 27th | Edwin Williams | 1962-1965 |
| 28th | Dwight Whitlock | 1965-1966 |
| 29th | Tabor Wood | 1966-1969 |
| 30th | Max Dulin | 1969-1970 |
| 31st | Frank Heffner | 1970-1974 |
| 32nd | Robert L. Kerr | 1974-1980 |
| 33rd | Jimmy Holland | 1980-1983 |
| 34th | Bob G. Wolfe | 1983-1987 |
| 35th | Roy L. Grant | 1987-1989 |
| 36th | James Purdy IV | 1989-1993 |
| 37th | Loy Kennedy | 1993-1997 |
| 38th | Lewis Poag | 1997-1999 |
| 39th | Jack Danley | 1999-2003 |
| 40th | G. Tony Griffin | 2003-2007 |
| 41st | Catherine Vlastakis | 2007-2008 |
| 42nd | Nancy W. Johnson | 2008-2009 |
| 43rd | Mary Lautensleger | 2009-2010 |
| 44th | Wesley McLeod | 2010-2021 |
| 45th | Craig M. Toth | 2021-present |