Warrenton Presbyterian Church
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Warrenton Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian Church (USA) congregation in Abbeville County, South Carolina.
The church was organized in 1884 by a group of Presbyterians meeting at the Warrenton High School. This group was officially constituted by Presbytery as a congregation on October 31, 1884, with 14 charter members.
W. H. Brooks gave an acre of land to the church in November.
The first elders of the church were Mr. F. A. Wilson and Mr. George S. Wilson. The Reverend H. Curtis Fennel was the first minister.
F. A. Wilson, often called the "father of the Warrenton Church," directed the construction of the church building. The building was in use by August, 1886, but it was still not completed until 1890. The church building was officially dedicated in May, 1891.
In 1895, The Reverend Fennel accepted a call to a church in Toccoa, Georgia. Warrenton Presbyterian Church then joined with Rocky River, Lowndesville and Willington churches to call the Reverend Luther Link to serve as pastor. Warrenton held worship twice monthly during this time.
The Reverend Fennell returned in 1896 and continued to serve Warrenton until his death in 1927.
The Warrenton Presbyterian Church struggled to continue after its long time pastor died. James Bradley served until his death in 1930, just a few months after being called as Warrenton's pastor. For a few months in 1931, the Reverend A. F. Doty supplied the church with pastoral leadership. The Abbeville Presbyterian Church permitted their pastor, George Telford, to provide two afternoon services each month and served the church for a few months.
The Reverend M. A. Durant began serving as the pastor of the little church in 1934 and continued until 1941. He returned to the church and served again from 1976 until 1978. He attended both the 50th and the 100th celebrations of the church's anniversary.
The Reverend Harry B. Fraser served the church beginning in 1942. He was followed by Ben F. Ogletree. Under Ogletree's leadership, the church voted to build additional Sunday School classrooms, which were comepleted in 1951 at the cost of $4,000.
When Ogletree left in 1952, he was replaced by Allen B. Wells, who served until 1954. Wells was followed by the Reverend Roy Coker.
The Reverend Roy Coker led the Warrenton Church into a period of growth. Work on a new Sanctuary began in 1957. The church was completed in 1960 at the cost of $22,000. The fist service held in the sanctuary was the funeral of Mr. James C. Morris (February 6, 1960).
At the departure of Rev. Coker, two seminary students from Erskine Theological Seminary began providing alternating preaching services at the rural church -- Frank Neil and George McGill.
The Reverend Bob Pettit was called to serve the Warrenton Church in January, 1962. When he left late in 1965, the church called Timothy Fortner as a regular supply to serve until a full-time pastor could be secured. Sidney Ayer was called in 1967, while construction on a manse or parsonage was still being completed. During his ministry the church reached its highest membership -- 151 members.
After Ayer, Charles Brown, Marion Canfield, and M.A. Durant served the church.
In 1978, Charles W. Davenport was called to serve as pastor. During his ministry, the Session and Diaconate combined into a single unicameral Session.
When Davenport left in 1983, the church called Maynard Pittendreigh as pastor. During his ministry, the buildings were refurbished, including the addition of a choir room and a museum. The church celebrated its 100th anniversary and a history of the church was written by Pittendreigh. A Presbyterian People was published by Commercial Press in 1986. The church also elected and ordained its first female elder, Helen Bosler.
Warrenton Presbyterian Church is also a Presbyterian Church (USA) congregation in Warrenton, Virginia.
1771 Presence of Presbyterians in Fauquier County (German community).
c. 1780 Rev. Hezekiah James Balch, a graduate of the College of New Jersey (Princeton), organized at Fauquier Court-House the Warren Academy and was licensed by Donegal Presbytery to preach in Virginia and North Carolina.
1804 Rev. William Williamson, a Scotsman, opened a school at Middleburg and preached in Fauquier County. In 1809, he organized the united congregation of Middleburg and Fauquier Court-House.
1813 The “Brick Church” was erected on the south side of Main Street to serve both Presbyterian and Episcopalian congregations. The building was used by both denominations until 1849.
1827 Winchester Presbytery organized members south of Bull Run into a separate congregation named the Presbyterian Church of Warrenton.
1849 St. James Episcopal Church erected their building, and the Brick Church was destroyed by tornado.
1855 The present church site was purchased and a church building erected. The Warrenton congregation was combined with the Greenwich (Prince William County) congregation with one Session. The first minister was the Rev. John W. Pugh, who served until 1868.
1861-65 During the Civil War, the church building was occupied by Federal troops. Substantial damage was incurred.
1885 Rev. Walter H. Robertson was installed. He served until 1903, at which time the reported membership of the church was 103.
1905 Rev. William Chinn installed as pastor. A cement floor was laid in the assembly room, 1930 with a section for use as a Sunday School classroom.
1930s Moeller pipe organ dedicated; Board of Deacons established; sanctuary repaired and redecorated; gas furnace installed; membership of 169.
1945 The Church Manse at the corner of High and Liberty Streets was purchased for $17,500.
1953 Educational wing was constructed with classrooms, a pastor's study, two small offices, and rest rooms.
1962 Small lot and house directly behind the church on Fourth Street purchased. The dwelling was renovated and used by Sunday School classes.
1972 Potomac Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church, U.S. and Washington City Presbytery of the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. united to form National Capital Union Presbytery.
1974 Corner lot and building to the East on Main Street purchased. A Noack pipe organ was built at a cost of $29,000.
1978 A second educational wing was added.
1987 J. Richard Winter, pastor since 1951 and church historian, retired. William Orders retained as interim pastor.
1988 Carl R. Schmahl installed as Pastor.
1999 New Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall built.
2000 New Pipe Organ and Concert Grand Piano dedicated (Randall Dyer Pipe Organ – 19 ranks)
