Evergreen United Methodist Church : About Us

Our Mission

We gather to experience God's Love through worship, nurture, and education, and go forth to express God's Love through sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed.

Our Vision

To serve God and each other, we commit ourselves ...

to grow and develop disciples of Christ,

to act as good stewards of God's gifts,

to nurture and respect one another,

to reach out to those in physical and spiritual need,

to use and develop our talents to worship God,

and to practice Jesus' gentleness and self-control.

Brief History of Evergreen UMC

Beginning

June, 1987	The NC Conference of the UMC decides to start a new church in northern Chatham county. Rev. Ellen Metcalf is appointed as its first pastor.
Nov. 29, 1987	Sunday worship services begin weekly at the Western Steer Steakhouse in Cole Park Plaza. (1st Sunday of Advent)
Early 1988	“Members” select the name Evergreen, the name put forward by Walton Haywood.
June 4, 1988	Chartering Sunday – Held at the Western Steer Steakhouse in Cole Park Plaza. The church is chartered with 29 members.
Early April, 1990	Church moves Sunday worship into two shopping center spaces inside the mall at Cole park Plaza.
June, 1990	Church is moved into the Burlington district.
June, 1991	Membership is 37 members; including children, about 60 persons were actively involved in the Church, mostly young adults with young families.
1991	Rev. Jimmy Weaver becomes pastor.
1988 – 1992	Membership grows to approximately 40.

Building

1992	Church purchases approx 10 acres of land – its current location.
October, 1993	Starts building. NC Conference contractor oversees process, but construction work done mainly by church members and work crews from other churches.
Easter, 1995	First worship service in new, incomplete building.

Settling In

1995	Rev. Don Johnson becomes pastor.
Later in 1995	Building is completed.
	Church activities includes: Sunday School for all ages, 3 choirs (adults, kids, and pre-schoolers), Kid’s Saturdays, Friday Night Fellowship Meals, United Methodist Women, Disciple Bible Study.
1993 – 1997	Membership grows to approximately 94.

A Growing Church

1998	Rev. Lisa Creech Bledsoe becomes pastor.
1997-2000	Deaths of 1st church members: Bob Leighton -1997, Lonnie Knight -1999, Aaron Burgess- 1999, Al Clark 2000
1998 – 2000	Membership grows to approximately 137.
July, 2001	Rev. Dr. Joy MacVane becomes pastor.
Fall, 2001	Columbarium is finished.
Spring, 2002	Saturday evening praise services begin.
October, 2004	Began our Internet Ministry with this web site.
June, 2005	Rev. Jeff Nash becomes pastor.
June, 2006	Mary McClure completed Licensing School for Local Pastors and was appointed as Associate Pastor for Evergreen.
September, 2006	Sadly, Mary McClure resigned and that was accepted by the PPRC.