Its members describe Williamsport UMC, fittingly, as a little church with a big heart, due in large part to their ample community service programs, on which they serve residents of Morrow County.

Williamsport United Methodist Church sits unassumingly tucked alongside State Route 42, as you head north out of Mount Gilead.

“We are a very active church,” Williamsport UMC Pastor Michael Bloomfield said of the 117 member assembly famous for its summer ice-cream suppers.

Through a large internal renovation project, the church community has shown just how active it really is.

“We were told in 2013, by the United Methodist Church, our parsonage needed updated,” said Williamsport UMC historian and member Laura Pearce.

The church, which was founded in 1850, bought a house to be used as a parsonage in 1961. According to the church’s historical documents, the church was dedicated in 1962 by Rev. D.D. Curl, Conference Superintendent. The house was furnished with six rooms on a half-acre land parcel.

Through the parsonage did not drastically deteriorate, the interior became increasingly dated and was not large enough to adequately support residents. The United Methodist Church urged Williamsport members to bring the house up to code.

To fund the reconstruction project, the area church has relied on a large donation campaign from both their faith community and the community at-large.

“We have done all this without going into debt,” Bloomfield said. “It’s pretty amazing. When you are there to help the community, they are there to help you right back.”

In addition to remodeling the entire parsonage, the church added a new addition to the Bloomfield’s future home, that includes a two-car garage, a master bedroom, two bathrooms, a half-bathroom and a laundry room.

“Our trustee chairman Randy Stull and his wife Tina, the other trustees of the church, and various members contributed hours of work on the parsonage,” Pearce said. “Randy and Tina’s expertise and hours of labor made this project possible.”

Work on the parsonage has taken nearly two years to finish, but the home now stands nearly completed, fit for Bloomfield to move-in within the next month.

“Due to the generosity of people giving their money, time, talent, hours of work and prayer, we are blessed to have a wonderful parsonage for our pastor,” Pearce said.

Williamsport UMC is located at 6130 US Highway 42 in Mt. Gilead.

Zach Jones | The Sentinel

Williamsport UMC Pastor Michael Bloomfield stands outside the nearly completed parsonage.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2016/01/web1_IMG_6335-1.jpgZach Jones | The Sentinel

Williamsport UMC Pastor Michael Bloomfield stands outside the nearly completed parsonage.

Zach Jones | The Sentinel

The Williamsport UMC parsonage reconstruction project was funded entirely without going into debt.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2016/01/web1_IMG_6338-1.jpgZach Jones | The Sentinel

The Williamsport UMC parsonage reconstruction project was funded entirely without going into debt.

Church relies on community, internal generosity

By Zach Jones

[email protected]

Reach Jones on Twitter @zJones_1239