History
In the beginning was the "big" spring and because it was there, the religious services started being held near it. Since churches of that day held revivals of much greater length than today’s worship services, water was of prime importance. Water was needed for each family member as well as for the animals that brought them to worship and for the dogs that followed them. Some folks came by foot, some by horseback, some by horse and buggy and some by horse and wagon.
Rural Big Spring United Methodist Church, one of the historical churches of Mecklenburg Methodism, is at its original site in Berryhill Township, five and one half miles from the heart of Charlotte, NC on the old Charlotte-Gastonia highway, old NC 20, at 5300 Old Dowd Road.
The members of Big Spring Campground (church) at their Sunday service on October 14, 1866 organized as a regular church. There were 33 males and 58 females for a total of 91 Charter Members. This was one year after the Civil War had ended in 1865, when so many men had been lost. This became the Methodist Episcopal Church South of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
Although 1866 is the date for the Big Spring Organization as a regular church congregation, there is evidence and documented historical records in the Methodist Church Archives that religious services and gatherings were held as church camp meetings at Big Spring for many years prior to 1866. There is even a Deed in the Mecklenburg County, NC Register of Deeds Office for the purchase of the Big Spring land and it was deeded 26th day of June in the AD 1834 to Thomas McDonald, William Williams and Brawley Oates, Trustees for the Big Spring Campground of the Methodist Episcopal Church of the County of Mecklenburg and in the state of North Carolina (Berryhill Township) A total of 26 acres, more or less, for a cost of $78.00 - Book 23, page 270.
The Charlotte Circuit Quarterly Conference (3rd of the year) met at the Big Spring Campground on August 27, 1836. This was the first mention of Big Spring in the old Quarterly minutes that are in the Methodist Archives. By December 13, 1837, Big Spring was listed as one of the strongest of the Societies on the Circuit per the Stewardship Records. The Circuit included Big Spring, Charlotte, Bethel, Mt. Pisgah, Gold Mine, Sardis, Zoar, Zion, Loves, Rogers and Sandy Ridge.
By 1838, a “HARBOR” (brush arbor) had been built at a cost of $297.67.
In the Big Spring Cemetery, the earliest tombstone, that is legible, is for Elizabeth Walker — departed January 8, 1844.
In 1867 the pastor for the Circuit - Rev. J. J. Prather was at the church meeting on June 21, 1867 when a committee was elected to do all they could to finish the church building. Apparently the log frame of the church had been built. On May 15, 1868 at a meeting of the Building Committee, Annanias Sing proposed to “tongue and groove the planks and lay the floors, to make the seats with solid backs, build ceiling, close the upper windows, build pulpit and altar, put in lights, make sash, make and hang doors, all to be done in substantial and workable like manner. Work to be concluded 16th of August, 1868 for 20 acres of the land”. A bid was accepted to complete this sanctuary on May 30, 1868.
At the turn of the Century, 1900, Big Spring was struggling for existence. Rev. W.I. Nicholson came to the Circuit and remained until 1903 when Big Spring was put with Dilworth Church. In 1904, Rev. R.A. Sikes was Pastor for one year. The church had only 20 active members. He was followed by Rev. C.M. Short who served 3 years.
In 1907 a new frame church was erected, costing $1,300 of which $1,000 was in labor and materials. It took 6 years to clear the debt and then by the sale of some timber.
During the pastorate of Rev. J.O. Ervin in 1913 and 1914, it is recorded in the Big Spring records that Dilworth became a Station and Big Spring disappeared from the Conference records (except for a supply pastor) until 1923. During that time, there were no regular pastor appointments but the doors were not closed. Two families, that of Dolph Freeman and David Sing, held on with faith that the church would not die. In October 1923, a Supply Pastor, Rev. J.A. Smith was appointed by the Conference to serve Big Spring. His salary was supplemented by the Board of Missions at $100 per year. The membership increased to 50, the Sunday School to 86 and the value of the church property to $5,000 during Rev. Smith’s years. During his last two 6 years. During his last 2 years, Derita was put back with Big Spring.
The membership continued to grow. During 1935 -1939, a white frame parsonage was built on the Church grounds. In 1939 the church became self supporting.
In the late 1940s, the membership started making plans for a new church building. J. Barney Faulkner was elected Chairman of the Building Fund, Earl Brinkley, Secretary and Byron Luna, Treasurer. On April 10, 1950, W.B. Toole and a group of laymen began tearing down the old frame church. On the following Saturday, April 15, 1950, ground breaking exercises were held by Rev. E.H. Nease, Sr. District Superintendent. (Eleven years later, Dr. Nease would return to Big Spring as pastor). A tent was purchased for $111 and used for worship while the church was being built. A lot of the construction of the brick church was done by the membership. The first service was held in the new sanctuary on January 28, 1951, followed by a week of revival services. Within two years a Baldwin Organ was purchased for the church. In 1960 a new brick parsonage was completed. The white frame parsonage remained in use for several more years for Sunday School, MYF meetings, and pastor’s office until it was torn down in the mid 1960s. By June 12, 1966 the church was free of debt and a Dedication Service was held. In 1966 the 100th Anniversary of the organizing of the Regular Church was celebrated.
Seven men from Big Spring accepted God’s call into the ministry, one lady as Christian Education Director& one as an ordained deacon. They are:
Rev. Earl C. Black (deceased August 12, 1983);
Rev. A. Mitchell Faulkner (deceased January 3, 1989);
Dr. J.R. Faulkner, (deceased June 10, 2009);
Rev. Melvin D. McIntosh, (retired from Western N.C. Conference - 1999);
Rev. Ben Gurley, Presbyterian minister in NC;
Rev. W. George Yates, minister, First United Methodist Church, Murphy, NC;
Rev. Emmanuel Yiadom, minister, Hunter’s Chapel & Ghana Community Mission United Methodist Churches, Charlotte, NC.
Ellen Faulkner Davis (retired—Flat Rock NC)
Rev. Margaret Miller Nunez , commisioned Provisional Deacon, June 2009
By the early 1970s the Charlotte Douglas International Airport started a major expansion. The expansion came up to the side of the Big Spring property and included the purchase of all the homes in the area around the landing patterns. Now Big Spring is surrounded by mostly industrial businesses and members have moved away. In 1980, Big Spring and Purcell churches formed a charge, with Rev. Derrell L. Parris as pastor. In 1984, Rev. J. Holt Madison was assigned to Big Spring and Purcell churches and served until his retirement in 2000. Rev. Gerald L. Ramsey became pastor and remained the minister of the two churches until June 2007.
At that time Big Spring was taken out of a charge and a new minister was assigned. Rev. David E. Carl, Jr. came to Big Spring in June 2007 and remains as minister today.Under Rev. Carl’s leadership, Big Spring is once again growing and going into the mission field by providing services to the community The most recent outreach is English as a Second Language classes beginning in the September of 2009.
Yes, Big Spring Church goes faithfully toward it’s third century, while the lovely church building and parsonage sit proudly among the large oak trees up on a beautiful hill. The roots are deep and the sprouts are many. God has been loving and supportive of our church these many years and we strive to continue to share His love always.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
The Big Spring Church Family is indebted to:
Rev. Clark W. Benson, Rev. R.C. Goforth, Rev. W.E. Fitzgerald and
Mr. Murphy Whisnant for data on the major part of this partial history of
Big Spring United Methodist Church.
MINISTERS OF BIG SPRING CHURCH
J. J. Prather*
E. G. Pusey*
R. A. Sikes*
Max H. Hoyle*
J. M. Price*
C. M. Short*
W. F. Cobbin*
R. S. Howie*
A. L. Coburn*
B. F. Fincher*
L. M. Brower*
W. C. Jones*
S. P. Douglas*
W. L. Nicholson*
J. O. Ervin*
There were no regular appointments from 1914 until 1923.
J. A. Smith* 1923 - 1929
T. T. Honeycutt* 1929 - 1930
F. W. Cook* 1930 - 1931
J. E. Yountz* 1931 - 1935
E. K. McLarty* 1935 - 1939
L. R. Akers, Jr.* 1939 - 1942
C. D. Brown* 1942 - 1945
T. L. McDonald* 1945 - 1947
Clark Benson* 1947 - 1951
M. V. Thumm* 1951 - 1953
R. C. Goforth* 1953 - 1958
Sam Moss* 1958 - 1961
Edgar H. Nease, Sr.* 1961 - 1963
W. E. Fitzgerald* 1963 - 1967
N. L. Oliver* 1967 - 1973
Cecil K. Myrick 1973 - 1979
Charles Reichard* 1979 - 1980
Derrell L. Parris 1980 - 1984
J. Holt Madison* 1984 - 2000
Gerald L. Ramsey 2000 - 2007
David E. Carl, Jr. 2007 - Present
(*deceased)