Oak Grove building in 1792.
Sketch by Mary Ann Whitson
Grove Hill building in 1885.
Sketch by Mary Ann Whitson
Grove Hill Methodist Episcopal Church, 1917
Photo courtesy of Billy Grimes
In 1947 the church building burned. Luckily there was a revival going on at the time and the pews had been moved outside onto the grass. The building was a total loss but the pews survived and were used until 2015. The church was rebuilt using materials from the abandoned Grove Hill School building located just down the road. Many local families joined together and rebuilt the church in six months. Here is how the building looked in 1951:
In 1991 a miniature replica of the church was built for the Leonard Christmas Parade. It was displayed on a trailer pulled by a mule-drawn wagon driven by Grove Hill native Forest Brown. The replica sat on the church grounds for many years until it deteriorated.
The fellowship hall annex was added after the community joined efforts to raise the funds. This chart that used to hang in the sanctuary reflected the goals and generosity of the early members.
On Saturday, Feb 6th, 2015 the Grove Hill Church burned to the ground. The Fire Marshall determined it was probably due to the gas space heaters in the old building.
Church services were temporarily held at the Leonard Community Fellowship Church in Leonard. We are deeply grateful to Pastor Willie Johnson and his wife Liz for sharing their church with us while we regrouped.
The new church building was completed and opened for services on Sunday, October 19, 2017. Services were canceled for much of 2020 due to COVID-19, and by March 2021 membership dwindled to 5 or 6 people. The congregation voted to close the church and the Methodist Conference put the building up for sale. The Cemetery Assocation purchased the building and renamed it the Grove Hill Cemetery Association Building. It is now used to host the annual reunion meetings, and is available to rent for other meetings and events.
