JohnWesleyUMC - Koinonia Cooperative Parish (KCP) of the United Methodist Church

Early Methodist usually built a preaching house and school on the same grounds. Private homes were also used to hold meetings. Such meetings were held at the home of James Presbury, father of Joseph Presbury. Joseph Presbury donated land for the Old Brick Church of Gunpowder Neck, December 23, 1772, where the earliest written record of a quarterly conference is still available.

Methodists worshipped in the area of Harford County even before the county was founded, according to the 1772 records (Edgewood, Magnolia, and Gunpowder Neck). On February 17, 1773 in Asbury's Journal, an article reads: "I employed Mr. Moreton to draw up the deed for the meeting house in Gunpowder Neck."

John Wesley became listed among the preaching stations of the Great Falls Circuit until it was reorganized into the Gunpowder Circuit in 1872.

The joint communities of Magnolia, Edgewood, and Gunpowder Neck worshipped at the Old Brick Church until about 1886.

In 1890, this Old Brick Church was sold and was later purchased by the U.S. Government in 1918.

On September 17, 1906, the Old Brick Church was purchased by these trustees: William Briley, Richard Jamerson, William Cahl, and John Christy. The church was purchased from a Mrs. Annie E. Booth for $116.00. Camp meetings were held in a tent at our present church location until 1919 when the church was built.

The appointments of preachers by schedule of the Gunpowder Circuit 1872-73 included: John H. Valentine, Samuel Harris, James Dixon, Frederick Hackell, Peter Bishop (founder of Mt. Zion Methodist Episcopal Church, Singer Rd., Joppa- Mt. Zion United Methodist Church), Addison Couplin, William Thomas and Samuel Cinkey.

Our present cornerstone was laid by Reverend John Forkkio, October 25, 1969.

Some of our current members are descendents of the those original founding trustees. We are grateful to our forefathers who struggled and praised GOD in their humble way and thereby created this place of worship. We pause to give thanks to GOD for His many blessings as we struggle to keep this place of worship available to future generations of our community.

(This history was submitted November , 1997 on occasion of the 125th Anniversary of the Union Brothers and Sisters of Ford's Asbury Lodge No. 1. History Committee: the late Sister Ida Cahl, Sister Edith Turner, the late Sister Clara Demby and the late Pastor, Rev. Val Holmes).