Origin and Early History by Betty Dangerfield, Church Historian
The origin of our church is close to my heart because my husband, Clyde Dangerfield, and I lit the spark that inspired us and many others to fan it to a burning flame that brought into being our beloved church, which today takes it place with some of the finest churches in the South Carolina Conference.

Our family moved to Isle of Palms in April, 1948. We had our membership in Asbury Memorial Church and would travel some thirty-two miles there and back to worship. Many of our friends on the island had a similar schedule to hear God�s word.

One bright Sabbath morning in the early part of 1949 we left home to attend services at our church. We had with us young Bob Deans, about six years old, who was to be dropped off at the Lutheran Church in Mt. Pleasant. As we were riding along young Bob, though only a child but feeling in his heart the need for a church on the island asked, �Mr. Dangerfield, when are you going to build a church on the island?� This question brought a look of astonishment to our faces for we realized that if a small boy of six was contemplating this thought, surely others had the same desire.

With great eagerness we shared the conversation with our Minister, Rev. J. Carslile Smiley who, catching our enthusiasm and vision, made arrangements for us to have a conference with the District Superintendent, Rev. C. L. Woodard. The idea was carried to Bishop C. J. Harrell who gave us his blessing and encouragement.

Rev. Woodard, working with my husband and me, made several constructive suggestions. First, we should get approximately twenty-five interested people who would be willing to support a young, new church, especially financially. Then a place to hold services must be secured, and a place found for a young seminary student to live who would work with us during the summer months.

Clyde and I turned immediately to our dear friends, Mr. & Mrs. Albion S. Johnson, Baptists, and Mrs. & Mrs. Wiley G. Home, Methodists. Others were contacted and came from just about every denomination.

The Exchange Club of Isle of Palms agreed to let us use the clubhouse without charge for our Sunday services. The building was in a rundown condition, so on Sunday mornings the ladies would rush up there, sweep it out, put in place a wooden cross made by Mr. Walley Anderson and a frame-like rail which we draped with a dark cloth to serve as our altar rail.

The Presbyterians loaned us a pulpit. A devout Jewish neighbor and friend, Mrs. Sarah Cohen, presented us with a King James Bible. We cut and arranged wild flowers, oleanders and palms, which the island is so noted for. As we gathered later for Sunday School and Church, our small group truly knew that God was with us in our place of worship.

The mission of our church was to strengthen the community through religious activities calling all into a worship of God. The six original members�the Dangerfields, Hornes and Johnsons, now turned earnestly to the great task of enlisting others to help with our new church. Letters were sent to just about everyone, even movie stars, telling them of our great desire for a church in a small community that we believed was one of few places in the United States without a school or church. All summer residents were contacted. Many responded with interest and a desire to help.

The population of Isle of Palms was very small, so the potential membership was not great. It was understandable that some good Christians would hesitate to cast their lot with our small group until more evidence of permanency was established. As the summer of 1949 was drawing to a close and the summer residents were leaving, we were faced with a real crisis. Should this little congregation, as yet unchartered and unnamed, continue to meet and if so, who would lead us; or should we return to our various churches where we had formerly worshipped.

Again God blessed us and gave us new hope. Bishop Harrell informed us through our District Superintendent, that he was sending us a young man, Rev. C.J. Lupo, Jr., to serve as our first minister. He arrived in October 1949 to assume charge of our church and to serve as part-time pastor at Hibben Methodist Church in Mt. Pleasant. A house was rented at 2203 Cameron Boulevard as our parsonage. Prior to this, the young seminary student, Rue I. Moore, had lived in our home.

Since we were a mission church, the Conference supplemented the minister�s salary. Under Rev. Lupo�s consecrated leadership, our church began to grow. His ministry was exactly the type we needed at this time and we could not help but feel that it was an act of God that brought him to our community for this service.

Our pastor immediately set up organizational meetings for the purpose of selecting a name, securing a charter, electing church officers, organizing the Women�s Society of Christian Service and giving attention to the many other activities that are a part of starting a new program.

It was during these early meetings that a name was selected for the new church. Each member was asked to submit a name with a statement as to why it was though appropriate. A member suggested First Methodist Church Isle of Palms, signifying our first and new beginning with God. It was approved by a unanimous vote of the 26 members.

Members of the first Board of Trustees were Clyde Dangerfield, Albion Johnson, and Wiley Horne. They also served as the Board of Stewards. The following officers were elected: Mrs. Albion Johnson, President of the Women�s Society of Christian Service; Mrs. Clyde Dangerfield, Communion Steward; Clyde M. Dangerfield, Treasurer; Wiley Horne, Secretary; Clyde Dangerfield, Lay Speaker. Legare and Hare, Attorneys, did the legal work for our church at no cost.

These were some of our first achievements:

• A class of ten boys and girls were received into the church on Palm Sunday, April 2, 1950.
• A baptismal service for Terry Deans, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. J.R. Deans
• A Vacation Bible School, June 19, 1950 with twenty-seven members enrolled.
• Reese Holtclaw, a new member, received on profession of faith
• A church picnic on Palm Sunday, April 2, 1950 (this became an annual affair for many years).

The new congregation continued to grow and flourish. Much of the work of that early group was done by the women of the church who served as Sunday School teachers, worked on committees, cleaned the buildings, served the dinners, and raised money for the needs of the growing congregation by selling candy, cakes, stationery, and many other things.

The growth of the group was beginning to put a strain on their meeting place. It soon became apparent that a more permanent place for worship was needed. Douglas Ellington, an architect, was hired and plans were drawn for a sanctuary for the church. It was to contain a full basement for use as part of the church school. The land for the church building was donated to the church by Mr. & Mrs. J.C. Long and the Beach Company.

A kick-off dinner was held at which Albion Johnson was elected Chairman of the Building Committee and Clyde Dangerfield was named as the Treasurer. The congregation was asked to make pledges to the fund and to pay in full by Easter Sunday. The amount raised for the new church was $3,500. Other support came in the form of a pledge from Mr. & Mrs. Guy Whitener, Sr., of Newberry�both Methodists and summer residents of Isle of Palms. The Whiteners pledged to match, in either cash or lumber, every dollar raised to build the new church, to a maximum of $5,000.

On Sunday, November 4, 1950, a ground breaking ceremony was held for the new sanctuary. Clyde Dangerfield turned the first shovel of dirt for the new church, a church which had been a dream of the Dangerfields just two years earlier.

Construction of the building which would serve as the permanent home of the First Methodist Church Isle of Palms was begun. The contractor was G.M. Canady Construction Company. During the construction period the group continued to raise the funds needed, and construction was never stopped because of a lack of funds. Members of the young congregation watched as day-by-day their sanctuary took shape. On March 30, 1952, the church was completed and a special service held to dedicate it to the Lord�s work. District Superintendent C.L. Woodard was on hand to lead the consecration ceremony and members of the church were joined by friends of the young church as it began its formal work. The church membership had grown to 60. The cost to build the original church building was $23,000.

From the time of its organization in 1950 until 1957, the Isle of Palms church shared a minister with Hibben Methodist in Mt. Pleasant. Rev. Lupo lived on the island and served the two churches for five years between 1950 and 1955. He would preach an early sermon at the Isle of Palms church and drive to Hibben for their worship services. The story is told that even in that day he became a victim of the Ben Sawyer Bridge, which would open and make him late for services in Mt. Pleasant.

All of that was to change in 1957 when the Isle of Palms became a separate charge, with the Rev. Henry Thomson as the church�s first minister working exclusively with the Isle of Palms congregation. He is credited with giving the youth program an excellent beginning. He is also remembered as the �moving pastor.� In 1958, the church built a new parsonage at 3803 Palm Blvd where Rev. Thomson would live. Before the parsonage was complete, however, he would move four times�to an upstairs apartment, a downstairs apartment, and a basement before finally settling into the new parsonage.

The island was growing, and so was the First Methodist Church, in both size and service. In 1959, the Rev. John Younginer, Jr. came to serve as the church�s leader. During the early part of 1961, under his leadership, funds were raised and a new Hammond organ was purchased for the sanctuary.

As the church continued to grow, the need was developing for more space for the church school and the other activities of the church. In 1965, an addition was made for an educational wing of the church, which was named the Dangerfield Educational Wing at the dedication service on June 23, 1991. Additional lots on either side of the sanctuary were purchased to give the church room to expand.

The church had continued to be blessed by the Lord and the need to renovate and expand had not ended. In the spring of 1970, under the leadership of Rev. James Holden, an extensive renovation program was completed on the Sanctuary. In early 1971, a building committee was formed and an architect hired to draw up plans for renovations to the existing educational building and construction of a new fellowship hall. The actual construction began in November, 1971, twenty-one years after the ground-breaking for the original church was held. A year later the work was complete and the Fellowship Hall was named for Luke Lupo, a long-time Treasurer of the church. The church membership had grown to 440.

Pastors who have served First United Methodist Church Isle of Palms are: Rue I. Moor, Jr. (summer, 1949, seminary student); C.J. Lupo (October, 1949�1954); Claude R. Harper (1955-1957); Henry Thomson (1957-1959); Richard Quinlan (March 1959-June 1959 as a fill-in); John Younginer, Jr. (1959-1963); Wade Hampton Jones (1963-1964); Thomas Wilkes, Jr. (1964-1968); James Holden (1968-1973); Paul Betsill (1973-1976); Louis Jamison (1976-1978); Edward R. Bradham, Jr. (1978-1981); James L. Correll, Jr. (1981-1988); Cliff R. Gilmer (1988-1992); Sarah White Gaither (1992-2001); Gloria Robbins Davis (2001-present).

The success of First United Methodist Church, Isle of Palms, is due in large part to the loyal and loving support of its members and friends. We can all be proud to have helped build this strong influence for good in our community.