A brief history of Wesley Chapel
In the late 1870s the Methodist people in northeast Cobb County determined a need for a local place of worship. In typical Christian fashion, land, material, and labor were donated by the founding fathers of Wesley Chapel. Lumber for the original building came from the nearby forest and members and friends of the church provided the labor.
The original church was constructed in 1879. In 1890, a small one-room school was built adjacent to the church building. On the evening of March 13, 1913 a "cyclone" struck and completely destroyed the church building. Parts of the church were scattered as far away as Cherokee County. The church was rebuilt at a cost of $633.
Over the next several decades the community changed from a rural to a suburban one, but Wesley Chapel remained a "little country church." On Oct. 26, 1969, a ground-breaking ceremony was held for the construction of a fellowship hall, educational facilities, and sanctuary.
Tragedy struck again on Nov.27, 1972, when vandals struck both the old sanctuary and new fellowship hall in the early morning hours. Either accidentally or intentionally, a fire was set in the church building, which was completely destroyed before firefighters could bring the fire under control.
Construction on the current sanctuary began in February 1975, and a new parsonage was built in 1979. Groundbreaking for the Family Life Center was in October 1989 and it was dedicated in November 1990. This facility features a gymnasium with a full-size basketball court, classrooms, and a large kitchen. This allowed the removal of temporary mobile classrooms. The Family Life Center has served the community and Wesley Chapel in many capacities.
The last project was the construction of a new educational building in 2009. Throughout all our many changes, Wesley Chapel has maintained our commitment to Christ through ongoing outreach by our caring, and compassionate members.
