The Spartanburg District of the South Carolina Annual Conference was organized in 1870, when the Methodist churches in North Carolina became part of an annual conference in that state. For much of its history, Methodist churches in Spartanburg, Union, and after it was created, Cherokee Counties have been part of the Spartanburg District. Occasionally, churches in the western edge of Spartanburg County have been part of the Greenville District.
Summary: The records include bound journals containing the minutes of the district conference (1867-1948), presiding elder’s minute books (1932-35) charge conference records for most of the district’s pastoral charges (1960-1991), and office and program files from the district superintendent’s office.
Arrangement: The records of the quarterly conferences and charge conferences make up the bulk of these records. They were accessioned in October 2003 after they had been placed in a garbage dumpster, so they came to the archives in a somewhat disorganized state. The records were effectively in two chronological series, one with all the records for the years 1960 to 1983 for each church in one folder, and the other with a file for each charge for each year, from 1984 to 1990. In arranging the records, the archivist combined the two series, following the folder labels strictly, breaking up the large folder and combining the smaller folders to create sub-series for each church or charge from 1960 to 1990. If a church changed its name during those years, the records were filed under whatever name the church used in that year, and name changes are reflected in the finding aid. Churches that move from one charge to another are identified with whatever charge they were part of when the record was created. Patrons are advised that they may have to examine several different folders if the church they are researching has moved from charge to charge frequently. Records from after 1990 were added in transfers to the archives in 2005 and 2010. These records were incorporated into the existing file structure. The third series, office files, represents program files, was processed in 2011.
Finding Aid: Volume and Folder Listing
Series One – District Conference Journals
Bound volumes, on shelf
Spartanburg District Conference Journal, 1867-1882bo
Spartanburg District Conference Journal, 1884-1899
Spartanburg District Conference Journal, 1900-1903
Spartanburg District Conference Journal, 1911-1927
Spartanburg District Conference Journal, 1928-1946
Spartanburg District Conference Journal, 1947-1966
Presiding Elder’s Minute Books, 1932-1935 (4 volumes)
Series Two – Charge Conference Records
Folder Listing
Box 1
Albert Chapel, 1987
(Gaffney-Blacksburg Charge)
Aldersgate, 1965-1990
(Inman Mills Charge)
Arcadia, 1960-1990
Asbury-Mesopotamia-Gethsemane
Beaumont
Ben Avon, 1960-87
Bethel, Spartanburg, 1959-1991
Bethel, Union
Bethlehem, Kelton, 1984-1990
Box 2
Bethlehem, 1994-2000
Bogansville, 1964-1970; 1984-1990
Buffalo, 1964-1970; 1984-1990
Buford Street, Gaffney
Campobello, 1967-1970; 1984-1990
Cannon’s Campground
Carlisle
(Carlisle-St. John-Gilliam’s Chapel)
Central, Spartanburg
Cherokee Springs, 1960-1990
(See also Liberty)
Chesnee, 1960-1996
(Chesnee-Trinity Charge)
Box 3
Clifton
Cornelius, 1962-1983
(See also Roebuck)
Covenant, Church of the, 1984-1990
Cross Anchor
(Cross Anchor Charge)
Drayton, 1960-1990
(See also Skylyn)
Duncan
Duncan Acres, 1970-1990
(Formerly Green Street)
Duncan Memorial
El Bethel
Box 4
Enoree,
(Trinity-Enoree Charge)
Fairmont
Fingerville, 1964-1990
(See Valley Falls, Beaumont)
Florence Chapel, 1987-90
Foster’s Chapel, 1964-1990
(Kelton Charge, see Kelton, Bethlehem)
Gaffney-Blacksburg Charge, 1984
(Albert Chapel, Dunton, Stooping Pines)
Glendale, 1960-1990
(See also Ben Avon, St. Andrew)
Golightly, 1964-1970
(Golightly-Hebron, Golightly-Tabernacle)
Grace, Union, 1960-2000
Box 5
Gramling, 1960-2001
Gravely Memorial, 1960-1990
Green Street Union, 1960-1970
(See Duncan Acres)
Hebron, 1961-1983
(Golightly-Hebron, Cross Anchor Parish)
Immanuel, 1961-90
(Immanuel-Loree; previously Jackson Mill or Jackson Methodist)
Inman, 1960-2000
Box 6
Jackson Grove, 1960-70
(Landrum)
Jonesville, 1960-1990
(Jonesville-New Hope)
Kelton Charge, 1960-1970
(Foster’s Chapel, Bethlehem, Mesopotamia)
Landrum, 1960-1970
Liberty, 1960-1970
(Cherokee Springs-Liberty; Lyman-Liberty)
Limestone Street, Gaffney, 1960-1990
Lockhart, 1967-90
(Lockhart-Wesley Chapel)
Loree, 1960-1990
(Immanuel-Loree)
Box 7
Loree, 1994-2000
Lyman, 1967-2000
Montgomery Memorial, 1960-1990
New Hope, 1960-1990
(Jonesville-New Hope)
Pacolet, 1960-1990
(Pacolet-White Stone Charge)
Box 8
Pacolet, 1994-2000
Pleasant Grove (discontinued)
(Campobello-Landrum Charge)
Pleasant View, 1972-82
(Cowpens Parish)
Rock Hill, 1982-85
(Cowpens Parish)
St. Andrews, 1960-1990
(St. Andrews-Salem, Glendale-St. Andrews)
St. James (1960-1990)
St. John’s, 1972-1990
(Blacksburg Charge, St. John’s-Sardis)
St. Luke, 1960-1965
Box 9
St. Luke, 1965-2000
St. Mark, 1960-83; 1990-1996
St. Paul, 1960-2000
Salem, 1960-2000
(Cowpens Circuit)
Box 10
Sardis, Blacksburg [Sardis, Gaffney],1960-1990
(Blacksburg Charge, Sardis-St. John, Sardis-Trinity)
Sardis, Chesnee, 1978-1990
(Became Friends in Christ UMC)
Sardis, Union, 1958-1990
(Union Lane Circuit through 1977)
Saxon, 1960-1990
(Arcadia-Saxon Charge)
Silver Hill, 1972-1990
Sims Chapel
Startex, 1960-1990
Stooping Pines, 1987
(Gaffney-Blacksburg Charge)
Box 11
Tabernacle, 1960-1990
(Golightly-Tabernacle)
Trinity, Chesnee, 1960-1990
(Trinity-Chesnee)
Trinity, Cross Anchor, 1960-1990
(Enoree-Trinity)
Trinity, Gaffney
Trinity, Spartanburg, 1960-2000
Box 12
Trinity, Spartanburg, 2001-2004
Unity, Union, 1960-1990
(Union Lane Charge through 1977)
Valley Falls
(Valley Falls-Fingerville)
Walnut Grove
Wesley Chapel
(Wesley Chapel-Lockhart)
Whitestone, 1960-1990
(Pacolet-Whitestone)
Whitmire Charge, 1986-1990
(Whitmire, Carlisle, Gilliam’s Chapel)
(Transferred from the Greenwood District)
Whitney, 1960-1990
(Whitney-Beaumont Charge, Whitney-Saxon Charge)
Yarborough’s Chapel
(Cross Anchor)
Series Three – office files
Box 13
Office Files
Annual Conference, 1989
Annual Conference, 1990
Appointments, 1990
Apportionment Explanatory Notes, 1979
Associate Pastors (Procedures, etc.) 1986-
Cabinet, 1990
Cabinet Workbook, 1989
Charge Conference Schedule, 1987-
Church Extension
Cross Racial Appointments
Deaths, 1987-
Directory, 1988-1989
Directory, 1990-1991
District Boards
District Building and Location Board
District Board of Church Location and Building, 1986
District Board for Congregational Development
Board of Trustees, 1987
Board of Trustees, 1988
Board of Trustees, 1988-89
District Conference, 1960-1961
District Conference, 1962-1963
District Conference, 1963-1964
District Conference, 1965
District Conference, 1966
District Conference, 1967
District Conference, 1968
District Conference, 1987
District Conference, 1989
District Council on Ministries
“The District Lines”
District Superintendency Committee
Committee on District Superintendency, 1987-1988
District Volunteers in Mission, 1989
Equitable Salary, 1990
Finances
Membership of the Charge Conference, Council on Ministries & Administrative Board Form
Miscellaneous
Office Budget, 1987
Parsonage Study, 1986
Pastor’s Roster, 1989
PPRC Salary Support Sheet
Property
Racial Inclusiveness Task Group
Salaries
Service for the Receiving of a New Pastor
Stewardship Emphasis, 1987
Sub District 1-6 Churches, 1986
United Methodist Fellowship
District Committees
Committee on Ordained Ministry, 1988
Committee on Ordained Ministry, 1989
Committee on Pastor-Parish Relations
Council on Ministries, 1974
Council on Ministries, 1975
Council on Ministries, 1976
Council on Ministries, 1977
Council on Ministries, 1978
Council on Ministries, 1979
Council on Ministries-Officers, 1979-1980
Box 14
Council on Ministries, 1988-1989
Council on Ministries, 1990
Council on Youth Ministries
Council on Youth Ministries, 1986
Council on Youth Ministries, 1987
Sub-District Council on Ministries
Correspondence
Appointment Correspondence, 1979
Appointment Process, 1985
To Bishop Clark Regarding Concerning U.M. Liberal Causes Funding
Bishop Joseph Bethea
Correspondence 1976-1985
Mailings to Ministers
Outgoing Correspondence, 1986-1987
Correspondence 1985
Outgoing Correspondence, 1988
Outgoing Correspondence, 1990
Racial Inclusiveness
Bethlehem Center
Board Meeting Minutes, 1968-1969
Board Meeting Minutes, 1969-1975
Board Meeting Minutes, 1976-1982
Board Meeting Minutes, 1983-1988
Minister Meetings
Setup Meeting, 1979-1981
Setup Meeting, 1986
Minister’s Meeting, 1973
Minister’s Meeting, 1977-1979
Minister’s Meeting, 1980-1981
PCC
Board
Budget
By-Laws
1986
1987
Box 15
Wives’ Club
District Minister’s Wives, 1986-1987
Minister’s Retreat, 1980
Ministers and Wives Meeting Minutes
Spartanburg Ministerial Association
Newsletters
Spartanburg District Newsletters
District Lines, 1986
District Lines, 1987
UMM
1986
1988
UMW
1987
1988
Resource File
Retreat
Status and Role of Women
Programs
Community Outreach Project
Domestic Violence Training Seminar, 1987
Greater Spartanburg Ministries
Methodist Bicentennial
Wesley Tricentennial
JP Stevens
Boycott [1]
Boycott [2]
Reports
1973 1 st Quarter Reports Councils on Ministries, Local Church
Model Cities
1975 Parsonage Surveys
Spartanburg County Inter-Faith Survey, 1963
Whitlock Estate-New Hope, Jonesville