Edgewood Presbyterian Church
Established 1951
Who We Are
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Edgewood Presbyterian Church in Sanford, NC is a friendly church with a family feel that is on God's mission to our community and the world in a big way.
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We are a part of the Presbyterian Church (USA) denomination and Coastal Carolina Presbytery.
We are committed to developing deeper relationships with God, each other, and others.
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We develop deeper relationships with God through Worship at 11:00 every Sunday morning and at special times during the year. We also develop deeper relationships with God as we learn together at Sunday School classes begin at 10:00 every Sunday. Vacation Bible School is held in the summer and other opportunities for learning are held throughout the year.
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We serve our community and our world through our financial and volunteer support. We have volunteers who help at the Christian United Outreach Center of Lee County (CUOC) weekly. We also support the Family Promise and other local and world missions.
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Our women's ministry is organized along the guidelines of the Presbyterian Women. Their circle meets on the second Monday of each month.
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As we worship together, learn together, fellowship together, and serve together, we deepen our relationship with God and each other and others.
A Brief History of Edgewood Presbyterian Church (May 2021)
In 1948, First Presbyterian Church under the leadership of
Dr. Chalmers F. McCutchen studied the need for a church in
the courthouse area. After all the meetings, plans were made
to build the chapel. The men on the committee wanted to use
regular windows so if it failed as a church, it would be easy to
convert to a residence. Mrs. Nannie Monroe convinced them to
have arched windows to make it look more like a church. The
chapel, known as Sanford Chapel, was begun January 1, 1949
with the opening service being held May 29, 1949.
On May 27, 1951 a group petitioned Orange Presbytery asking
that Edgewood Presbyterian Church be organized. This was
accomplished and those involve were the charter members.
Charter Members included the following: Mary Ann Bellet, Mrs. Lotis Bradley, Mrs. J. W. Brannon, Mr. & Mrs. W. E. Cole, Mr. & Mrs. C. H. (Carey & Lillie Belle) Clark, Bertha Dickens (Davis Smith), Mr. & Mrs. Max (Mary) Dickens, Alvis Daniels, Doris & Stammie Dowdy, Roger & Clara Foushee, Mrs. Guy Gordon (Theo Barber), Ruby & Owen Godwin, Charlie Goins, Lanie Bell Hamilton, Ernest & Christine Henley, Mr. & Mrs, C. C. Hollowell, Louise Hudson (Cox), Phyllis Hayes, Sarah Louise Joyner, Mr. & Mrs. Paul Medlin, Mrs. E. L. Moore (Edna), Roland & Nannie Monroe, D. H. (Howard) & Catherine McInnis (Wade), Colon & Mae McKenzie, Odie & Lizzie McBryde (Howard), Norma Faye McBryde (Ennis), Mr. & Mrs. W. R. Nobles, Pearl Reid Poe (Mrs. R. Van), Mrs. R. H. Poe, Martha Poe (Purdie) & Flora Poe (Perry), Mrs. O. P. (Bessie) Parrish, Vivian Ridenhour (Harness), Mrs. J. S. (Nonnie) Scoggins, Mr. & Mrs. B. G. (Nannie) Smith, Ida Sost, Doris Seawell, Mrs. Odell Stout, Mrs. Graham (Peggy) Terrell, lla Warren, Mr. & Mrs. W. A, Wood, Mrs.John Waddell, Dorothy Waddell (Thigpen), Mr. & Mrs. Grady (Robena) Wright, Mr. & Mrs. A. G. (Arlie & Elizabeth) Wright. Non-Resident Members were Mr. & Mrs. Roy Ridgley, Mrs. W. E. Neal, Virginia Neal, Ann Bradley Cameron, Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Owen.
Dr. McCutchen served as temporary minister until the calling of Rev. John N. Wilson in November 1953. He served the church until October 1959.
Rev. J. Earl Adkins began serving the church as
minister on June 1, 1960. He and his wife Ernestine
lived in the manse on Garden Street. Rev. Adkins
served the church until his retirement July 30, 1972.
Rev. John Alexander became the minister on
March 1, 1973. Rev. Alexander and Sallie left
Edgewood in 1978.
August 19, 1979, Rev. Jeffrey D. Smith became
the minister. He and his wife, Mary Olive, and four
children: Davilla, Mary Olive, Sandra, and Jeff,
moved into the manse. Rev. Smith served until 1987.
Rev. Mike Nevling was called as minister and
preached from July 31, 1988 until September 29, 1991. His wife was Linda.
Rev. Jonathan Sherrod was called as minister June 7, 1992. He and his wife Camilla served the church through February 11, 1995.
August 4, 1996, Rev. Dale Miller became the pastor. He and his wife Karen moved into the manse. Rev. Miller retired at the end of the year 2002.
Rev. Mitzie Lesher Thomas was called to Edgewood and preached her first sermon on February 1, 2004. She was married to Rev. Troy Lesher Thomas. She resigned effective December 31, 2004.
Rev. Jason Davenport became our minister preaching his first sermon August 20, 2006. He and his wife Angela lived in the manse on Duke Drive. He preached his last sermon June 13, 2010.
Rev. Katherine Dudley served us well, as an interim after Jason left, and focused on leadership development and organization.
Dr. William C. "Bill" Hayes was called as the minister in 2012. His wife Sally died August 31, 2016. Bill continued as minister until he retired in September 2019.
Rev. Cindy Neal served as a stated supply minister from March through November 2020. Rev. Chad Neal served us from July 2021 through August 2022. During the times we had no supply ministers, the Worship Committee filled the pulpit each Sunday with guest ministers until we found a fulltime pastor.
After a 4-year search, the congregation unanimously accepted the PNC’s recommendation and approved Rev. Sara Martin as our full-time pastor beginning December 2023.
We now look forward to a fresh vision for our future with new leadership.
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