In 1908, people in the Wananish area wanted to form a Methodist congregation. The group began meeting in a 2-room school building north of Wananish. As the congregation grew, they began building a church building in 1913, which was completed in 1914 with the original name: Wananish Methodist Episcopal Church South. In 1939, the name changed to Wananish Methodist Church. As part of the Hallsboro Charge, the church shared a pastor with 4 other area churches: Hallsboro, Peach, Shiloh, and Old Dock.
As the congregation continued to grow after World War II, Sunday School rooms were added and soon "The Hut" was constructed as a fellowship building. It was the first fellowship building at a church in the Lake Waccamaw area and was offered for use by other churches as well.
In the early 1950s, the congregation become a station church-a church with its own pastor- to continue growing, which was approved by the North Carolina Annual Conference. In 1955, a pastor was appointed to serve our church full time, and the church name was changed to Lake Waccamaw Methodist Church.
The congregation was very thankful for a full-time pastor, and soon realized the need for a parsonage, which was completed in 1957. The same parsonage is still used by our pastors!
The church continued to grow, so the congregation decided it was time to move. In 1963, lots were purchased on the lake front and construction began on the new church. The new location was on Lake Shore Drive, where we remain today. The congregation moved from the old church to the new one in April 1964. The organ and bell were removed from the old church, along with the alter furnishing including the pulpit Bible. The Hut was later moved to the new Lake Shore location and used as the fellowship hall.
In 1968, after the merger of the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the name of the church changed to Lake Waccamaw United Methodist Church. As the church continued to grow, a new addition was planned to include more classrooms, which was completed in 2000.
In 2022, the congregation decided it was time for change, so the church name was changed to Lake Waccamaw Methodist Church and the congregation voted to join the newly formed Global Methodist Church, where it remains today.
With Sunday school classes, Kids for Christ, adult choir, the bell choir, Bible study, and the Methodist Women's group, the congregation is active in fulfilling God's plan to be His light in a dark world and to be His hands and feet through discipleship-building and outreach missions.
