Providence Moravian Church

Providence Moravian Church grew from an earnest desire of people living in what was then called the Sedge Garden area several miles north of Winston on the Old Hollow Road. Thomas Disher and Robert Grubs presented a petition signed by 13 persons asking for a Moravian church. Faced with such eagerness, the Provincial Elders Conference on March 4, 1880, agreed to the opening of a Sunday school in the Buffalo Schoolhouse, and to see how things went.

They went quickly. By that May there was talk of building a church. In August Joseph Wagner offered to give two acres of land for it. And on November 21 the congregation was organized by Christian Lewis Rights, the president of PEC. The church itself came the following year, “a very neat frame building, standing in a patch of forest.” It was consecrated on July 16, 1881.

Providence quietly served its community over the years, adding a lovefeast kitchen and a classroom in 1923, and another Sunday school addition in 1933 with the church members doing most of the work to keep the costs down.

Providence reached a peak of growth in the mid 20th century. In 1953, with a newly built parsonage, it received its first full-time resident pastor, George A. Chiddie, who served till 1959. And in 1960 Providence built a substantial brick church that could seat 300.

Since that high point the congregation has lived through some hard times. In a new partnership with the Board of Evangelism and Home Missions, faithful members continue the Moravian witness in the area that once was called Sedge Garden.