About Kingwood UMC

Kingwood United Methodist Church was the first Methodist Church in Hunterdon County. Although it was founded in 1816, its roots to Methodism actually go back another 3 decades before that. In 1787, America’s first Methodist Bishop, Francis Asbury, came to the Kingwood area. He stood upon a rock and preached to the multitudes gathered. Today, that rock is affectionately called “Pulpit Rock” and is about a quarter mile from where the church stands today.

Throughout its history, three churches have stood on this historic ground. The first one built when our country was still young and when one of the requisites of admission to the church was affirming allegiance of loyalty to the constitution of the United States. The present building was built in 1860. At the time, it was adorned with very high steeple and a heavy pillared front portico. After a severe storm in 1878, the steeple became unsafe and it was necessary to remove it.