Union United Methodist Church is neither the oldest nor the largest church in Horry County, but it is one of the richest in tradition, fellowship and dedication of its members.  Records indicate that the first church located on or near the present site of Union was a brush arbor "meeting place" which was established in 1756.  This church was established because the five mile trip from what is now Toddville to Kingston, now Conway, was a long and difficult journey over the deplorable roads of that day.  Five families founded a church so that they could attend services on a regular basis and descendents of at least two of these families, the Dusenbury's and the Singleton's, are still members of the church today.

 

In 1765, John Singleton built the first permanent structure of logs on property owned by Wilmer Edmundson.  This was replaced in 1775 by another log structure.  The third church was located in what is now the cemetery located behind the present church and was used until 1790.  During this period the church made the transition from a non-denominational church to that of a Methodist society.  The fourth structure was built of sawed lumber on the same spot as the third and was known as Split Oak Church, since a large oak tree to the southeast of the building had been split by lighting.  According to local historians, Lew Owens and W.L. Singleton, members of the church, decided to save the tree.  They bored a hole through both sides of the tree, ran a long threaded rod through the tree and placed wing nuts on each end of the rod.  By gradually tightening the nuts over a period of time they were able to draw the two sections of the tree together and it grew back together.  This so impressed the church members that they renamed the church Union Methodist Church.

 

The fourth church was built by those in the community from lumber cut locally and by bricks donated by other church members.  The tradition of members working on the church carried over into the present building, the fifth on the site, which was built in the 1950s under the leadership of Dr. M.B. Stokes, the pastor.  Much of the construction work on this building was done by the members of the congregation.  This tradition of working together and helping each other is one of the things for which Union and the Toddville community are known for even today.  The history of Union is full of those who have given of their time and efforts for others to serve their church.