Epworth United Methodist Church is in Columbus's Winchester neighborhood, on Devonshire Drive at St. Francis Avenue and across from St. Francis Hospital. Founded in 1960, it is known for a 10:30 a.m. Sunday worship that blends inspirational music with biblical preaching and teaching, and for ministries extending from Sunday school and children's fellowship into food distribution, missions, and support in the Wynnton area. Its mission is to connect and equip people to seek, serve, and share Christ.
One Blended Gathering on Sunday
Epworth's regular worship is at 10:30 a.m. each Sunday, with an in-person gathering at the church. The blended service brings inspirational music together with relevant biblical preaching and teaching, and the congregation extends a warm welcome. Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month and at additional services, and it is open to all. The service is broadcast through the church's livestream, YouTube, and Facebook. The livestream is available for remote participation.
A Recurring Church Year
Epworth's worship year includes Ash Wednesday with the imposition of ashes, Palm Sunday, a Holy Thursday service, and a Good Friday day of contemplative prayer remembering Christ's sacrifice. Easter is marked by breakfast, a children's presentation, worship, and an egg hunt following the service. Christmas Eve also includes candlelight worship, while the first Sunday of each month centers on Communion.
A Faith Born in a Rosemont Drive Home
Epworth's name comes from the English village where John Wesley was born in 1703. For this church, the connection is more than a name: Epworth shares a vision for helping people grow in faith and serve the world, a vision Wesley called scriptural holiness. On September 25, 1960, 49 people gathered in a home on Rosemont Drive to begin a church serving the newly built Winchester neighborhood. The congregation met in five different locations before moving into its first permanent building on Easter Sunday, April 10, 1963.
On July 9, 2006, 49 new members from Hamp Stevens Memorial UMC joined the congregation. The union brought together two histories of service, including Open Door Community House, which began in 1935 out of Hamp Stevens. Pastoral service at Epworth began with Lamar Ball in 1960, and Earnestine W. Campbell joined the succession in 2020. As Columbus has grown and changed, Epworth has continued to seek ways to respond to its calling.
Discipleship for the Transformation of the World
Epworth's mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, a charge drawn from Matthew 28. A disciple here is a growing follower of Jesus, more than a student but someone who wants to be like his master. The church seeks to model and teach the abundant life Jesus lived, connecting people with ways to seek, serve, and share Christ.
Ministry is shared across the congregation rather than limited to the clergy. Members are described as ministers, and each year people step forward to serve on the Church Council, ministry teams, and administrative committees. This shared approach places Bible learning, worship, service, and leadership within the life of the whole congregation.
Bible Learning and Fellowship Through the Week
Sunday school begins at 9:00 a.m. for adults and 9:30 a.m. for children. Classes are offered for adults at every stage of life, while children six weeks and older are welcome in Sunday school and Children's Church. The emphasis remains on reading the Bible and applying it to life. From 10:00 to 10:30 a.m., classes come together in the Whitehurst Welcome Center for fellowship, breakfast snacks, coffee, and juice.
Two Bible studies meet on Wednesday. Noon Day Bible Study begins at noon, while EPEC, short for Epworth with Pastor Earnie C., meets at 7:00 p.m. These studies add a midweek rhythm of scripture, conversation, and shared Christian life to the Sunday schedule.
Children and Youth Sing, Move, and Learn
Children's Church is a Whirl adventure each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Bible stories come alive through songs, crafts, and drama, and children sing, dance, and play with trained volunteers. Epworth also names Safe Sanctuaries as its commitment to the physical safety and spiritual growth of children, youth, and vulnerable adults. A friendly and safe gathering place provides care and learning time for those attending worship.
Children and Youth Game Night is a monthly Friday gathering from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., and the Children and Youth Choir sings during the last Sunday worship service of each month. Vacation Bible School includes several weekday sessions and a Saturday outing. Other annual gatherings include an Easter presentation, a fall festival, and a Christmas pageant or play. The youth ministry's community connection includes Student Ministry at Allen Elementary School and maintains Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts under the name epworthuth.
Missions in Three Practical Forms
Epworth describes missions in three practical forms:
- Donating needed items.
- Contributing money.
- Serving in person.
Open Door Community House, which grew from the ministry of Hamp Stevens United Methodist Church, is one of Epworth's four key mission partners. The other partners are the Wynnton Neighborhood Network, Friendship of Rose Hill UMC, and Allen Elementary School with its Student Ministry.
The Wynnton Neighborhood Network is an interfaith food bank organization founded in 1982 and made up of eight churches and synagogues. Epworth joined in 2010. The network provides emergency food and also helps people with utility expenses. Food distribution takes place in the rear of St. Thomas Episcopal Church at 2100 Hilton Avenue, and the network is open five days each week. Contributions and volunteers make this emergency assistance possible.
Friendship of Rose Hill UMC joins Epworth in Feeding Our Neighbors, a meal held on the fourth Tuesday of every month. Allen Elementary School and its Student Ministry extend the mission emphasis into work with children. These partnerships embody Epworth's approach of turning faith into hands-on service through food distribution, donations, volunteer work, and sustained local relationships.
Women's Fellowship, Caregiving, and Service
New Life is a small group within United Women of Faith at Epworth. It meets on the second Monday of every month at 1:00 p.m. at the church. Each meeting centers on a selected book, with participants coming prepared to discuss and share. Marguerite Hay leads the study, and the group makes time for fellowship and prayer. Its quarterly projects have included the Methodist Children's Home, helping a family in need, Ferst Readers, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, UMCOR, and Open Door.
Other church ministries include United Methodist Men, United Women of Faith, Hands In Service, a missions ministry, a prayer ministry, Reachers, Growing Christians, Marketplace, a grief and caregiver support group, and the EPEC podcast. The podcast appears on all social media platforms, giving another setting for conversations about faith and the life of the church.
Pastor Earnestine Campbell's Ministry Calling
Earnestine W. Campbell was appointed pastor of Epworth in June 2020. Beyond the local church, she serves on the Episcopal Committee, the Columbus Clergy Group, the Ecumenical Clergy Group, the board of the Pastoral Institute Turner Resource Ministry Center, and the Kiwanis Club. She also served as an associate director of the Office of Connectional Ministries, collaborating with the local church, the conference, and national General Board agencies. Her portfolio included Strengthening Black Churches for the 21st Century, Multiculturalism and Undocumented Neighbors Taskforces, Small Church Development, COSROW, Persons with Disabilities, and poverty initiatives.
Campbell has also served in lay, clergy, and community roles with South Georgia Conference BMCR, the South Columbus Connection Christian Radio Show, Partners in Education, Columbus Family Connection, the Georgia Roundtable for Prison Reform, and the Interfaith Children's Ministry Coalition. Before ministry, she worked in human resources for a Fortune 100 insurance company and served as human resources director for two textile plants. She earned a bachelor of science in human resources from Troy University and a Master of Divinity from Gammon Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center.
Her stated life's mantle is that God forms, calls, and anoints his people to care for all in the sacredness of humanity. She quotes Jeremiah 1:5: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.
Ways to Stay Connected
An Events email goes out each Monday through Constant Contact with news about church activities. A text messaging service hosted by Remind provides inspirational devotional messages and announcements about church-wide events. To join, text @epworth1 to 81010; the service almost never sends more than one message per day. Epworth also provides an online media player, while the EPEC podcast carries conversations about faith to social media platforms.
Giving and the Tree of Life Memorial
Secure online giving accepts bank transfers or debit cards. There is no fee to the giver, the church receives the gift directly, and a confidential report goes to the Financial Secretary to update giving records. Giving supports the ministries that shape families and make disciples at Epworth.
The Tree of Life Memorial is a handcrafted piece of art at the entrance to the sanctuary. A leaf can commemorate the life of a member of either Epworth United Methodist Church or Hamp Stevens United Methodist Church. Online giving is available through Epworth.
Finding Epworth on Devonshire Drive
Epworth is at 2400 Devonshire Drive, on the corner with St. Francis Avenue in Columbus's Winchester neighborhood, across from St. Francis Hospital. The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., except for holidays. The office can be reached at 706-322-6973 or church@epworthumc.com. Contact details and directions are available for the church.
For Sunday, adult Sunday school begins at 9:00 a.m., children's classes begin at 9:30 a.m., and worship begins at 10:30 a.m. Children have a friendly and safe place for care and learning time, Communion is open to everyone, and comfortable, casual dress is the norm. From its first gathering in a Rosemont Drive home to its blended Sunday worship on Devonshire Drive, Epworth remains a church built around discipleship, shared ministry, and practical service in Columbus.