On the east side of Charlotte, just off Hickory Grove Road between Market Street and Highland Avenue, a 19th-century Methodist congregation still meets every Sunday - and it does so in four languages of worship. Hickory Grove United Methodist Church has grown from a single farmhouse chapel in 1844 into a multiethnic United Methodist congregation whose members fill the Sanctuary in the morning for a traditional organ-led liturgy, the Family Worship Center at midmorning for a contemporary band, the Sanctuary again at eleven for an African choir with electric keyboard, and the Family Worship Center at two o'clock for a Spanish-language service. The same campus that has hosted weddings and funerals for generations also houses a licensed preschool, a clothing closet and food pantry, basketball nights, quilting bees, scouting troops, recovery meetings, and a dozen adult small groups.
Four Sunday Worship Services
The defining rhythm of Hickory Grove UMC is its four Sunday services, each led by a different pastoral team and shaped by a different musical and cultural tradition.
The 9:00 a.m. Traditional Service takes place in the Sanctuary. The Chancel Choir and organ lead time-honored hymns, the liturgy follows the order familiar to United Methodists, and the pastor's message draws on scripture for the week. The 11:00 a.m. Contemporary Service is held in the Family Worship Center, where the Praise Team leads music commonly heard on Christian radio, lyrics are projected on a screen behind the band, and the atmosphere is energetic and responsive.
Also at 11:00 a.m., in the Sanctuary, is the African Worship Service, led by Associate Pastor Rev. Colston Morris. The congregation is largely first- and second-generation African, and the music mixes traditional hymns with anthems in a traditional African style, accompanied by electric keyboard and the African Choir. The 2:00 p.m. Latino Worship Service convenes in the Family Worship Center under Assistant Pastor Candido Albino and gathers members from multiple Spanish-speaking nationalities around a contemporary band-led worship.
All four services are livestreamed on YouTube, and recordings of past services in each style are archived on Facebook for those who cannot attend in person. Sunday bulletins are posted online each week.
What First-Time Visitors Can Expect
The church sits between Market Street and Highland Avenue, and the parking lot runs behind the building - reached by turning in off either street. Visitors who step out of their cars walk through the courtyard, where a campus map and a directional sign point toward the Sanctuary, the Family Worship Center, and the other buildings. Inside any doorway, more maps hang on the walls, and members are stationed to greet newcomers and walk them to wherever they need to go.
Dress is informal and welcoming. Most people at the 9:00 a.m. traditional service dress in business casual or coat and tie. Jeans, shorts, and business casual are common at 11:00 contemporary. The 11 a.m. African service draws a mix of business casual and traditional African attire, and the 2 p.m. Latino congregation generally dresses business casual. Ushers hand out Grove Echoes, the monthly newsletter, so visitors can see what else is happening.
Children's programming for ages 0 through 4 meets at 10:00 a.m. in the Frances Asbury Building; kindergarten through fifth grade meets in the same building at the same hour. Youth in grades 6 through 12 also gather at 10:00 a.m. Latino children's and youth Bible studies meet from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. on Sundays, with the children in the Prayer Room and youth in the Youth Room under the Sanctuary.
A Church Born in 1844
Hickory Grove United Methodist Church traces its birth to the Plan of Separation of 1844, the year the Northern and Southern Methodist churches divided over the question of slavery. The North had grown more antislavery in tone, the South more permissive, and the two branches could not be reconciled. No record survives of how the scattered farmers of the Hickory Grove community in Mecklenburg County felt about that national rupture, but the local Methodist congregation organized itself in that same year and has continued without interruption since. A longer history of the congregation is documented in a separate pamphlet held by the church office.
Beliefs, Mission, and Core Values
The congregation's mission statement reads: "We believe in the holy mystery of salvation, new life through Jesus Christ, and God's gift of grace. Together, with our diverse Christian community, we share the belief of God's redemptive love for all, without reservation, through the transformative power of the Holy Spirit." Around that statement the church has organized three core values.
Nurturing is lived out through prayer, presence, gifts, service, and witness, and through hosting community events, sports ministries, and fellowship meals for all ages. Reaching Out and Serving takes its text from 1 Peter 4:10-11, which the church quotes directly on its own materials: each member should use whatever gift has been received to serve others as a faithful steward of God's grace, so that God may be praised through Jesus Christ. The ministries under this value serve neighbors of all ages, with a particular care for those experiencing food insecurity, homelessness, incarceration, and poverty. Growing in Christian Faith is expressed through the four Sunday worship services and through Christian education - both in-person and virtual weekly small groups, Sunday School for all ages, and Bible studies.
The Sanctuary itself carries many items of Christian symbolism, which the church has documented in a written guide available through the office.
Sunday School and Adult Small Groups
Adults who want a class between services can join Sunday School at 10:00 a.m. in the Family Worship Center. Several long-standing Sunday morning classes are listed by the church, including the Cokesbury/Epworth class, the Koinonia class, and the Spirit Seekers/Pathfinders class for members in their forties and older. Latino adults have their own Bible study in Spanish, and a Latino newcomers class is offered for those new to the congregation.
Beyond Sunday morning, the church runs a busy week of small groups. A Wednesday Morning Bible Study meets at 10:00 a.m. in the Parlors, and a Wednesday evening Bible study meets once a week as well. The Knowing Who We Are Study gathers Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. for adults who want a structured walk-through of Christian identity. Historias que Transforman Vidas meets in Spanish on selected evenings. The Young Adults and Young Professionals group - college age through early thirties - meets Monday evenings at 7:15 p.m., with a link sent out by Senior Pastor Caitlin Lai.
Three women's circles affiliated with United Women in Faith (Group Lydia, Group Hannah, Group Naomi, and the Latina circle Group Talita Cumi) and three men's circles (African, Latino, and Traditional/Contemporary) round out the small-group landscape, meeting at different times through the month.
Children, Youth, and the On-Site Preschool
The children's and youth programs run parallel to the Sunday morning worship services, freeing parents to attend the service of their choice. The preschool-aged class (0-4) meets at 10:00 a.m. in the Frances Asbury Building under teachers Jennifer Stribling, Sharon Marks, and Vicky Scott. The elementary class (kindergarten through fifth grade) meets at the same time and place under teachers Jennifer Scoggins, Mary English-Tri, Karen Richie, and Deborah Parker. The youth class (sixth through twelfth grade) is led by Lori Kodikara, Amy Scott, and Karen Richie. The youth group also gathers once a month on Sunday afternoons from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m., with activities that include a fall confirmation retreat and a summer mission trip. Vacation Bible School is held each summer, and a combined children's and youth Christmas event takes place in December.
All adults who work with children or youth complete annual Safe Sanctuary training and follow a written Safe Sanctuary Policy. Parent release forms and an image opt-out form are kept on file.
Across the campus from the Sanctuary, Hickory Grove United Methodist Preschool has been running as a half-day program for children 12 months through kindergarten for many years. Director Sharon Freeze oversees classes for Ones, Twos, Threes, and Pre-K, with school hours from 9:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. daily. Optional Before School (8:30-9:00 a.m.) and After School (1:00-2:00 p.m.) care is available for the Twos through Pre-K classes. Tuition is paid monthly, currently running $270-$350 per month depending on age and number of days. A non-refundable $100 registration fee applies. The preschool can be supported through a linked Harris Teeter VIC card using code 6274.
Quilting, Music, and the Arts
The Hickory Grove Quilting Ministry, founded in June 2011, gathers quilters of every skill level on Tuesday evenings from 5:00 p.m. to around 8:30 p.m. in the Wesley Rooms, with additional Thursday and Saturday sessions. Led by Kim Bucklin, the group makes and donates quilts to camps for chronically and terminally ill children, a home for single moms, children's hospitals, a burn center, cancer patients and survivors, children in crisis, homes for victims of human trafficking, NICU units, and veterans. Auction quilts have supported Special Olympics, feral cat foundations, and dog rescue groups. The ministry uses a designated fund held by the church to reimburse quilters for fabric and batting.
Music is at the heart of all four worship services. Hassan Sankary serves as Director of Music and Organist, leading the Chancel Choir, which rehearses Monday afternoons at 2:00 p.m. The African Choir rehearses Saturday mornings at 11:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary. The contemporary Therapy of the Soul Band rehearses Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in the Family Worship Center. The Latino Band rehearses Wednesday evenings at 6:00 p.m. in the Susanna Wesley Building, and the Latino Dance Group rehearses Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in the Family Worship Center.
WeCare: A Food Pantry and Clothing Closet for the Neighborhood
WeCare is the church's primary outreach to the surrounding zip codes - 28205, 28212, 28215, and 28227. Housed in the WeCare house at 6315 Market Street, the ministry combines a clothing closet and a food pantry. It is open the second and fourth Saturday of each month from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Kim Long leads the ministry, which is a partner agency of Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.
Donations of clothing, household goods, toys, and food are welcomed year-round, though storage space limits the types of items accepted. A coat drive runs continuously throughout the year. During the Christmas season, an Angel Tree lets donors select a child, purchase a gift online or in person, and ship the gift to the WeCare house at 8201 Camelot Drive in Harrisburg. Signups for Christmas assistance typically open in late August and run through late October. WeCare also helps families navigate insurance enrollment and bus passes through partner resources.
School Outreach, Room in the Inn, and ESL
Across the street from the main campus, Hickory Grove Elementary School is the focus of an extended partnership that includes SNACK Pack (Serving Neighbors And Community Kids) - a weekend food program currently serving 48 children from 33 families each week, with two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners, and four snacks per bag, plus gift cards at Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break, and the end of the school year. The Caring for Kids ministry collects school uniforms, socks, underwear, sneakers, and toiletries, and grew from a need expressed during the 2016 Children's Sabbath service. Reading buddies from the congregation also serve at the school.
Room in the Inn is the church's contribution to homeless sheltering in Charlotte, bringing neighbors in from the cold on selected nights. An ESL class is offered on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. in the Parlors through a partnership with Central Piedmont Community College. Community Sports Night opens the gym on Wednesday evenings at 5:30 p.m. for pickup basketball and other activities, and the gym is also the site of African Venue Basketball on Saturday mornings. Girl Scout troops meet across several buildings on the campus.
Two recovery meetings use the church's facilities as well: Alcoholics Anonymous meets Sundays at 5:30 p.m. in the Epworth Building, and Candlelight Narcotics Anonymous meets Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. in the same building.
United Women in Faith and United Methodist Men
The church hosts an active United Women in Faith unit with five adult circles and one teen circle. Their ongoing mission includes collecting school supplies for Hickory Grove Elementary - composition books, printer paper, #2 pencils, Kleenex, wide-ruled notebook paper, construction paper, hand sanitizer, and backpacks in kindergarten through fifth-grade sizes. Co-Presidents Jatana Royster and Mary Wyant lead the unit. Circles meet at different times through the month: Group Lydia on the second Monday at 2:00 p.m. in the Trinity Room, Group Hannah on a varying schedule, Group Naomi on the third Sunday at 1:00 p.m. in the Bride's Room as part of the African ministry, and Group Talita Cumi, the Latina women's circle, on the last Friday of each month at 7:00 p.m.
The United Methodist Men unit, whose stated purpose is "to help men grow in Christ, so others may know Christ," is organized into three groups based on worship affiliation - African, Latino, and Traditional/Contemporary - each meeting on its own schedule. The unit has provided food at the Fall Festival and joined trustees for work days around the campus.
Care, Counseling, and Bereavement Support
The Membership Outreach ministry coordinates bereavement meals for families of church members after a funeral and organizes shut-in visitation teams that bring a piece of the church to members who can no longer attend in person. Channing Kirkpatrick coordinates both efforts.
A counseling ministry is offered through the church, and a prayer request form on the church's online home allows members and neighbors to submit confidential prayer needs. Funeral and wedding policies are published as downloadable packets, and a facility use request form reserves space on the campus for members and community groups. The church publishes a weekly E-News and a monthly Grove Echoes newsletter, both with online signup.
Getting Connected: Realm, Giving, and the App
Realm is the church's community connection tool, available on desktop and as a free mobile app (Realm Connect, available in the Apple App Store and on Google Play). Through Realm, members can access a church directory, register for events, sign up for serving, and communicate with their small groups. Online giving is set up through Realm as well, with one-time and recurring gifts supported.
The church maintains active presences on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Sunday morning services are streamed live on YouTube, and archived services in all four worship styles are posted on Facebook. The church office can be reached at 704-537-4686 or office@hgumc.com, and the preschool office can be reached at preschool@hgumc.com. The full Spanish-language version of the church's home page is available by clicking the Spanish flag.
Leadership and Pastoral Team
The pastoral team is led by Senior Pastor Rev. Caitlin Lai, who can be reached at clai@hgumc.com. Associate Pastor Rev. Colston Morris (cmorris@hgumc.com) leads the African worship service and the African ministry gatherings. Assistant Pastor Candido Albino (calbino@hgumc.com) leads the Latino worship service and the growing Spanish-language ministries. Hassan Sankary serves as Director of Music and Organist across all four services.
Sharon Freeze is Preschool Director. Elizabeth Stribling serves as Office Administrator, Patrice Wesley as Financial Secretary, and Matthew Baucom oversees maintenance. The Office Administrator, Financial Secretary, Preschool Director, and Director of Music can all be reached through the main church number.
Affiliation and Wider Connection
Hickory Grove United Methodist Church is part of the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church (WnCCUMC). The congregation participates in the conference's disaster response efforts, including ongoing work in response to Hurricane Helene, and joins the conference's anti-racism initiatives. The conference's "BEYOND" initiative is shared with the congregation as a way for members to engage with the wider church's vision.