Partner Spotlight: Main Street United Methodist

Main Street United Methodist Reverend Ralph T. Bowling feels strongly about staying in the right lanes.

In a recent sit-down discussion with Greater Greenwood United Ministry’s Terry Lewis, Rev. Bowling shared that Main Street United Methodist Church (MSUMC) shares the United Methodist Church's (UMC) worldwide mission’s 3 lanes of giving:

• Lane 1 is apportionments, also known as Missional Askings.

• Lane 2 is offering food and financial assistance

• Lane 3 is supporting the city where the church is located.

Those three lanes of giving make the partnership between Main Street United Methodist and Greater Greenwood United Ministry a match made in heaven.

Rev. Bowling is only one year into his leadership of Main Street United Methodist Church, but a seasoned pastor with nearly 44 years of service, having served more than a half-dozen churches in both the Carolinas and Georgia before returning to his beloved Greenwood.

A family man, married to his wife Karen for about the same amount of time as he’s been a pastor. They met and married during their Erskine College years, as Bowling was also being drawn to a lifelong discipleship in Jesus Christ.

Bowling and his wife, Karen, both hold undergraduate degrees from Erskine. The couple has two adult children, Jared Bowling and Lauren Hutto.

Bowling graduated from Erskine in 1982 with a degree in history and from the Seminary in 1987 with a Master of Divinity degree and later served on Erskine’s Alumni Board.

Bowling, whose mother was a Greenwood area native, has a family history tying him to both Erskine College and the University of South Carolina, where generations, including his parents and grandparents, attended the prominent SC institutions of higher learning.

Among many memorable and noteworthy events in Bowling’s storied lifelong connections with folks is a surprise encounter with the University of South Carolina’s legendary 1980 Heisman winner, George Rogers.

The treasured photo of the two sits among the bounty of pictures, spanning nearly a full wall of bookshelves featuring striking images of generations of his family.

FOLLOWING CHRIST FROM THE CITY CENTER

Main Street United Methodist Church has always been blessed and honored by its prominent presence in the heart of uptown Greenwood. The church’s historic and stately profile stands mightily at the busy intersection of Main Street N. and Cambridge Avenue, only a short walk away from Lander University, the Veterans’ Center, and Hampton Plaza.

Early records indicate that Main Street United Methodist Church originated back in 1854, when Greenwood was only a village of about 300 people.

The current building dates back to 1919. In 2008, Main Street United Methodist celebrated its 150^th year at this location.

A typical Sunday worship service today sees about 200 folks in attendance these days. As it does every year, MSUMC celebrates Lent with a community-wide lunch series, known as the Lenten Pilgrimage, that rotates among six churches each Wednesday of Lent.

Discipleship, the Holy Spirit, Baptism, and Communion are at the heart of what the United Methodist Church believes and actively engages.

Reaching the lost and broken, giving back, and sharing the church’s resources with its local community are major focuses.

Bowling says this core United Methodist Church mission is why, even as it partners with a faith-based nonprofit like Greater Greenwood United Ministry, his church continues to offer both financial assistance for rent and utilities, as well as food to those who need help.

Though recent divisions among some United Methodist Churches have caused notable declines in membership and giving, Bowling says he feels his church should be giving more than it does to organizations like Greater Greenwood United Ministry. He foresees an increase in his church’s giving in the future.

Pastor Bowling gave us a mini tour, with a brief stop by the church’s Hymnology Study small group, which meets on Tuesday mornings.

He also spoke highly of the church’s musicians and their infamous “Pipe” organ, which you can view in the video below:

Bowling has forged special relationships with his congregation, musicians, choirs, and small groups, and he is particularly focused on the church’s youth. His deep commitment to the children of Main Street United Methodist is clearly evident in the many activities the pastor engages them in.

Pastor Ralph T. Bowling III is a man of God’s word who faithfully lives out the United Methodist Church’s mission and encourages others to do the same:

“Make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”

Well done, good and faithful servant.