Early followers of John Wesley who lived in towns across the Sound in 1772 influenced the Kitty Hawk fishing and farming families to form a new church. These hearty folks gathered in homes, on fields, and at beaches until the one-room “Kitty Hawk Methodist Episcopal Church, South” was built in 1858. Renamed “Boaz M.E. Church, South” when the congregation moved in 1887 to our current location, its hand-hewn, rough-board building was replaced in 1938 by a brick structure destroyed by fire in 1973. In 1903, the Wright Brothers stayed in a house later donated to KHUMC for its parsonage. The current sanctuary was consecrated in 1975. The original vision of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world and being a beacon of hope for our community continues these many decades later.
Our location in Kitty Hawk, a popular vacation destination for much of the East Coast, enables us to offer graceful hospitality and a homeport for hundreds of visitors every summer. With a thriving year-round congregation, we extend that hospitality by being active in local mission and ministry on the Outer Banks. Our missions include a homeless ministry called Room in the Inn, our local Beach Food Pantry, and a monthly program offering respite care for seniors and their caregivers. Last year a small group built and continues to maintain a “Little Free Food Pantry” on the front lawn where folks can come by anytime and take boxed and canned food, day or night.
We recently merged with Mighty Wind UMC, a new start church that needed a building. Together we welcome all comers in the name of Jesus. We have multiple small groups, bible studies, music groups, and programs for children and youth. Our excellent preschool serves 88 two-to-four-year olds, who come to learn their ABCs and to get to know Jesus.
In Matthew 25:45, Jesus reminds us that whenever we offer graceful hospitality in the form of food, clothing, shelter, and visiting the sick and the prisoners, we are offering it to him. This will always be our mission at Kitty Hawk UMC.
Rev. Betsy Haas serves as the Associate Pastor of Kitty Hawk UMC in Kitty Hawk, NC
Our theme for this year’s Lenten reflections is Graceful Hospitality. 2023 marks the 70th anniversary of the Ten Dollar Club, now known as the New Room Society. We give thanks for our Conference’s ongoing commitment to co-creating new places for new people to gather in communion with Jesus Christ and extending graceful hospitality to all of God’s children.