Camden First United Methodist — through church structure, name and societal changes — has endured since the 1800s.

Located at 704 W. Dekalb St., land where the church remains was purchased in 1828 by the White Methodist Church. Next to the church structure, a wooden building was constructed by and for use by slaves.

Originally known as Methodist Episcopal Church, the racially mixed church was founded in 1866.  Black congregants began worshipping inside the main structure in 1872, after the departure of white congregants to a new location, and purchased the property from the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1875 to become Trinity Methodist Church.

Some years later, a prayer bond was forged and another African-American church came to fruition   in the Kirkwood section of Camden. Built in one day, June 12, 1913, it would become Macedonia United Methodist Church, a “sister” church of Trinity.

Trinity was partially destroyed by fire in 1925. Local black contractor, Richard D. Belton, was hired to lead the reconstruction project, which was completed in 1928. Thirty-thousand bricks were donated to rebuild the Gothic Revival-styled church that continues to sit resolute along one of Camden’s main thoroughfares. During the rebuilding, Mather Academy and Mount Moriah Baptist Church both shared their facilities with Trinity.

Between 1960-67, Trinity and Macedonia would share pastors.

By 1972, the Methodist church structure changed, and Trinity would become Trinity United Methodist Church.

In 1998, Trinity and Macedonia merged to become Camden First United Methodist Church, a vibrant ministry within the rich, historic fabric of the greater Camden community.