During 2008,Walnut Grove United Methodist Church celebrated 150 years of organized worship. Though changes in Methodism over the years have made partial name changes necessary, "Walnut Grove" has always been included. The name came originally from the nearby Walnut Grove Post Office that had been in existence since before the Revolutionary War. In 1858 the first meetings were held near the present church site and were known as "brush arbor" meetings. In 1859 the present property was deeded by J.E. Stenhouse, a local store owner, to the original trustees, for the express purpose of erecting a Methodist Episcopal Church South. Those trustees were: Willis Layton, Theron Shands, William Bennett, Robert James, William Rogers, and Harvey Wofford. The first church building was built by the local community under the direction of Robert James and his son Gamaliel.

Walnut Grove UMC was originally on the North Carolina Charge. By the early 1860s, the church was on the Rich Hill Circuit, which later was renamed the Pacolet Circuit. In 1880, the membership was about 100; in 1900, it was 104. It was after 1900 that the church had a Sunday school all year. Previously, because of inclement weather, bad roads and the lack of heating facilities, the Sunday school had been disbanded for the mid-winter months.

It was during the pastorate of E.W. Mason (1903 - 1906) that the present building was erected under the supervision of N.W. Bearden and W.P. Thornton. The first sermon in the new building was preached by the Rev. J.T. Fowler of the Campobello Circuit on Sept.4, 1905. During the early 1940s the church was remodeled, adding Sunday school rooms and a choir loft. Landscaping and heating were added. A parsonage was constructed in 1956, and ground breaking was held on Nov. 10, 1957, for a new educational wing. The building was consecrated in September, 1958, as part of the Centennial Celebration.

With unification of the three branches of Methodism in 1958, the church's name was changed to a simpler Walnut Grove Methodist Church. The church become a station charge in 1960 with the Rev. David Holder as the minister. In December of that year a program of repair and remodeling of the sanctuary was begun.

The church name changed yet again when the Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church merged in 1968. That name is the present Walnut Grove United Methodist Church.

In the summer of 1979, Walnut Grove welcomed its 55th pastor and its first woman pastor, Rev. Jane Hall. The last 30 years have seen a progression towards our present congregation of more than 200 members. Extensive landscaping was done in 1992, and a new Christian Life Center was dedicated in 1997. The church thrives as it moves past its sesquentinniel into a continuation of our vision of "Touching lives, building faith, through the power of God's love" under the leadership of the Rev. Chris Snelgrove.