Fork United Methodist Church

Fork is the site of one of the oldest Methodist congregation in the

country. The founder was James Baker, the first Methodist convert in

the City of Baltimore.

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In April of 1771, “James Baker from the Forks of the Gunpowder, deputy

surveyor of the county, happening to be in Baltimore Town, and

attracted by the crowd in attendance upon the first appearance of

John King (who had studied under John Wesley in England) at a

blacksmith’s shop at Front and French Streets, sat upon his horse

and listened to the sermon.”

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When James Baker arrived at home in Fork, after hearing Mr. King,

he immediately opened his home as a regular preaching place for

visiting Methodist ministers and he started a Society of Methodists.

This society became the Fork Methodist Episcopal Church and

eventually the Fork United Methodist Church.

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One of the early preachers of Fork was Francis Asbury, who became

the first bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America in 1784.

Asbury kept a daily journal in which he recorded preaching at “Forks”

or “Bakers” nineteen times between 1771-1815 in addition to a Quarterly

Conference in April, 1775.

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James Baker gave one acre of land from his farm for public worship and in 1773 a log chapel was built. In 1827, the log chapel was replaced by a brick structure which had been remodeled a number of times.

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In 1953, a parsonage was built near the church and in 1960 the educational building was completed. Shirley Hall, which had been a Community and Lyceum Hall since the middle of the 19th century and purchased by the church in 1915, was no longer being used so it was completely demolished in 1969.

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In 1998, the church was named an “Official Conference Historical Site.”

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Ruth Collins, Records and History Secretary