In 1870, seven brothers in Christ (William H. Townsend, S. Claggett Thorne, William W. Sansbury, William H. Martin, Alexander Renoe, Thomas R. Halley, and William H. Adams) formed a "Trusteeship" and purchased a one and one-half acre plot of land from Mrs. Matilda Sansbury on March 12, 1870, and the Providence Methodist Episcopal Church, South was born.
The first Church House was located at 12001 Old Fort Road in the Chapel Hill Community. A small cemetery is still maintained at that site. The Church and its furnishings were built by the members under the leadership of Trustee William H. Adams.
In 1901 the Providence Family took action to relocate the church in the Friendly
"settlement" at 10700 Old Fort Road. Samuel M. and Mary Sorels gave the land to the congregation on June 21, 1901. The new "Little" Church (now a Prince George's County Historical Site) was built and the cornerstone was laid in 1903. The first service was held on Christmas Day of that same year.
The small "Country Church" grew as more families built homes in the community. By 1938 the need for a Sunday School addition was affirmed, and under the leadership of Reverend Charles Clinton Bush, a building fund was begun. The Reverend Arthur L. Hunter continued the plans and the first Sunday School rooms were added in 1940.
The Reverend Richard D. Ames was the first appointed "full-time" pastor in April 1947. By 1952 the congregation had again outgrown the building, and more classrooms, a kitchen, and a fellowship hall were added.
It was in the 1960's that the Friendly-Fort Washington area saw the beginning of rapid growth. By the early 1970's this rural area of Prince George's County was becoming suburban.
There was no more room in the "inn". Under the leadership of Reverend C. Gordon Clews, the present Colonial Church House, patterned after the Burton Parish Church in Williamsburg, Virginia, was completed in 1979. The first worship service was held in the new sanctuary on Mother's Day. The debt was retired in twelve years, and during the past ten years the Congregation has contributed the needed funds to build the new Education Wing.
In 1998, the "Little" Church and education rooms were completely restored and reconsecrated as the Providence Christian Community Service Center. The building provides our Youth Center and two Fellowship halls for the church family and community outreach ministries.
On July 1, 2002 we officially became a "Blended Parish" with the Fort Washington United Methodist Family.
