About Us

Who Are We?

PUMC is a historic New Kent County Church that has always been dedicated to service, love and community, and of course, following the Lord. While we understand and appreciate our church’s long history in New Kent, we fully embrace the importance of looking ahead and equipping the next generation of Christians.

What We Believe

God: We believe the Triune God (Father/Son/Holy Spirit) that is proclaimed about in the Holy Bible and affirmed in The Apostle’s Creed:

“I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and Earth

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; the third day he rose from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.”

Bible: We believe the Bible is inspired by God to help humanity discover our need of God. It tells of the great lengths that God has gone to in order to restore a relationship with humanity.

Humanity: Humanity is separated/fallen from God. Though we were created in the image of God, we are not God and have been separated from God since Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden for eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge, which God had forbidden. There is nothing we as humans can do on our own to restore a relationship with God. Our relationship with God is only restored through Jesus Christ, whom God sent into this world, to die on the cross and God raised from the dead to take away our individual sins. Christ did this for all of humanity, but only when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, is our relationship restored with God.

Church: Is made up of people who are seeking to know and walk with God, which is also called the Body of Christ. The church ministers in numerous ways.

Relationships: Relationships are vital in the church – with God, with individuals and within the community in which it resides.

Discipleship: The church is a place where individuals discover more of who God is, what it means to walk with God, a place to deep your relationship with God and other followers of Christ and then share the ways you have encountered God moving/working in your life.

Mission: The church is called to share who God is and what God has done with the community around it locally, but we are also called to go beyond our community into the world to share the message of God’s love and grace.

Prayer: Prayer is vital for the church. Through prayer we connect and communicate with God. Through prayer we discern God’s leading in our lives. Through prayer we bring individual and situations we know to God, seeking God to be present in these situations and asking God to lead us in our response. We pray as individual and as the Body of Christ for joys, celebrations, direction, God’s presence and much more.

Who is on staff at PUMC?

Rev. Linda Crabbs

Pastor

Pastor Linda officially joined Providence United Methodist Church on July 1, 2025. Prior to her appointment at PUMC, she faithfully served Forest Grove UMC in Ashland for 12 years. She earned her Master of Divinity degree from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University in May 2009.

Linda and her husband, Ken, reside in Glen Allen with their beloved black Labrador, Maximus. They have one adult son, Christian, a graduate of William & Mary who currently lives in Williamsburg. Over the past decade, the Crabbs family has opened their home to exchange students from around the world and continues to cherish relationships with their international “extended family.”

Pastor Linda comes from a legacy of ministry, having married into a family of preachers—Ken’s father and two uncles also served as ministers. Music is another strong thread in their lives: the Crabbs are a family of singers. Linda is an active member of the Richmond Choral Society, and Christian sang in school choruses throughout his middle and high school years.

Pastor Linda’s passion for ministry and heart for community is a blessing to PUMC.

Elaine Wood

Church Office Manager

Elaine lives in New Kent County in the home where she grew up. She has enjoyed being a teacher, a librarian, and a cut flower business owner, but her favorite title is “Grammy”! She and her husband, David, have two daughters, two sons from another mother, and five grandchildren. She and her family are very active in their home church, but Elaine looks forward to being a part of the Providence UMC family and serving you. Look for her in the office to say hello and let her know if there is any way she can assist you.

Roy Langdon

Sexton

Originally from New York, Roy recently made New Kent County his home along with his wife, Deborah. He brings a heart for service and a joyful spirit to his role as Sexton. Roy enjoys cooking, traveling, staying active, and most of all, worshipping God. His friendly presence is a blessing to the PUMC family—be sure to say hello when you see him around the church!

PUMC Musicians

Dianne Jordan

Pianist

Jay Francisco

Organist

Hilda Shumaker

Choir Director & Pianist

Joel Trivette

Guitarist

History of PUMC

Although we are unsure exactly of Providence’s age, we know that the church was well established by 1833, when it was mentioned in a Missionary Society article.

Thanks to the accounts of past members, we are certain that at least three church sanctuary buildings predate the current one, built in 1938. Some believe one of the previous buildings could have been the 18^th century “Chickahominy Church.” Many have also claimed there was once a log church located across “Long Bridge Road.” The third building most likely dates back to 1849-1850 and was located across the street from the log church. A fire in 1865 destroyed the New Kent County Courthouse records, so we may never know for sure. However, a deed in 1885 references the church.

The Current Building

In the early 1930s, the church’s membership was approximately 80 with 100 attending Sunday School regularly every week. The Methodist Orphanage’s relocation to a nearby farm meant the inevitability of more youth in attendance.

“We can’t adequately meet our Church needs for religious instruction and spiritual education in our one room building…Our church is struggling to meet not only its local needs, but, in a measure, the needs of the entire Virginia Conference. These new and enlarged needs must be met in a new and enlarged way. Our Church building must grow,” reported a 1934 Homecoming bulletin.

Around that time, Mrs. J.W. Black started the building fund by collecting and redeeming $12.50 of Obelisk flour coupons. The building fund would continue to grow over the years and help fund the sanctuary construction.

In spring 1938, after three years of fundraising and planning, as well as the donation of land by Clinton L. Williams and lumber by the Methodist Orphanage, and a $2,500 loan from the Citizens and Farmers Bank of West Point, the project came to completion. At the June homecoming celebration that same year, 200 people gathered to watch the building committee lay the cornerstone on the new building.

Two pastors served at Providence during the sanctuary’s planning and construction, Rev. W. K. Haddock and Rev. John Carroll.

Thanks to the tireless work of its congregation and the generosity of the community, the current sanctuary was paid off in 1943, only five years after its construction.

“The Building Committee on behalf of the entire Church is happy to record here its appreciation for the splendid cooperation and generous gifts you have made that enable us to present this fine new Providence Church…,” a 1943 Homecoming bulletin stated.

Expansion

Due to the church’s growth and needs of its congregation, Providence constructed an addition to the sanctuary in 1961 that included Sunday School rooms, a library, a choir room, and a basement.

In the 1980s, Providence expanded the Sanctuary and built the Fellowship Hall.

Once again looking to better serve the congregation and community, Providence constructed an educational wing in 2009 that is used daily by various groups.