The History of Centenary United Methodist Church can be traced back to 1810 to a prominent Granville resident, William Gavit. A 15-year-old participant in the Revolutionary War and citizen of Granville, Massachusetts for  many years, Gavit came west with an advance group from  New England in 1805. He later became a member of the Ohio Senate. In the fall of 1810, Mr. Gavit was invited to attend a camp meeting near Zanesville. As overseer of the village poor, Mr. Gavit had guardianship of a Captain Butler, whom he hoped might be cured of his alcoholism by "conversion."  The result was that both Mr. Gavit and Captain Butler had conversion  experiences.

In the same year (1810), Granville was added to the Knox Circuit in the Ohio Missionary Territory and circuit rider James B. Finley was appointed as the regular preacher of the circuit. He organized the first Granville class meeting composed of Gavit, Butler, and Theophilis Griffith. For the first 14 years, the congregation met in homes/cabins and in the school. In 1824 the first church building was constructed on the same site as the present building and used for 60 years.

The present building was constructed in 1884 with much volunteer labor, lumber, and supplies given sacrificially by the congregation. The pews and wainscoating of solid cherry were made from two large trees from John Montgomery’s farm (near the present Raccoon Golf Club). Completed in the centennial year of American Methodism, the name "Centenary" was added at that time. In 1924, a major renovation took place - removal of the steeple, stuccoing the exterior, and installing electrical wiring and the present windows. In the mid 1950's,the basement was dug out by hand, providing fellowship space for the church. The three-story Education wing was erected in 1965.

A major building expansion and improvement program, "Building to Serve", was completed in 2003. This expansion included the addition of a large multi-purpose room and lounge with kitchenette, a greatly expanded narthex-lobby, the addition of a full service elevator for access to all parts of the facility, the modernization of the sanctuary and education wing, and an excavated but unfinished basement.

The new facilities were formally consecrated on Sunday, November 9, 2003. Bishop Bruce Ough and District Superintendent Sue Ellen Miller were present on this day of celebration.

 The church parsonage at 235 East Broadway, built  in 1905, had a major renovation 1972, and was most recently redecorated in 1996. A parsonage centinnial Open House celebration was held in September of 2005.