In the early 1900s, Methodists in
the Strange community would attend the Mill Creek Methodist Church located
about three miles to the north. The Mill Creek church moved five
miles north in 1912 to Prothro, LA. Eight miles was a good distance
in those days, so the local residents organized their own congregation
in 1915. Rev. Frank Moss and Rev. Pierce Moreland led them in forming the
Strange Methodist Episcopal Church, South. They met in a Union Church
at first, where the Baptists also held their services. The members
petitioned Bodcaw Lumber Company for ten acres of land to use for the church
and cemetery. Money was raised to build the church at it was completed
within a year. Two acres of the land was fenced in for use as a cemetery,
with the first burial occurring in 1916. When the Readhiemer High
School was built a mile away and the community adopted the name Readhiemer,
the church continued to use the original name (Strange).
When the building was found to be
unsafe in 1960, it was replaced with a brick structure. Led by Rev.
Phinas R. Corie and using several members who were skilled carpenters,
the new church was soon completed and the dedication led by Bishop Walton
was held in 1961.
In later years, a new four-acre cemetery
was established behind the new church. |
|
