The church began with twelve charter
members in 1905. The first services were held in the Masonic Hall
on 8th Street. The circuit rider would hold services every 1st and
3rd Sundays. Music would be provided by a pump organ in the back
of his wagon.
By 1908 the membership had risen
to 60 people. Needing a bigger place to gather, services moved to
the Oak City Hotel on 10th St. A house located a block behind the
hotel was rented for use as a parsonage. Sunday school classes were
held there at first. When the Presbyterians built a church in 1909,
they shared it with the Methodists. The Methodist congregation met
there on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon.
In 1914, the congregation bought
a lot on the corner of 9th and Hudson Streets. Money was raised to
build a new church and parsonage.
In the mid 1920s, land was purchased
on the corner of 6th Avenue and 11th Street. A new parsonage was
built at this time next to the church.
In 1958, a lot on Pelican Highway
was donated to the church. The parsonage was moved there. The
church was moved over so that a new sanctuary could be built on the old
site. After touring churches around the state, the congregation decided
to build one similar to the DeQuincy Methodist Church. Construction
began on April 9, 1958. The church was dedicated on October 19, 1960.
The old structure that had been
moved to the side was torn down in 1967 so that a new education building
could be built. It was dedicated on January 22, 1970.
The parsonage was sold in 1972
and a new one was built on East 10th Avenue.
The courtyard of the fellowship
hall was developed into a memorial garden with a gift from the Erwin family.
The church paid off its debts
and had a mortgage burning celebration on June 7, 1998. |
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