Methodism began in the area when Rev.
Joe Berwick preached in the area in 1891. Four local boys were converted
and later became ministers. They were: brothers Willie and Martin
Hebert, Dallas Hayes, and Daniel Hayes.
The church was organized on December
20, 1908. The first pastor, Willie Hebert, served the church from
1908 to 1929 (except for a single year when the D.S. was in charge).
The first services were held in a one-room schoolhouse east of the Catholic
Church given to the church by Mrs. H.G. Chalkley, Sr. A six-room
parsonage was built at that time.
After the 1918 hurricane destroyed
the schoolhouse building, services were held in private homes. Permission
was later obtained to use another one-room schoolhouse to the north.
A dedication service, led by Rev.
Martin Hebert, was held on November 11, 1956. New pews and other
additions were dedicated at that time.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Helms have the
church an acre of land in 1959. In 1998, the home of the Walter Helms
family was remodeled and dedicated as the parsonage.
Plans for a new church began during
the pastorate of Rev. Garland Dean in the mid 1950s. The new church
was completed in 1963 under the leadership of Rev. Hubert Gibbs.
In June 1998, Sweet Lake became
a station appointment with a full-time pastor. In the fall of 1999,
the church began work on a Family Life Center and parking improvements.
The church opened a local mission
ministry (Faith Share Outreach) at a separate location in mid 2002.
The ministry provides food, clothes, furniture, and medical equipment to
families in need. It works together with Domestic Violence, Community
Action, and the Council on Aging programs in the parish.
With increasing growth in the
local community, the church continues to seek ways in which to witness
and serve. |
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