In 1900, three ministers from
Kelly came to hold a revival in Grayson. They met at an old store
on the corner of Hines and Oak Streets. C.H. Moore was there from
the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and Mrs. M.E. Bartlett and Cliffie
Jones were there from the Methodist Protestant Church.
Later that year, Rev. A.J. Vallery
led in the organization of a Methodist Protestant church. The first
church was built under the leadership of Rev. J.C. Hearne in 1906.
The building was shared by four denominations: Methodist Protestant, Methodist
Episcopal Church South, Free Methodist, and Missionary Baptist. The
Sunday School was held together using Union literature.
About 1906, the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South was organized by Rev. H.O. White, who came over from Columbia.
After meeting once each month for a decade, the congregation built their
first church in 1917. The church had been built the previous year
in Grayson.
When the Methodist Protestant
church burned down in 1934, the larger M.P. congregation shared the M.E.C.S.
church building and they held Sunday School together. The two congregation
merged during a 1939 revival led by Rev. E.E. McKeithen. At that
time, Rev. Virgil Morris was pastor of the Methodist Protestant congregation
and Rev. Rex Squyres was pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South
congregation. The third branch of Methodism (M.E.C.N.) was represented
by Jim Christian.
A building fund for a new church
began in 1942. Rev. E.M. Mouser proved to be a motivating factor
in the drive for a new church building. On April 28, 1949, the sale
of the old church property was approved. Construction of a new $25,000
church began in May 1949 under the leadership of Rev. George Cagle.
The new church was completed and dedicated on September 19, 1954.
The Grayson and Kelly congregations constructed a new parsonage in 1966.
Classrooms were added in 1973, doubling the available space. In 1992,
the Kelly congregation combined with Grayson.
Five ministers have come out
of this church: Ira Yeager, Harold Corley, Roy Mouser, Lea Joyner, and
W.P. McKeithen. |
|
