Shortly after the Civil War
ended, Walton Wilson donated about four acres of land for a church and
cemetery along Hwy 518 between Aycock and Lake Claiborne Dam. The
only preachers to serve that church, named New Hope, were Wash Nickleson
and Bloss Williams. The land and cemetery still belong to the United
Methodist Church.
In 1913, a brush arbor was built
along Hwy 145, at the site of the present church. A two-week revival
was so successful that the New Hope congregation voted to move there.
With the funds from the sale of the New Hope Church to Charlie Kilgore,
the Wesley Chapel Church was built on three acres donated by F.A. Weaver
and John Coleman on April 10, 1914. The pastor on the Wesley Chapel
- Athens circuit at that time was Rev. W. R. Harvel. In later years,
the communities of Marsalis (Crossroads) and Hurricane were later added
to the charge.
At first, Sunday School was
held in the corners of the sanctuary. In 1947, the church was remodeled
and partitioned into 3 classrooms. An old school was bought and moved
behind the church. It was used as a recreation building for the young
people and for pot-luck suppers.
Since 1965, Wesley Chapel has
been on the Homer charge. The church is decorated with stained glass
windows representing Biblical symbols. A recreation room and kitchen
were added under the direction of Mrs. Lucille Harmon Owens with her father
Steve providing the carpentry work.
As the church has continued
to grow, a large fellowship room was added in 1983 (and dedicated in 1986).
It has a large fellowship room and a fully equipped kitchen. The
sanctuary was enhanced in 2000 and dedicated on April 1, 2001. The
carpentry work was done by a father and son, Robert Earl Smith and Gary
Smith. |
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