|
First United Methodist Church |
|
Long Beach, Mississippi |
Highlights:· Organized in 1874 as the Little Methodist Church of Scott’s Station in a boxcar. · First building dedicated in October, 1880. · First parsonage built in 1902. · New church built in 1907. · First parsonage destroyed by fire in 1907 and replaced in 1916. · Mary Abarr Sunday School building constructed in 1928. · Heritage Hall Sanctuary and Sunday School building completed in February 1950. · Moore educational building dedicated on Feb. 3, 1963. · Mary Abarr building destroyed by Hurricane Camille in 1969. · Contemporary Sanctuary building consecrated on November 1, 1987. · Christian Life Center completed in 2005. |
|
From most humble beginnings in an abandoned boxcar, Long Beach First United Methodist Church has forged over a 132-year legacy filled with stories of dedication, sacrifice and commitment. It was the completion of a rail line between New Orleans and Mobile that brought our church’s founders to the area in 1872. Douglas Donavan and his wife moved to an area named Scott’s Station where he would work as a maintenance engineer for the New Orleans, Mobile and Chattanooga Railroad. The couple lived near our present church, in quarters known as the “section house” (see picture). Mr. Donavan organized |
|
an interdenominational Sunday School for blacks and whites, and held worship meetings under majestic oak trees near the Gulf. In 1874, the Donavans decided some shelter was needed for the school, and they arranged to convert an abandoned boxcar — once used to transport goats — into a church on a side rail. From this humble beginning in 1874 has grown the church we know today as First United Methodist. The tiny shelter was named, in 1875, The Little Methodist Church of Scott’s Station. First Building Organized under the pastorate of the Rev. Joseph Nicholson, the little congregation
|
|
decided in 1879 that it was necessary to build a church (see picture). A tract of land (100 ft by 600 ft) and a large amount of the cash for the building ($329 of $502 total cost) was a gift from Mr. Henry Ware, a trustee of the Hands-borough — Bay St. Louis Circuit of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. There would be other church structures to follow the modest first building that was dedicated in Oct. 1880, with the Rev. Joseph McLaurin as pastor. Although it was later moved to its present site at the SE corner of Pine Street and St. Charles Ave. and became a residence, the 18’ by 24’ original structure has been in continuous use since 1880. |
Humble Beginnings |
Fire Destroys Parsonage and Church Records |
|
Naturally, there was a need for a parsonage and the first one was built in 1902 (see picture). In the fall of 1904, a revival was held with overflowing crowds and as a result fifty-one new members were added, nearly doubling the membership. That same |
|
year a new church was built under the pastorate of the Rev. James Sells. It wasn’t until 1907 that the new church was dedicated under the pastorate of Rev. W. T. Griffin (see pictures). In 1905, Mr. W. J. Quarles gave the church |
|
a lot in the new Quarles subdivision in exchange for opening Pine Street across the church property to the sub-division west of the church. Fire destroyed the relatively new parsonage and all church records in |
|
1907. A new parsonage was not built until 1916. More space was needed and the Mary Abarr Memorial Sunday School Building was completed in 1928 (see pictures).
|
