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McRae United Methodist Church

1 College Street
229-868-6501

The McRae Methodist Church was organized in 1879, and as there was no church building, the congregation met in the county courthouse. Rev. J.L. Williams was the first pastor and fifty-four people joined the church during its first year.

The first Methodist church building in McRae was erected in 1882 on the corner of Parsonage and Telfair Streets. The first pastor to serve in the new building was Rev. W.J. Robertson. The church had a seating capacity of 250 and a value of $500. There were five churches on the McRae circuit: McRae, Trinity, Bethlehem, Lumber City, and Shelton's Chapel. McRae Methodist Church became a full-time church in 1900.

The second building erected for McRae Methodists was built in 1889 on a lot on the corner of College Street and Second Avenue. The land for this building was donated for this purpose by Daniel M. McRae, who had also donated the lot for the first building.

Under the leadership of Rev. W.A. Huckabee, the McRae Methodist Church was, in large measure, responsible for the South Georgia College being located in McRae. This was a junior college for boys and girls, chartered in 1892, and operated under the auspices of the South Georgia Conference of the Methodist Church.

The present building and first Educational Building of the McRae Methodist Church were built in 1928 on the same lot on which the second building was located. In 1936 all indebtedness on the church was paid. On August 2, 1936, the church was dedicated by Bishop Warren A. Candler, and the mortgage papers were burned in front of the church by focusing the sun's rays through a sun glass.

In 1964 the church purchased the property of Mrs. O.F. McRae to build the Sunday School Annex. This building was occupied in September, 1967. In 1971 the present parsonage was purchased for $75,000, and in 1975, the new Fellowship Hall was occupied. The first full-time Minister of Youth and Music was employed in June, 1978.

The sanctuary was heavily damaged by fire on February 10, 1978. Through hard work and generosity on the part of the congregation, the renovated sanctuary was re-opened on January 7, 1979. Consecration was held on January 14, 1979, with Bishop William R. Cannon as the visiting speaker. This date also launched the church's Centennial Celebration.

In 1879, church membership was 54. Presently, church membership is over 600. In 1882, the total budget of the church was $857. The present budget of the church exceeds $215,000. The value of the first church building was $500. Today the total value of all church property is over $2,000,000.

The history of the McRae United Methodist Church never ends. With all its accomplishments, much more is needed and will be done. The rich tradition of fellowship and loving spirituality known in the McRae United Methodist Church will be carried on through prayer to and faith in the Almighty God.


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