Compiled August, 2009 / CTC

Whigham United Methodist Church came into being in 1869 in the small southwest Georgia community of Harrell, the year after the town was surveyed, laid out in blocks, and had its streets named. The town’s name was changed to Whigham about 1880.

Into this setting came an unidentified Methodist circuit rider, who conducted a protracted revival meeting in the newly-constructed schoolhouse located at the corner of First Parallel and McGriff streets. Mr. and Mrs. Dave Cooper, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Brown, and Mr. and Mrs. William J. Mills joined the church. Mrs. D. W. Guilford also joined, but for some reason was never received into church membership. They met in the school with eight members; however, the building was not very stable and blew down during a severe storm.

W. W. and John Harrell deeded the newly-formed Methodist Church a lot on the north side of Broad Street (its present location) at the same time they gave the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad ten acres of land to establish a depot. D. W. Guilford donated lumber and labor for a two-story wooden structure, the upper level of which was to be used by the Masons. Instead it was used by the Grangers, an organization of farmers, until they disbanded.

In 1875 this building was also demolished by a storm, and a local Methodist preacher and school teacher, a Mr. Latamore, purchased the lumber and built a home. Subsequently Rev.

N. G. Christopher and his family lived there for decades. The house no longer exists.

In 1876 William A. Chester moved to Whigham and led the congregation in building a new church. He bought the very best materials, and the main part of that building is still in use today as the church sanctuary, although the steeple was removed at some point.

For years the church had no rear door, which presented difficulties to wedding parties. The pastor, groom, and groomsmen had to climb a ladder into a rear window. A back door was finally installed when the annex, a Sunday School building, was constructed in the late 1940's, and a passageway was built between the two. Pastors lived in the parsonage currently owned by Mr. and Mrs. Lynwood Collins just east of the present-day Whigham School building.

The local church was first on a charge with Bainbridge, and later was for many years one of four Methodist churches that made up a charge served by one pastor: Whigham, Spring Hill, Orange Springs, and Climax. During that time, Sunday morning and evening services were rotated on schedule among the various churches. Orange Springs closed in 1963, and several families joined the Whigham congregation. Climax Methodist Church was transferred in the late 1970's to the Attapulgus charge, leaving only Whigham and Spring Hill on the same charge.

In the mid-1950's during the pastorate of Rev. J. E. Lackey, Jr., the church attracted favorable attention when six teenage members of the same Sunday School class announced their intention of entering the ministry. Several of them actually did.

About 1968 the church received a generous monetary gift believed to be from descendants of the Mills family who were charter members. Since many new pews were being purchased as memorials by various church members, the bequest paid for the remaining pews, an altar rail, and enclosed elevated choir areas on both sides of the sanctuary. The Methodist Women’s group headed a drive to purchase pew cushions. The original hand-planed pews and the altar rail were given to Ebenezer A.M.E. church, except for three pews which were refinished and are still used in the fellowship hall.

It was during Marshall Strickland’s pastorate that Clara Roberts envisioned and organized a Youth Choir of approximately fifteen boys and girls. The excellent music the choir provided for several years was enjoyed by both the church members and the community. In this same period, Rev. Tom Johnson preached a revival which led to seven teen-aged boys joining the church, several of whom still attend.

A new parsonage was built in 1972 at the corner of Laing and McGriff streets during the pastorate of Rev. Claude Croft. The land was donated by Miss Ruth Kelly and Mrs. Gussie Belcher who lived next door. The parsonage is an attractive four-bedroom one-story brick residence, and the carport has recently been enclosed and furnished as a sitting room and office.

The pastorate of Rev. Mira Barrett and his wife Linda helped to bring an influx of young people into the congregation during the mid-to-late 1970's, and it was at this time that John Vanstone was brought in to preach on the Sunday mornings when services were not scheduled, thus giving the church an opportunity to worship at 11 a.m. each Sunday in the month.

During the pastorate of Rev. Charles Whatley, the church presented a memorable drama, "The Living Lord’s Supper," complete with authentic costumes and stage props. It was well-received by the community as it was presented twice in the Whigham High School auditorium.

Many improvements were made in1982, including painting the church, replacing the tin roof with shingles, enlarging the kitchen, adding four new restrooms, a large nursery, exterior stairway, enclosing the passageway between the sanctuary and the fellowship hall, and replacing the columns on the porch. The project was completed when the grounds were landscaped.

Softball teams for both men and women sponsored by the church competed in a county church league, and a display of trophies attests to the fun and Christian sportsmanship these teams provided. For many years, the church has given support to both Boy and Girl Scouts at various levels by providing leadership and space to meet. Both activities have increased interest and attendance as well as several new families as members.

The church purchased the adjoining property owned by DeWitt and Alyce Lee Trulock during the pastorate of Rev. Paul Best. The home was moved and the lot cleared for much-needed parking and a generous playground area for children.

As the church continued to grow, the need for a larger fellowship hall caused a building fund to be established, and by 1996 a sizeable amount had accumulated. Since the addition of a steeple was in the plan, it was decided to purchase and install it before groundbreaking on the building. Memorials given for Wilson Roberts were used for this project. A fence to enclose the children’s playground was given in memory of Bert R. Wright. Both the steeple and the fence were dedicated by District Superintendent Vance B. Mathis in May, 1996, while Ken Banker was pastor.

The fellowship hall was completed in the late 1990's while Joey Cannon was pastor, with the note-burning dedication service taking place in April, 2000. Another important event taking place at this time was the decision of Allen Hartsfield to resume his seminary training and enter the ministry. Through the generosity of many people, the balance on the project was paid off earlier than anticipated. Mrs. Cleon Cox and Mrs. Bert Wright donated a stained-glass window near the annex front entry in memory of their husbands. The family of Mrs. Dena Foster gave the white crepe myrtles that line the front of the parking area, and the benches on the church porch were presented in honor of Julian and Virginia Maxwell. Jane Cox gave the blue cushioned chairs for the fellowship hall in memory of her husband, James Madison Cox, Sr. In the late 1990's the church landscaping was completed by the family of Cuy Harrell II (Mr. Jack) under the direction of his daughter, Emily Maxwell.

During the pastorate of Elvin East, Mike Mobley made a decision to enter the ministry.

Over the years as the church grew, there was a crucial need for additional choir space. Lois Duncan, choir director, designed a plan to move the pulpit forward and provide room for an elevated choir area behind it. In the past, the choir has done numerous cantatas and musicals featuring both adults and children. Other directors were Lou Strickland and Kim Porter. Choir robes were purchased by Alyce Lee Trulock, who also served as pianist for many years. Other pianists have played at various times, but since the late l960's Carolyn Crew has served in that capacity. Lois Duncan plays the organ, which was a gift from Jackie Harden Jankowski. Barry Strickland, son of former pastor Marshall Strickland, returned to Whigham and serves as the congregational song leader. He and his family have given generously of their musical talents.

During the years Rodney Porter served as pastor, a phone tree service was set up to keep members informed about church news and activities, and a church data base was established.

Generous bequests and donations have been made through the years, including those from the G. B. Trulock family, Willard Waldrop, and many others, some of which were given anonymous-ly. Emmye Harrell’s estate provided a college scholarship fund for a graduating senior in the church. The church purchased first a van and more recently a bus, which have provided trans-portation for many projects and trips.

The Whigham United Methodist Women remain active, with a membership of about a dozen, who continue to meet needs in the community, including providing family meals for funerals and donating time and money to various causes. The Methodist Youth Fellowship is active, and

There are programs for children of all ages. Among the youth leaders have been Demetrius Cox, Belinda Cox, Helen Cox, Patricia Cannon, and various pastors and their wives. Karen Cutchens is active in youth leadership at the present time. The community has benefitted from many projects undertaken by the young people and Boy Scouts. There have been several mission trips, including one to Costa Rica. New Sunday School classes have been added recently to meet the various needs of the membership, and vacation Bible school is held each summer. Monthly Family Night suppers add to the fellowship.

Deserving special recognition for outstanding service to the church is Jane Cox, who for many years has been the person called on to handle maintenance problems and repairs, and in general to keep things running smoothly.

During the pastorate of Robert and Kate Greene, the church made excellent progress with the addition of a band, a men’s breakfast group, and the resumption of the softball team. An ambitious building program, already paid for, provided a state-of-the-art kitchen, renovated bathrooms, including a facility for the handicapped, and renovations at the parsonage. Robert and Kate presented a gift of their own with the birth of their son, William.

In June of 2009 we received Garth Duke-Barton and his wife Rebecca as our pastoral family.  They are both preacher's kids and bring with them years of experience as well as three smiling young children.  We look forward to a long and fruitful ministry together.

At a time when many of the small older Methodist churches have mostly aging memberships, Whigham United Methodist Church is blessed to have a vigorous group of young and middle-aged adults and lots of lively children. Present membership stands at 171, with an average attendance of about 80. Visitors will receive a warm welcome into God’s house.

Join us each week for worship as we celebrate our heritage with an eye to God's preferred future.