By David Sullens

Publisher, Athens Daily Review

    The past year has been a big one for Carroll Springs United Methodist Church. 

     For the first time since it was organized in 1859 the church has not shared its pastor with another church or churches. 

     But there's more to it than that. 

     The church has grown - its membership is now about 85, up from 63 a year ago - and a number of programs have been initiated.

     "We have a group of people who really want to grow this church," said the Rev. Gary White. "They're absolutely on fire with what God is doing with the church."

Pastor 

    Rev. White was assigned to the church when it was taken off the circuit almost a year ago.

     He was born and grew up near Houston in Katy "when it was a small place" and graduated from Katy High School.

His father was a computer aided draftsman and his mother was a housewife. They have just moved, the minister said, "west toward Sealy."

     Rev. White attended the University of Houston, then Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. 

     He met his wife, Rebecca in high school. they will have been married three years on June 29. Their first child, Addison Leigh, was born on Oct. 4 of last year. 

     Rebecca teaches kindergarten at Bel Air Elementary School in Athens. 

     In their limited free time, Rev. White said he enjoys hunting and fishing and Rebecca likes cross stitching and antiques. 

Programs

 "We're fortunate to be the first pastor and  family this church has not had to share since the inception of the church, "Rev. White said last week, saying he thinks that has had much to do with the growth of the church. 

     The Carroll Springs church was on a circuit with the Methodist church in Larue and the parsonage was in Larue, White said. Now the church has its own parsonage about 2-1/2 miles from the church.

     Sunday morning worship services begin at 9 a.m. and are followed, the pastor said, by Sunday school at 10:30 a.m. "unless I preach longer than I should," he laughed. 

     The 9 a.m. worship time, the minister said, is "a holdover from being on the circuit. It's one of the things we haven't changed...and it helps when the Cowboys are playing an early game, too." 

     Sunday evening services begin at 6 p.m.

     "That was one of the first thing we added," Rev. White said, "a dedicated Sunday night service. We've been doing  that for for a year now."

     On every fourth Sunday, a community singing replaces the usual evening worship service. 

     "A lot of people from other churches come to that," Rev. White said, and "sometimes other choirs."

     During the week, the church's pastor said, "There is something almost every night."

     Monday night he said, is given to choir practice and fellowship.

     On Tuesday night the men of the church gather.

     "That's our domino night," Rev. White said, "and they play for high stakes, although money is not on the line. Reputation is and they take it pretty seriously. Sometimes we're here till 1-2 a.m.

    Wednesday night is devoted to Bible study. the evening begins, the pastor said, with a potluck supper. 

     On Thursday night the youth of the church gather for their own Bible study, which is followed by supper in the fellowship hall and by games. 

     Friday night is "open," Rev. White said. "That's my time to be with my family."

     The church has initiated a dedicated children's ministry.

  "We began on Saturday, June4 with beach day," Rev. White said, "We had a 40-foot inflatable water slide and a 2-ton sandbox. We had hot dogs and water balloons ..67 children took part." 

     On July 2 - another Saturday - the church will have it's second children's ministry event. 

     "We're going to call it 'Sparkler Night," Rev White said, "We're celebrating The Fourth of July a little bit early."

     The event , he said, will include a fireworks display and ice cream and Coke floats will be severed.

     In part, Rev. White said, the Saturday children's events  are intended "so we can get children excited about our Sunday morning children's service." 

     The service, directed by church members Bill and Lisa Whitely, he said, is held in the church's fellowship hall during the Sunday morning adult worship service and involves learning centers, snacks and puppets. 

     The church now, Rev. White said, has  five different Sunday school classes: Adult, Children, Youth, Young Adults and Special Needs. 

     The Carroll Springs United Methodist Women's group, Rev. White said meets every second Wednesday and its men's group meets for breakfast every second Saturday at the Bradford Cafe on Highway 19. 

     Both, he said, "get together for food fellowship and a devotional" and both undertake service projects throughout the year. 

     "If there's anything that has encouraged the church's growth," Rev. White said, "it's our visitation teams."

     One of those teams, he said, focuses on the nursing homes both in Athens and in Palestine. 

     Another visit's the church's shut-ins. 

     Another "just visits people in the community and just asks if they need prayer ... or anything," the pastor said.     

     "This church," Rev. White said, "is very big on benevolent giving." 

     As an example, he said the congregation every second Sunday contributes to its food pantry.

     "The committee on local benevolence," the pastor said, "puts their feelers out into the community to try and help where help is needed."

     Members of the congregation, he said, visit in area jails and in the prison. Others, he said, visit the victims of crime. 

     "Jesus, says his mission and purpose is to allow, the lame to walk, the blind to see, to care for the needy and dying, and to proclaim God's favor on those people," the pastor said. "We take that as a serious mission and vision statement for us.

 History

     According to a state historical marker in front of its present day sanctuary, the Carroll Springs United Methodist Church's first services were held in homes in the area, with the Rev. William D. Sansom occasionally leading them. 

     Worshipers went to County Line after a church was organized there in 1859 and the church moved to New Hope in 1865 with the Rev. Joseph Franklin Lambright as pastor. 

     Lambright continued as the church's pastor when it moved to Coolsprings in 1872, according to the marker. 

     In 1883 the congregation relocated to Carroll Springs, where it remains today. Its 40 charter members were severed by Rev. Lambright until his resignation in 1891.