OUR CHURCHES HISTORY:

First United Methodist Church of Chipley

HISTORY OF OUR CHURCH:

The original church was built of rough wood during the year of 1885, and was blown down by high winds, in 1889, and was rebuilt that year. It stood approximately one city block to the west, which would have made its location in front of the Washington County Court House's present location.

This is the oldest picture we have of our present sanctuary, which is believed to have been taken in 1907, the year our sanctuary was completed after approximately 4 years of construction. The building was built by the members of the congregation, with the help of the congregations' minister at that time, of whom it is said was a professional builder. He had only a few forms made in the ground to make solid cement blocks and poured a few each morning and then a few each evening, until there was enough. The huge beams under the building are from a members' farm just a few miles from here. Other items were from members of whom lived in Bonifay, as this congregation served both areas. The original bell still hangs and is still in use on Sunday mornings. Note the sand street, which is now U. S. Highway 90, "The Spanish Trail".

There are no written records of when our congregation got its start, but it is known that it did get its start a few years before, 1887, of which we have the first written record.

The Art Glass Windows of which there are at least 35 window panes of, are made from granite stone of various colors and shades and some are opaque, and are often confused with stained glass. These windows are imported from Antwerp, Belgium, and were placed in our sanctuary, in 1907, by an Interior Decorating Company, in Atlanta, GA,

In 1987, when we were getting ready for our Centennial, someone threw a bottle through one of the windows. It was repaired, and it was learned at that time that our windows are quite valuable, and a value was placed on them of one and one half million dollars. We have since covered them with a clear Flexiglass, to help insure there protection.

All of the pews, communion rail, communion table, lectern are made of solid oak, with a natural finish that is varnished. The pews are in a curved shape, with two aisles. The back center 3 pews are not curved. It is believed that the same Interior Decorating Co., installed the pews, and other Oak items except the floor. The floor is solid oak, which slops to the communion rail. The floor plan is patterned after a Methodist Church built in 1822, in Boston, Massachusetts. And while this is a recent picture of our church, it has since been completely painted inside and out, with additional redecorating.

This the fellowship hall. Which was built from 1927-1929. The pictures show original and remodeled fellowship hall and when it was built, is the only time our congregation was in financial debt, and shortly after its completion, the holder of the lien considered the debt paid. The first floor was the assembly room with its ceiling reaching all the way up to the ceiling of the third floor, so there were stairs that went up to the second and third floors, that provided a walkway around the open area and Sunday school class rooms all along that walk area, and that way the rooms each had windows. In the 1960's, this all changed to a two and one half story building, with complete remodeling and renovation, making only the first and second floor usable, with a floor all the way across where the open area was, and that is today used for classrooms. The first floor now has a professional style kitchen/cafetorium, for dining area and assemble. There are also Sunday school classrooms as well as, a well equipped children's nursery, with its own kitchen.

Our church recently had its Homecoming, on October 3, 1999, with Rev. Ross giving the sermon. He is a former pastor of our church. There were several there, and over 130 at our covered dish dinner which followed the service, and then we were entertained by the "Masters Men", in the sanctuary, after the covered dish dinner, for more than 2 hours.

Our sanctuary buildings have appeared in the "All Florida Magazine", in 1964, and they were featured on the church segment of the "U. S. Farm Report" WGN-TV in 1997.

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