Rev. Teresa Holloway
Forest Warren, Minister of Music
Christine Lively, Pianist
Colington
United Methodist Church History
Mrs. Saille Shannon Meekins was born in 1865 and died in 1955. Before her death, she told her grandson Preston's wife, Lois, that when she married and came to Colington she attended church on Little Colington near Nunamakers Fish House. Saillie said that this congregation was Baptist. We do not know if the congregation owned, rented or borrowed their place of worship, but we do know that the house or building did not have the appearance of a church and its parishioners desired to build one. Saille remembered how she and other women of the community made costumes and put on plays at the Baptist church to raise money for the new church. Ice cream socials as well as other events were held for the cause as well. Support came from people who were not attending the church too. The church that was eventually built from these proceeds was Colington Methodist Episcopal Church South. Saille told Lois that many in the Baptist congregation began attending the Methodist church. Before long, there was no Baptist congregation at all.
In October 1888, Stephen Beasley and James S. Johnson, calling themselves trustees for Colington Missionary Baptist Church, purchased one acre on Colington for $10.00 from Thomas Lawton. Then on January 2, 1889, James S. Johnson and his wife Mary, sold one half of an acre on Colington for $1.00. The Johnsons sold the property to five gentlemen referred to as the trustees for Colington Methodist Episcopal Church South. It is not certain that the half acre purchased by the Methodist trustees was part of the acre purchased by the Baptist trustees, but we do know there was no Baptist church built. Many of the members of the Baptist congregation helped raise money to build the new church which was Methodist and the Baptist congregation became the Methodist congregation.
In the earliest existing church records, beginning about 1906, you can find the names of the children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews of those five trustees.
The church deed reads as follows:
For the sum of $1.00, do grant to Ezekiel Midgett, Joseph P. Midgett, Benjamin P. Pugh, John P. Pugh and W. R. Perry and their successors in office a certain lot or parcel of land lying and being in the state and county of aforesaid on the Island of Colington bounded as follows, beginning at a water oak tree on the public road on the said Jas. S. Johnsons land running northerly course on the east side of said road to the turn or bend of the road thence a southerly course the various courses of the branch to a post or marked tree thence a westerly course to the first place of the beginning to contain one half acre more or less. In trust that said premises shall be used, kept and maintained as disposed of as a place of divine worship for the use of ministry and membership of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. Subject to the discipline usage and ministerial appointment of said, as from time to time authorized and declared by the general conference of said church and the annual conference with whose bounds the said premises are situate, 2 January 1889... Signed J. S. Johnson and Mary S. Johnson.
