FOREWORD

It takes a lot of nerve to write of a place that is not part of your own personal history. Were it not for a dear group of ladies who gave willingly of their time, this history would never have been written. Marion Conrad, Kathryn Harrold, Josephine Herrington, and Joyce Kight, I thank you all.

It was a delightful experience. We went down many a rabbit trail, and took numerous side trips, but the result is as correct as their collective memory could make it. They told me far more than I would ever dare print - and kept me from many an error.

Some errors or omissions may remain, but they are unintentional and (we hope) will surely be forgiven.

Elaine McCreary

November 18, 2001

"Hear O Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise."

Deuteronomy 6:4-7 (NRSV)

THE HISTORY OF

GARDEN CITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

On November 26, 1926 a Sunday School was established in a small neighborhood known as Lem Turner, named for the man who built a logging road and established a ferry across the nearby Trout River. In the 1940s the name was changed to Garden City, taking its name from a local man's outstanding flower garden which attracted people from miles away. Although Garden City is now a part of Jacksonville's Northside, in those days Jacksonville was several miles away.

The group met in a small dwelling on Frances Street, owned by Mrs. Michael Szymanski. According to one early account twenty-five adults and children were present at the first meeting. Mrs. Szymanski was appointed superintendent of the Sunday School.

Methodism was already well established in Florida. From John and Charles Wesley's "Holy Clubs" at Oxford University in England came the genesis of what the world would know as Methodism. John Wesley's abortive missionary journey to America took place in nearby Savannah and Saint Simon's Island. It could be argued that this took place within our own conference, as Florida has been at various times part of the South Carolina and Georgia conferences. Twenty-five days before Florida became a state, the Florida Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South was established on February 6, 1845.

Little is known about Rev. John Ward, the Sunday School's founder. According to Florida Conference records he was appointed as a supply pastor for the King's Ferry circuit (which included Hilliard) in December 1925. He is listed as appointed to Hilliard in June of 1926. There is no mention of a wife or family in early accounts of his work at Garden City. Church records indicate he served Garden City from 1926 until 1928.

During that time the Sunday School became a church. The charter members were Mr. and Mrs. Michael Szymanski, Mr. and Mrs. Archie Stiles, Mr. and Mrs. C.N. Terrell, and Rev. Ward. The first babies baptized were Myrtle Moore, Thomas Crawford, and Margaret Stiles. The baptism was performed by Rev. Ward in April 1927.

The first women's missionary circle was established in 1929. These women were active in supporting missionary endeavors, as well as raising money for local projects. By 1933 the group had 16 members and an average weekly attendance of 8. One of their first projects was the making of a quilt for a missionary in South Florida.

According Garden City's list of pastors Rev. F. R. Seaborn was appointed to serve Garden City in 1928, remaining until 1930. Conference records show him appointed to St. Matthews and its mission, which included Inman and Hutto, but does not mention Garden City. An early Garden City history records that "the memory of this good saint is ever with us". No other mention is made of his two-year pastorate.

Friends in the community and local lumber companies donated funds and materials to the new congregation. Ladies of the congregation, including Mrs. Pearl Coon, sold dinners on the corner of Dunn Avenue and Lem Turner Road to raise money. The simple frame building, which faced east on the lot, was completed and the first service was held March 20, 1927. The following Sunday, March 27, 1927, the dedication service was held.

Due to its small size Garden City was on a circuit. At various times it was linked with Epperson and Inman, Dinsmore and Yulee, and Hutto Chapel.

Rev. and Mrs. Coon served Garden City from 1930 until 1933. During this time, the church grew, and many activities took place, including a large Sunday School. Records indicate that at the beginning of 1933, 84 persons were enrolled in Sunday School, with an average attendance of 50.

The church's next pastor was Rev. A.H. Albright, who served from 1933 until 1935. The list of Garden City pastors spells the name as Allbright, but he apparently spelled it with one "L". Although early histories do not mention Rev. Albright, he left behind a record of the church in the form of a small leather pocket notebook. In the notebook Rev. Albright recorded church business. It begins with a list of church officers for 1934-35, and continues with contribution records for most of the church members. Information on members of Hutto Chapel is also included. Contributions often took the form of something other than cash. Listed are a new tire, valued at $6.50, milk, eggs, salt bacon valued at 42 cents, and other miscellaneous items.

Quarterly Conference records from this period show a growing church. Rev. Albright and his successor Rev. W.T. Griffin (1935) report growth and a positive spiritual condition. By 1936 the church had 96 members.

In 1936 Rev. Homer A. Bain, newly ordained, followed Rev. Griffin. The church had grown slowly but consistently and extra space was needed. During Rev. Bain's pastorate Sunday School rooms were added to the sanctuary.

During these years when the church shared its pastor with the other churches on the circuit, interest was expressed in having a Sunday evening service. Rev. J.P. McRae, a local pastor from Wesley Memorial Church was engaged to hold the evening service. This arrangement continued for three years until the circuit pastor became available for evening services. Rex Crosdale, a layman, also assisted on first Sundays.

Rev. Bain was followed by Rev. John Thompson Adams in 1938. Rev. Adams was a seminary student who served only three months and was succeeded by Rev. T.E. Ray who finished 1938 and remained during 1939.

By 1938 Sunday School had grown to the point that at least one class was meeting in the yard. Further enlargement of the church building took place under the leadership of Rev. H.T. Foley, who served Garden City from 1939 until 1943. The Sunday School rooms were partitioned off and the pulpit area enlarged to create space for a choir. The Sunday School had grown to an enrollment of 110, with an average attendance of 90.

By the time Garden City became a reality, larger forces were moving the Methodist Church toward reconciliation of its various branches. There existed at that time three separate Methodist bodies in Florida: the Methodist Episcopal Church South (of which Garden City was a part), the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the Methodist Protestant Church. Within these larger organizations were several conferences, including one for black Methodists. In 1939, the ninety-sixth annual session of the Florida Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, met June 8-9. Upon their adjournment, they joined the St. John River Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Florida Mission Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church to become the Florida Annual Conference of the Methodist Church. This ended a division that had begun almost 100 years ago, primarily due to the issue of slavery.

A large, active youth group was organized in the early 1940s. Carl and Blanche McAllister were its first leaders. The group was divided into intermediate and senior groups. They participated in many activities, including at the district and subdistrict levels. Youth groups took turns hosting the other members of their subdistrict group. The youth held Valentine parties, hayrides, and took trips to the beach and other local parks. They also raised money for various projects, including the purchase of a Christian flag for the new sanctuary.

Over the years, the youth have had many dedicated leaders, including Kathryn Harrold, Louise Wheeler Carr, Jesse Clemons, Leah Jennings, Lawrence and Donna Stake, Warren and Mary Alvarez, Sheila Kight, Roger and Pauline Davis, Bill and Vera Sanders, Wayne and Janet McLain, Arnold and Marion Conrad, Joyce Harris, Adam and Jennifer Terral, and presently Vicki Clayton and Susan Tippins.

Other groups had their genesis in this period. Boy Scout Troop 71 was chartered by the Women's Society for Christian Service on November 30, 1940. The first troop committee consisted of C.C. McAllister, C.B. Nelson, O.A. Kasel, B.T. Woodham, and L.F. Caldwell. Scoutmasters were A.T. Alvarez, Sr., and Wayne Dill, assistant. Girl Scouts followed in 1946 with Edna Terrell as their first leader.

Rev. Foley was succeeded by Rev. John E. Skipper, who served from 1943 until 1945. Rev. Skipper was an older gentleman and a widower. While at Garden City, he met and married Deborah Hurlbert, a local lady. During this period a house on Lem Turner Road and Duane Avenue was acquired and remodeled for use as a parsonage. Prior to this point the parsonage had been located in Hilliard. Garden City was now deemed to be more centrally located. This small frame house still stands in the neighborhood.

This was a time of relative prosperity and growth for the church. Finally, in 1946, Garden City became a station church, no longer on a circuit with other churches.

The ladies of the church, since 1939 known as the Women's Society for Christian Service, were still active. The bulletin of June 18, 1950 announces the formation of the "Happy Hour Circle". The ladies organized plays for Christmas and other occasions, supported missionaries, and took annual trips to the zoo with their children. Fundraising activities had focused on dinners and the making of quilts for sale. Early in the 1950s this evolved into the fall craft bazaar and lunch, a tradition which continues today.

Rev. Montfort was appointed to Tavares in 1959, before the sanctuary was completed. Rev. Elton Powell, who served only one year, was pastor when the new building was completed. The original plan was to making Homecoming 1959 the first service in the new sanctuary. Unfortunately, the pews did not arrive on time and the service had to be postponed. Instead, a service for the laying of the cornerstone was held, with Rev. Montfort and Rev. T. M. "Uncle Tom" Coon present to do the honors. Finally, on January 24, 1960, the first service was held, with Rev. Powell preaching the consecration sermon.

The last service in the old sanctuary was the marriage of Marion Dill and Arnold Conrad on January 22, 1960. The first wedding in the new sanctuary was that of Helen Hart and Paul Hutchins on January 30, 1960. Unfortunately, the first funeral held in the new sanctuary was that of Helen Hart Hutchins, killed in a tragic accident a few months later.

Rev. Groves served three years at Garden City (1960-1963). He was succeeded by Rev. Ernest B. Coffee. In the spring of 1965 Rev. Coffee was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He underwent surgery and was eventually able to return to the pulpit. However, shortly after his reappointment to Garden City in June of 1965 he suffered a recurrence and died on June 21, 1965.

By 1966 historic changes were taking place in the Methodist Church as a whole. Since the Uniting Conference of 1939 left black members of the church segregated in the Central Jurisdiction, efforts had been made to quietly set the stage for their inclusion into the church. Somewhat later it became apparent that another advantageous merger would be that of the Methodist Church with the Evangelical United Brethren. Reuben Muller, an EUB bishop, had remarked "if Bishop Asbury had been able to provide German-speaking preachers and the funds to support them, we would have been Methodists from the start". During the mid sixties annual conferences overwhelmingly approved these mergers and uniting conferences were scheduled throughout the country. The Florida Conference of the Methodist Church became the United Methodist Church on September 5, 1968, meeting in special conference at First Methodist Church in Lakeland. Thus twelve EUB churches with a combined membership of nearly 3,700 became part of the Florida Annual Conference. On June 7, 1969, at Branscomb Auditorium on the campus of Florida Southern College in Lakeland, the Central Jurisdiction became fully a part of the United Methodist Church in Florida, bringing to the merger 66 churches and 9,515 members.

The newly united church made adjustments to its organizational structure. As of June 1969 the old system of governing the church via the Official Board was replaced by two bodies: the Council on Ministries, which dealt with program issues, and the Administrative Board, which dealt with policy and legal matters. Under the new structure the Administrative Board would meet quarterly and the Council on Ministries would meet monthly. Local church officers were given eighteen month terms, running from June 1969 to December 1970 in order to get elections on a calendar year basis.

While these momentous events were happening at the state and national level, Garden City's first Lay Witness Mission was held in February of 1967. As a result of this effort a fellowship group was started under the leadership of Carl McAllister. The group met in homes for prayer and fellowship each Tuesday evening.

The first church picture directory was printed and distributed in 1968. New hymnals, a result of the historic merger, were purchased in 1969. Another Lay Witness Mission was held in May of 1968, coinciding with a revival led by Rev. Eugene Pelt.

1968 was also a year of political activity for members of Garden City. A.T. Alvarez, Jr. was serving in the state legislature; Bobby Moore served on the Jacksonville City Council; and Carl McAllister entered the race for a school board seat.

The Women's Society for Christian Service received a new name as a result of the merger and was now known as the United Methodist Women. This group had 54 members divided into three circles, each meeting at a different time. They gathered for a general meeting once a month as well. The group supported a number of worthy projects, including the Riverview Health Center, Christmas boxes for shut-ins, and refreshments for the United Methodist Youth Fellowship. They provided parsonage furnishings, funds for youth to attend camp, and many other items as well.

New choir robes were purchased in 1982. The church had always had a choir of some sort, but the present day choir had its inception during Rev. Harkey's pastorate. Over the years the church has been served by many musicians, some paid and many unpaid. They include Mrs. Garben, Virginia Terrell, C.C. McAllister, Venita Blackwelder, Ted Gounaris, Carolyn Barry, Ann Aspinwall, Virginia Alvarez, Karen Alvarez, Anita Lockridge, Gwen Dube', and others. Susan Sanders presently serves as both pianist and choir director.

A new circle of United Methodist Women was organized in 1985. This was a young women's circle which was to include both single and married women. Organizers were Denise Bauer, Sheila Bennett, and Ginger Clemons. United Methodist Women, always strong at Garden City, were involved in many activities, including the publication of a church cookbook.

On a less happy note, records indicate that the church was broken into twice. This does not include another "break-in", where a car ran into the back of the sanctuary, landing in the secretary's office. The office was later moved to the Educational Building, and the old office became a choir room.

Rev. John Gibson served the church for one year, 1990-1991. He was active in working with young adults, forming a young adult Sunday School class.

Many improvements to the facilities were made during this time. The Fellowship Hall was bricked to match the other buildings, financed by a gift from the McAllister family in memory of Blanche McAllister. The sanctuary was carpeted, a fenced playground built, and covered walkways installed between the buildings. The kitchen was remodeled and enlarged, which was especially helpful, since this was the era of the church's famous chicken dinners, which were open to the community and very well attended.

During this time, an active class of young adults was formed, and Rev. Cullens worked with several young people to help them achieve stability during difficult times in their lives. Another early service was established during this period as well. In 1999 Garden City was once again represented in political circles when Warren Alvarez was elected to the Jacksonville City Council.

The congregation has had a rich history of supporting missions. The Northside Food Pantry and Service Center, Habitat for Humanity, homeless shelters in downtown Jacksonville, the Florida United Methodist Children's Home, Society of St. Andrew, and many other worthy causes have been the beneficiary of Garden City generosity over the years through monthly emphasis on different causes.

Riverview United Methodist Church began on July 1, 1951, with fifty charter members. The church was assisted by the pastor and members of Main Street Methodist Church. By 1954 a parsonage had been built, and the sanctuary was completed the same year. By 1959 the church had 385 members and an active Sunday School of over 100 members. In 1963 an educational building was completed. This was an active congregation with many forms of ministry in operation. Unfortunately, the church fell victim to the changing nature of the neighborhood. Attendance declined despite heroic efforts on the part of the remaining members, and the church finally closed in 2001.

North Jacksonville and Riverview members were welcomed with open arms into the fellowship of Garden City, and all three groups, now one, look forward to a future in God's service.

PASTORS SERVING GARDEN CITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

John B. Ward 1926 - 1928

F.R. Seaborn 1928 – 1930

Thomas M. Coon 1930 – 1933

A.H. Albright 1933 – 1935

W.T. Griffin 1935 – 1936

Homer A. Bain, Sr. 1936 – 1938

John Thompson (Jack) Adams, Jr. part of 1938 (student)

T.E. Ray 1938 – 1939

H.T. Foley 1939 – 1943

John E. Skipper 1943 – 1945

Thed E. Farra }

John Thompson (Jack) Adams, Jr. } 1945 - 1947

Lionel W. Nelson )

Robert H. Carr 1947 - 1949

John E. Hartsfield 1949 – 1950

C.C. Martin 1950 – 1953

Hugh E. Murphy 1953 – 1956

Edwin W. Montfort 1956 – 1959

Elton Powell 1959 – 1960

David C. Groves 1960 – 1963

Ernest B. Coffee 1963 – 1965

Richard Howe 1965 – 1969

Booker Short 1969 – 1973

Raymond Sharp 1973 – 1977

Billy Bidle 1977 – 1980

Bernard L. (Bud) Harley 1980 – 1984

Howard E. Chenault 1984 – 1985

Gordon L. Bowman 1985 – 1987

Donald Coughenour 1987 – 1990

John Gibson 1990 – 1991

Todd G. Weber 1991 – 1995

Robert A. Weimert 1995 – 1998

Thomas L. Cullens, Jr. 1998 – 2000

Ronald Z. McCreary 2000 - 2005

Alan E. Patz, 2005 -

RESOURCES

Brooks, W.E. (ed.). (1969). From saddlebags to satellites. Lakeland, FL: Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Florida Conference Archives

Garden City Methodist Church. (1933-1940). Quarterly conference records.

Harrold, Kathryn. (1989). Memories of days gone by. Garden City Community Annual Reunion. Privately printed.

History of Garden City United Methodist Church. (1986). Privately printed.

Tallman, R. C. (1978). The Archive of Garden City United Methodist Church. Privately printed.

Temple, R.M., Jr. (1987). Cross and flame. Lakeland, FL: Commission on Archives and History, Florida Conference, United Methodist Church.