Smyrna United Methodist Church was founded as Lackland Meeting House in 1773 or 1774 on land given by Zadock Lackland, an early leader. In 1837, the church building was apparently moved to the present location on Route 15 at Sheppards and was used until 1883 when the present building was constructed. Mr. G.W. Moss, now deceased, said that the old church was torn down and sold to Oak Grove Church to be used in their building about two miles south of Smyrna. The present site was reportedly bought from Mr. William Sheppard or his heirs and from time to time land has been bought from the Sheppard-Crute-Jones estate for use in the grounds and cemetery. Two sources have reported that the contractor for the new church was Mr. Daniel E. Pollard. A cornerstone was laid in the new building by the Masons of Farmville Lodge No. 41 A F & A M on August 1, 1883. The box reportedly contained the Discipline of 1882, a hymnal, the roll of committees and trustees of the church, the names of the presiding Elder Pastor and Local Elder, the name of the Orator, the roll of Smyrna Rosebuds, a half penny of 1812 formerly owned by James Lackland, the Richmond Christian Advocate (July 26, 1883), the Nashville Christian Advocate (July 14, 1883), the Advocate of Missions (January, 1883), the Women's Missionary Advocate (March, 1883), a new 1883 five cent piece, an 1883 penny, a $5 Confederate note, a list of officers and members of the Farmville Masonic Lodge, a list of subscribers to the church building fund, the name of the builder, a copy of the Richmond Dispatch, a copy of the Richmond Whig, and a list of officers and members of Southside Lodge No. 191 A F & A M.

        Little is known about most of the early ministers of the church or the period of their service. Philip Gatch, the local minister, preached his farewell sermon at Lackland Meeting House in 1798. Bishop Francis Asbury is reported to have preached at the original church in 1799. John Early Bishop preached his farewell sermon there in 1807. Travis Taylor was possibly the first preacher assigned by the Virginia Conference to the present church. Lists of children baptized reveal the names and dates of service of a few early preachers: J.C. Crute (1887), J.E. Potts (1888), R.W. Watts (1890-1897), T.H. Campbell (1894), Bascom Dey (1899), and Patrick M. Bell (1903).

        Smyrna joined the present circuit in 1873. A list of the trustees of the church dated November 4, 1886, gives the following names: T.H. Garnett, Dennis Lackland, H.C. Baughan, Geo. M. Gillispie, Jno. G. Morris, Geo. M. Pollard, and D.E. Pollard.

        A Ladies Aid Society was organized about 1890-1895 and probably had the following members: Mrs. H.O. Baldwin, Mrs. Paul M. Jones, Miss Annie Pollard, Mrs. Daniel E. Pollard, Mrs. George Pollard, Mrs. W.E. Garnett, Mrs. Fannie Bailey, and Mrs. Ben Smith. The Woman's Missionary Society was organized about 1919 or 1920. Mrs. J.B. Austin was the first president and was followed by Mrs. P. Monroe Jones. The Woman's Society of Christian Service was organized in 1940 with some of the original members of the Ladies Aid Society included in the membership.

No complete list of teachers and officers of the Sunday School is available. Many may remember Miss Alice Baughan who was the teacher of the primary class from about 1897 until 1920. A partial list of the superintendents includes H.O. Baldwin, Paul M. Jones, Norvell A. Pollard, J.B. Austin, J.L. Jones and Wesley E. Dunkum, Sr. A partial list of secretary-treasures includes Robert E. Lee, J.B. Austin, P. Monroe Jones, and Paul D. Jones.

Several Members of Smyrna Church have gone into church-related professions. The earliest such record is from a family Bible: "Le Roy J. Phaup, born Feb. 6, 1864. L.J. Phaup professed religion on August 20, 1882 at Smyrna Church in Buckingham County, Virginia, and joined the church on September 3, 1882. Was licensed to preach as local pastor, April 19, 1884 by Quarterly Meeting, Baltimore Conference, Augusta Circuit." Four sons of Mrs. George Phaup became ministers in the Wesleyan Methodist Church in later years. Miss Bessie Baldwin, daughter of Mr. And Mrs. H.O. Baldwin, went as a medical missionary to Mexico from 1924 to 1930.

Since its construction in 1883, many improvements have been made to the sanctuary. About 1924, Sunday School rooms were built at the back end of the church. The church was wired for electricity in 1940. In 1953, a central heating system was installed. New steps and a railing were added in 1954. In 1956, new pews were put into the sanctuary. Stained glass windows replaced the plain ones in 1958. In 1956, brass electrified candlesticks and a brass cross were given for the altar by the late Joe Garnett in memory of his relatives. The sanctuary is now air-conditioned. In 1969 her husband dedicated a brass chandelier to the memory of Beryl Morris Flannagan and recessed lighting was added. In 1989, a Fellowship Hall, Kitchen, and additional Sunday School rooms were added at the back of the church. On August 14, 2000 Smyrna United Methodist Church opened Shepherds Day Care to provide high quality, Christian day care for area children and their families. On October 3, 2000 the families of Gracie Lillian Wise and Louise Estes Hackney dedicated a new playground in their memory.

God has blessed Smyrna Church for over two hundred and twenty-five years. May her light continue to guide future generations.

REMEMBER WHEN. . . .

. . . . the men always sat on the left side of the church and the ladies on the right? A wooden railing extending down the center of the church separated the ladies from the men. Members continued to sit in this manner until about 1930.

. . . . the congregation was served from two large common Communion cups rather than the present individual cups?

. . . . a large bucket of fresh water from a spring across the road was placed on the back pew? Everyone used the same dipper to drink from and worried little about bacteria.

. . . . young people came down to the church on Sunday afternoons and felt daring when they read the Apocrypha from the pulpit Bible?

. . . . preaching was held only about once a month, so members usually visited the churches at Concord or New Store when they had a preacher (and they came to Smyrna when we had one)?

. . . . the church was heated by a big wood-burning stove and Addie Cox brought the wood for it?

. . . . the ladies wore long dresses and never went to church without a hat - maybe with a streamer down the back?

. . . . revivals lasted for two weeks with all day preaching and dinner-on-the-grounds on Monday, Wednesday and Friday?

. . . .people drove to church in horse and buggy, rode on horseback, or walked? The horses were tethered to rings or tied to some of the trees out back.

. . . . when Smyrna had a Sunday School bus that picked people up every Sunday morning? Wyatt Elliott drove the bus from World War II days until about 1952.