History
"The birth of a church emerges out of man's effort to serve God. Early settlers in our area, like those across our nation, felt the need for divine worship. Berrien County formed in 1856 from Irwin County. As early as 1860 citizens of Nashville assembled in what was then the old Courthouse for a union service of various denominations.
Afterwards they moved to the Hansell Hotel which later became the site of the Nashville Hotel at the corner of Marion and Jackson Streets. Here a Union Sunday School was held with Judge H. T. Peeples as the Superintendant. Later, Methodist services were held once a month with a circuit rider in charge.
The first Methodist Church built in Nashville was crude building out of hewn lumber. In it were some of the first glass windows used in this section of Georgia. It was constructed in 1868. Those taking an active part in the building were: Judge Thompson Peeples, Bud Godwin, Bill Whittington, Dr. Mack Talley, W.H. Griffin, J.E. Peeples, Mr. Lamb, Mr. McDonald and Reddick McKinnon.
The first Woman's Mission Society was organized in 1892 - Initial officers were: Miss Nona Lamb, Miss Mattie Peeples, Miss Lilla Lamb, Miss Mackie Peeples, Miss Georgia Avora. Members were Mary McKinnon, "Aunt Laura Sister, Mrs. McCroy, Mrs. McKinnon was a niece of Methodist Bishop Louie Pierce.
The framed church was used until 1901. Those playing an outstanding part in its construction were: H.B. Peeples, Sany Patterson, Silas Tygart, A.E. Bullard, Mr. and MRs. N.T. Peeples, Clara Shepherd, Mr. and Mrs. S.T. Tygart, Mr. and Mrs. W.A. Moore, Ben Peeples, Logan Peeples, Bill Tygart, Miss Lula Payne Brown, Mrs. Emma Brown, and Mr. and Mrs. Tyler M. Peeples.
The first recorded deed in Berrien County for the Methodist Church is dated January 3, 1903. H.B. Peeples made a gift deed to Nashville Methodist Church Sourth for the consideration of love the present site at McPherson and Berrien Streets. Earlier deed may have been recorded in Irwin County." excerpt from Homecoming reading October 26th, 1975
Methodist Parsonage and Other Highlights:
From the earliest times Nashville Methodists have provided, furnished and maintained a parsonage for their pastors and families. The parsonage history begins four years after the sanctuary of the present church was built in 1901, with a bit of friendly rivalry between Nashville and its neighboring town, Sparks. At that time one pastor served both congregations and he lived in Sparks. Two newspaper clippings shed light on how the first Nashville Parsonage came to be built.
The first item below was included in the "HAPPENINGS" column of the Nashville Herald, August 18, 1905.
"Judge H.B. Peeples and J.H. Anderson went over to Sparks yesterday to confer with a committee from the Methodist church of that place as to the advisability of erecting a parsonage for the pastor of the two towns. At present the pastor lives in Sparks, but as Nashville pays half of the pastor's salary we naturally think we have an equal right to say where the parsonage shall be built. We propose to offer a $1,500.00 home for the pastor, adn if Sparks can out bid us she is welcome to keep the preacher. We have concluded that Hashville is paying enough to have a preacher to live here."
Then the following item appeared in the paper on September 15, 1905.
"The Methodist people of Nashville are determined to have a parsonage for their preacher. A committee was recently appointed consisting of the following gentlemen: H.B. Peeples, J.R. Anderson, A.C. Sweat, A.E. Bullard, T.H.T. Sutton and J.H. Anderson. This committee held a meeting last Friday morning and elected H.B. Peeples chairman and A.C. Sweat secretary and treasurer. The committee has riased about $800 and is still at work. The list of contributors will be publisehd next week. The plans have been agreed on and it will be a six room house to cost $1,500 -$2,000. It is the purpose of this committee to have the house ready for the preacher by the first of the year. If you live out of town and desire to contribute to the good cause......."
The parsonage was built facing Berrien Street on the north side of the church and remained in the same place until the education wing and Garner Hall were built in 1952 -1953.
Our Pastors:
1883 Walter Folson 1925-27 K.H. McGregor
1884 W. J. Stallings 1927 C.L. Nease
1885 M.J. Adams 1928 -32 H.E. Stipe
1885 W.S. Hornbuckle 1932 - 35 L.E. Williams
1886 J.M. Foster 1935 - 38 J.A. Rountree
1890 T.R. McMichael 1938 - 40 J.O. Stanaland
1891 Jason Shirah 1940 - 44 A.A. Waite, Sr.
1892 J.M. Foster 1944 - 46 Swoll Sawyer
1895 S. F. Cary 1946 - 47 W. M. Hobbs
UNKNOWN S. W. Brown 1947 - 50 Fred B. Hooks
UNKNOWN J. S. Funderburke 1950 - 53 J. Loy Scott
1900 E.L. Padrick 1953 - 57 Tom Watson
1901 M.B. Ferrell 1957 - 61 T.M. Jack Key
1903 J.C. Flanders 1961 - 63 J.C. Gilbert
1905 J.M. Foster 1963 - 67 James Agee
1907 J.T. Ryder 1967 - 71 A. Ray Adams
1908 - 10 J. Harwell House 1971 - 76 J. William Dupree
1920 - 14 Reese Griffin, Sr. 1976 - 79 Cecil E. Hazen
1915 J.J. Ansley 1979 - 83 M. Terry Deloach
1916 W. F. Hinson 1983 - 88 John Bagwell
1916 - 18 C.M. Ledbetter 1988 - 91 Stephen Webb
1918 - 21 L.L. Barr 1991 - 95 Tegler Greer
1921 - 22 J. H. Mather 1995 - 99 Benjamin Varnell
1922 - 24 W. H. Haywood 1999 - 2004 Richard Trawick
1924 - 25 W.F. Buford 2004 - Present H. Dwight Bishop, Sr.
NUMC History and Archives
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