A Brief History

In 1834, a Methodist congregation was formed.  They began worshiping in the Sumter County Courthouse.  The first church was built in 1837 near the Myrtlewood Cemetery on Church Street.  The bell used in the original church and our present church was cast in 1839 by the Holbrook Bell Foundry in Massachusetts.  The foundry was started by Major George H. Holbrook in 1816, who learned how to forge bells under Paul Revere of “The British are coming” fame.

First services in our present building were held on September 28, 1890.  The educational building was dedicated in 1954.  The current fellowship hall, offices, kitchen, and board room were completed in 2000.

The communion set that is still used during the traditional service was probably purchased prior to 1845.  It is inscribed “M.E. Church, Livingston, AL.”  At that time our church was affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.