According to Perry Zarr’s book, Here I Am, Send Me, Bay Minette Methodist Church began in December 1874, when Rev. Andrew Jackson Lamar was appointed to serve the Eastern Shore Mission in Baldwin County. He would travel by foot to preach in Bay Minette.
At that time, the Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians all used a small Union church building located at the corner of Byrne and Magnolia Streets for their services. As each congregation grew, they moved into new facilities. In 1888, land was purchased across the street from the old Union church by the Methodist congregation for their own building which was completed in 1893.
This building was used until 1926 when the church grew and needed a new sanctuary. Land was purchased and a new sanctuary was built on the site of our current location.
In the 1960’s, the Education wing and Chapel was added. In 1983, a steeple was placed atop the church making it at that time, the tallest structure in Bay Minette. In January 1996, the Family Life Center was consecrated.
After Hurricane Ivan decimated the old church in 2004, a new sanctuary was built and dedicated in 2007.
Including Rev. Lamar, 46 pastors have served the church over the years. Each pastor brought their own gifts and graces to the church and left a mark on the people of the church and the community.
While the history of the church may be fascinating, what is most remarkable is for almost 150 years, Methodists have gathered in Bay Minette to praise God, sing hymns, share Holy Communion, baptize children, study scripture, marry and bury friends and loved ones, serve this community, and make disciples for Jesus Christ.
Countless lives have been touched, are being touched, and will continue to be touched by the ministries of the church. What a wonderful legacy of faithfulness! A legacy worthy of remembering.
So let me invite you to mark your calendar for Sunday, December 15, 2024. On that day we will celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Methodism in Bay Minette. While it is still many months away, we can begin looking forward to a great celebration.
In the meantime, let me encourage you to continue your support of the church by your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service, and your witness.