The History Of Church

The First United Methodist Church of Chatsworth was formed in 1905 in the new community of Chatsworth, GA. Some of the charter members were Mr. and Mrs. D.F. Peeples, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Stanford, Mr. and Mrs. Jasper Moreland, Mrs. Mary Black, Mrs. Asbury Smith, Mr. and Mrs. John Harris, Mrs. Callie Leonard, Mr. and Mrs. Ervin Baggett, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Kelley, Mrs. J.P. Kelley, and Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Jones. The name of the church was Chatsworth Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The first pastor was G.B. Barton.

Many of the original members came from Harrison's Chapel, Spring Place, and Mount Zion ME Churches, South. The first music Director was Jim Stanford and the first musical instrument was an organ.

The original deed from the Chatsworth Land Company is dated March 27, 1906. The trustees whose names appear on the deed were C.T. Owens, John B. Rouse, and E.C. Dunn. This property is the same property where the sanctuary stands today. The original white frame building stood just to the right of today's sanctuary. That white frame church was brought from the Ball Ground district on wagons pulled by mules. The building was dismantled at it's former site, moved to Chatsworth and reconstructed on the property deeded by the Land Company. This building was used until the present sanctuary was completed in 1958.

The first church parsonage originally stood just west of the present sanctuary on the grassy spot between Fourth Avenue and the church. This parsonage was used until 1968, when the present parsonage was built. That first parsonage was sold to Jere Weyman and was moved to south Fourth Avenue where the Weyman's still reside.

One of the first recorded budgets found in the church records was dated April 8, 1914. Total collections were at that time $2.74, and expenditures were $2.10, leaving the church with a balance on hand of $0.64. The pastor's salary was set at $446.00 per year at that time.

Church services were held once a month in the early years, then increased to twice a month as time passed. Weekly services began in 1954 when the church became a station church by itself. It was originally a part of a five church circuit.

The need for Sunday School facilities in 1949 brought about the construction of the old education building which originally stood at the rear of the white frame church. This is the building where the choir and youth rooms are located today. This addition included a choir room, Sunday School rooms, fellowship hall, kitchen, and church offices when it was completed.

In 1955, after the Rev. Al Bruce came to Chatsworth, the church began a building fund for either the total renovation of the frame building or the construction of a new brick facility. The church elected to build a new facility just west of the old building, between the parsonage and the old sanctuary. This building was completed in 1958 with the first service held on August 17 of that year. The value placed on this sanctuary at that time was $121,681.00. Many items were purchased by members as gifts such as pews, baptismal font, chancel chairs, altar rail, communion table, communion service, and the stained glass windows. These gifts were placed in memorial or in honor of loved ones.

The church has experienced phenomenal growth throughout the decades of the 1950's, after the completion of the sanctuary, to the 1990's when the sanctuary received a complete renovation. The renovation, at the cost of approximately $300,000.00, was undertaken to beautify, modernize, and replace outdated electrical wiring.

In the 1980's the need arose again for more Sunday School classrooms and office facilities. The ground was broken for the new Educational Building in December 1986. This building housed the church offices, library, kitchen, fellowship hall, rest rooms, and eight more Sunday School classrooms.

The church has an active youth ministry which began in 1920 with the formation of the Methodist Epworth League. The Epworth League was the forerunner to the United Methodist Youth Fellowship or UMYF. Throughout the many years the youth of the church have had many fund raisers, ski trips, and beach trips along with Bible studies and fellowship times together. In fact, the Epworth League raised the funds for the first piano the church bought. The UMYF today continues this strong commitment to God and each other that began many decades ago.

The United Methodist Women (UMW) began as the Women's Missionary Society in the 1920's also. The WMS later became the WSCS and then the UMW. The ladies of the church have been a very active group throughout the years in raising funds for mission outreach for the Methodist Church. Their efforts have provided food, clothing, medical supplies, and many other items for people all over the world.

The Methodist Men's group formed in 1955 to help provide funds and workers for many projects in the community and the church. For many years the Men's club held barbecues to help raise funds for Boy Scouts and other projects. The United Methodist Men's group was inactive for a time, but restarted in 2000. The group now averages about thirty men who meet monthly.

Chatsworth First United Methodist Church continued to grow steadily under the Rev. Furman Norris, who was appointed Pastor Emeritus of the church in 2001. Highlights under his ministry were spiritual development within the church, a well-received "Camp Meeting" with hundreds attending, and the complete renovation of the church sanctuary. Because of illness, Rev. Norris took early retirement, but he continues to be actively involved in the church, along with his wife, Bettie.
Charlz McDonald was pastor from January 1998 to June 2001. During his tenure, the church grew substantially, with a renewed emphasis upon children and youth. A new parsonage was purchased; the Fincher-Pannell Scout Center was built; and the church debt was reduced to near zero. Also, the church began looking at expansion options.

In June 2001, Rev. Larry Pearson became pastor of the church. We continue to grow under Larry's leadership. In 2004, a house was purchased beside the church to be renovated for church offices for the pastor, the church secretary, and the youth minister, thus giving more room in the Educational Building for classrooms. Expansion of the church is in the planning stages as the result of a donation toward a new educational facility. Today, the church is involved with many activities to promote Christian growth and fellowship for all ages.