HIstory of faith methodist church
Our church (originally Atco Methodist Church) was established in 1922 by a small group of Christians who saw a need for a Methodist Church in the American Textile Company (Atco) Village just outside the city limits of Cartersville. Services were held in the Atco School Auditorium. In 1925, the American Textile Company, later Goodyear Company, built a church in Atco Village where both the Baptists and the Methodist could hold worship services. For more than 30 years, Methodist and Baptist congregations worshipped together, the Methodist minister preached the first and third Sundays of each month and the Baptist minister led worship services on the second and fourth Sundays. As both congregations grew so did the need for separate facilities.
After four years of planning the building of the church was begun in 1952. A four-acre lot on the corner of Cassville Road and Goodyear Avenue was sold to the church for $1.00. At the time the building fund could report a total of only $300. Everyone went to work. The women bought half the brick by sewing, baking cakes, selling cards and vanilla flavoring, sponsoring church night suppers, quilting, picking and selling turnip greens, and giving permanents.
The men of the church contributed their building skills. Crews dug the foundations, laid the bricks, installed the electrical and plumbing, and handled the painting. A woodworking class in Veteran’s training made the small chairs and tables for the children’s Sunday school rooms. It was truly a time of sacrificial giving as individual members donated the piano, an organ, drinking fountains, kitchen cabinets, the pews and pulpit furniture, an electric stove, and the hot water heater. Within a year $37,000 had been raised.
The first worship service was held in the new church on Easter Sunday, 1953. The church was full that day and attendance that afternoon at the Open House was estimated at 1500. One year later a parsonage was completed on the same lot of land. Once again members gave gifts of money, service, equipment and furnishings.
In 1962 Atco Village was incorporated into the city of Cartersville and the name of the church was officially changed to Faith Methodist Church. By 1965 the church was experiencing growing pains. Subsequently a new wing was added to the church with completion in 1968.
During the next 30 years, the church ministered to an ever-expanding community. In 1982 the church purchased a new parsonage and the old parsonage was used for offices and meeting space. In later years the newer parsonage was sold and the church began a housing allowance for the pastor. The church took a major step forward in “FAITH” in the mid-1990’s when land was purchased and new facilities were later built at our current location, 501 Grassdale Road. The Dedication service was November 7, 1999.
One of the young men growing up in the church during its formative years was Joe Frank Harris. He subsequently married the daughter of one of Faith’s ministers and In 1983 was sworn in as Georgia’s 78th Governor. He is the longest serving current member of Faith where he was baptized in 1936.
After four years of planning the building of the church was begun in 1952. A four-acre lot on the corner of Cassville Road and Goodyear Avenue was sold to the church for $1.00. At the time the building fund could report a total of only $300. Everyone went to work. The women bought half the brick by sewing, baking cakes, selling cards and vanilla flavoring, sponsoring church night suppers, quilting, picking and selling turnip greens, and giving permanents.
The men of the church contributed their building skills. Crews dug the foundations, laid the bricks, installed the electrical and plumbing, and handled the painting. A woodworking class in Veteran’s training made the small chairs and tables for the children’s Sunday school rooms. It was truly a time of sacrificial giving as individual members donated the piano, an organ, drinking fountains, kitchen cabinets, the pews and pulpit furniture, an electric stove, and the hot water heater. Within a year $37,000 had been raised.
The first worship service was held in the new church on Easter Sunday, 1953. The church was full that day and attendance that afternoon at the Open House was estimated at 1500. One year later a parsonage was completed on the same lot of land. Once again members gave gifts of money, service, equipment and furnishings.
In 1962 Atco Village was incorporated into the city of Cartersville and the name of the church was officially changed to Faith Methodist Church. By 1965 the church was experiencing growing pains. Subsequently a new wing was added to the church with completion in 1968.
During the next 30 years, the church ministered to an ever-expanding community. In 1982 the church purchased a new parsonage and the old parsonage was used for offices and meeting space. In later years the newer parsonage was sold and the church began a housing allowance for the pastor. The church took a major step forward in “FAITH” in the mid-1990’s when land was purchased and new facilities were later built at our current location, 501 Grassdale Road. The Dedication service was November 7, 1999.
One of the young men growing up in the church during its formative years was Joe Frank Harris. He subsequently married the daughter of one of Faith’s ministers and In 1983 was sworn in as Georgia’s 78th Governor. He is the longest serving current member of Faith where he was baptized in 1936.
