Conyers First History
- In 1852 21 people organized the Methodist Episcopal Church South in Conyers at the site of our current sanctuary on Main Street. Caleb W. Key was our first pastor.
- 1868 – The congregation outgrew the first sanctuary, so they sold it and rolled it down Main Street to Pleasant Hill. A new white frame sanctuary with a single tall steeple was erected.
- 1878 – Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society was organized in the church.
- 1884 – Local vandals went “berserk” and burned the church. A new, more modern church was built two years later. Iron stoves and kerosene lamps were still the means of heating and lighting, but an organ replaced the tuning fork.
- 1900 – The church burned again, this time by accident.
- 1902 – Our current sanctuary was constructed for $14,000.
- 1905 - Electricity was brought into the new sanctuary.
- 1918 – A community mass meeting of prayer was held in our church as the World War was in a most critical stage.
- 1925 – Our church, in conjunction with the Presbyterians and Baptists, conducted a community Vacation Bible School with an enrollment of 26.
- 1934 – The Conyers “Tent” was built at Salem Campground. It was later sold in the 40s.
- 1939 – The long struggle of the Northern Methodist Church for unification with the Methodist Episcopal Church South was completed and the whole became the Methodist Church.
- 1942 – A drive was launched to raise $5,000 for a church school building. By 1949, the building financial campaign was completed with $28,000 and construction began.
- 1950 – New church school building was dedicated. Total church membership was 346 active and 136 inactive. Adult Choir and Methodist Men’s Club was organized.
- 1977 – Sanctuary was remodeled and current office space was added.
- 1985 – Current fellowship hall and adult education wing were built.
- 1991 – Ministry in Lakeview Estates began.
- 1998 – Servant of the Lord Meals on Wheels Weekend Program was established.
- 2001 – Church votes to initiate a building program for additional educational space.
- 2001 – Contemporary praise worship service was established.
- 2002 – Angel Food ministry was established.
- 2002 – Conyers First celebrated 150 year anniversary and kicked off fund-raising campaign for building program.
- 2004 – Sunday evening vespers service was started.
- 2005 – Connect Group ministry with lay pastors was implemented with 30 groups for the purpose of nurturing and caring for the congregation.
- 2005 – Prayer was identified as the top strategic priority for Conyers First and an intentional prayer ministry was initiated.