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HISTORY OF MAIN STREET UNITED METHODIST CHURCH BAY ST. LOUIS, MISSISSIPPI
Though far from being one of Mississippi’s largest Methodist Churches, very few places of worship in the state have had as long and colorful a history as has Main Street United Methodist Church in Bay St. Louis. It was one of the coast area’s earliest Churches. Actually, reports show that the town was a preaching place as early as 1842.
The Main Street United Methodist Church was organized in 1852 in the town of Shieldsboro, now Bay St. Louis, by Mr. E. D. Pitts, who was a school teacher and local preacher. Worship services were held in a small building at the corner of Main and Second Street on property given by John V. Toulme for a church. Records also show that the Church in 1859 was known as St. John’s Methodist Church, rather than by the present name. By 1871, Bay St. Louis was one of the four most prominent preaching places on the coast, along with Biloxi, Handsboro, and Pass Christian.
In 1892, the first parsonage was built and in 1896 the present church building was erected on the corner of Main and Second Streets on a lot given six years earlier by J. V. Toulme. It was dedicated by Bishop Charles B. Galloway in 1897, the year a disastrous $75,000 fire destroyed about half the town.
The church building was not completed until near the turn of the century. In 1896 Bay St. Louis was worshipping for the second year in an incomplete building which had no windows or doors.
In 1936, under the pastorate of Rev. J. Early Gray, a six-class-room annex was constructed at the rear of the present sanctuary and in 1944, Mr. A. C. Exnicious gave to the church a plot of land adjoining the church building lot; then five years later the church purchased from Mr. Exnicious a two-story buildfng which was used for educational purposes. The building was adjacent to the land given earlier and with these additions, the church grounds cover nearly all of a small city block in the downtown area next to the County Courthouse. Mrs. Exnicious gave the church the last $1000.00 note.
It will probably be of interest to some to learn that the front portion of the second floor of that building was the first house of Worship for Methodists in Bay St. Louis, and it had originally stood on the site of the present church building. The frame building had been raised after it was moved and a cement block first floor built beneath it. This old building has been demolished and the site is part of the present churchyard.
In the 1950’s, under the pastorate of Rev. H. Bufkin Oliver, the annex building was renovated and enlarged to contain a Pastor’s Study, a kitchen, dining room, fellowship hall and two dressing rooms.
While Rev. C. S. Schultz was the pastor on December 7, 1952, the Centennial Anniversary was observed with an all day celebration.
Bishop Marvin Franklin came for the Centennial Anniversary, as did some of the former pastors and members from out of town.
Later, during Rev. A. Lamar Martin's pastorage, the parsonage, a $26,000 project was built on a lot 100 by 130 feet five blocks from the church on the corner of Second Street and Timberlane. It was constructed on a lot purchased from current church member C. C. McDonald, Sr., and the building was occupied on March 12, 1967, by Bishop Edward J. Pendergrass, and at this time had already been completely paid for.
Hurricane Camille visited our town, Church, and Church membership right after the arrival of Rev. Bernard Walton and his family. During Rev. Walton’s pastorate, on Sunday May 2, 1971, local Church Tradition Day was observed with an all day celebration and dinner in the Fellowship Hall. Rev. C. C. Clark,