Clarkston United Methodist Church is a multi-cultural congregation worshiping and serving God and neighbor. The Church was established in 1879 after a series of services held under a brush arbor by Rev. W. F. Smith from Decatur First Methodist Church.  The Church was organized in 1880. A nearby school was used for services.

 

The land where our church stands was secured from the Georgia Railroad and Banking Company. A one room wooden church

was built with donations from approximately sixty members. A need for a larger and more adequate church was envisioned by Mrs. J. W. Ward, who started a building fund by donating five dollars. The cost of that church building was $6,279.38.

The wooden church was incorporated with the new building, which was all brick veneer.

 

 

The church was dedicated on October 19, 1935, by Bishop Warren Candler,

the guest speaker. The pews in the church were originally from First Methodist Church in Atlanta. Some of these pews and also the old pulpit are in the Moody Chapel in our church. There are also some of these pews in the balcony of our sanctuary. A one story educational building was erected in the back of the church and was dedicated January 27, 1957.

 

 

 

 

Clarkston was growing in the mid 1950’s and a building committee was appointed. The current sanctuary

and two floors, consisting of classrooms, offices and restrooms were constructed along with a larger McCord Hall

and kitchen. This was joined to the one story educational building. Rev. Bill Ridgeway preached the first sermon in

our sanctuary March 26, 1961.

Rev. James Weldin who was our minister in the mid 1970’s died while serving in our church on January 30, 1980. Memorial gifts were used to renovate the Altar and Choir Area. Also during this time the central pulpit was remodeled and changed to a divided pulpit.

 

 

The high ornate steeple of our church was in need of extensive repairs due to the passage of time and Georgia weather. Not wanting to go into debt paying for repairs

to the steeple in its original form, the steeple was remodeled in June of 2015. The top portion of the high steeple is used in the new design.