ELBA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

Compiled by Annie Lee Vaughan

At one time there was an organized Methodist Church at Ham schoolhouse, but interest in church work seemed to lag. The members and pastor seemed unconcerned, and it was decided best to move the church organization to Lee schoolhouse where services were held regularly. Soon after Pastor E. B. Paul left in 1928, church services were discontinued at Lee schoolhouse.The group was then invited to join the Elba Methodist Church and disctoniue the community church. The group, as a whole, did not want to do this, but wanted an organized church either at Lee or Ham schoolhouse. Services were held occasionally either at Ham or Lee, but not as an organized church from 1928 until Rev. W. J. Hughes was sent in 1935. Immediately after Rev. Hughes came, he organized a church at Ham schoolhouse with nineteen members. 

The charter members for the newly organized church were J.T. Vaughan, Georgia Vaughan, Herman Vaughan, Kate Vaughan, Edgar Vaughan, Will Vaughan, Annie Lee Vaughan, John Frank Vaughan, Debbie Compton, O. C. Compton, Walter J. Compton, Vesta Parker, Claudia Mae Cooper, Lucille Boswell Griffin, Feffie Gatlin, and Alice Gatlin. The pastor's salary was $50.00 annually. 

In 1951, the first Quarterly Conference was held at Ham Methodist Church. The conference was conducted by the District Superintendent Rev. T. S. Harris and Donald Taylor was granted a license to preach. Sunday School and the Methodist Youth Fellowship were organized. 

For several years, the members of Ham Methodist Church had talked of building a church building. Meetings were being held at the old Ham schoolhouse; the church had tried to buy the building but could not get a clear deed. On May 11th, 1953 chicken dinners were sold with the proceeds going to start a building fund. $69.00 was cleared and placed into the Elba Exchange Bank for a building fund. May L. P. Mullins and J. A. Vaughan each gave an acre of land for church property and a building committee was formed. Also in 1953, a Woman's Society of Christian Service (WSCS) was organized. 

Additional fundraisers for the church building were held; on such event was a barbecue in 1955 that raised $102.00. The building committee, chaired by Annie Lee Vaughan, agreed on a church plan consisting of a T-shaped frame structure with asbestos siding and hardwood floors.

By 1955, the average Sunday School attendance was 25, active church membership was 51, and the actual church roll was 51. The building fund had reached $410.68 in the bank plus several good pledges and a $500.00 donation from the Division of National Missions of the Board of Missions of the Methodist Church, Philadelphia, PA. On September 17th, the ground was cleared by the men of the church; the ladies brought basket lunches. Later in the year, the church plans were changed to a 26' x 44' concrete block building with a cement floor, open ceiling with 8' walls, steel windows four windows to the side, three doors, and seating for 108 people. Edd Tucker was named chairman of the building committee. On the day after Thanksgiving, a group met to lay a foundation. The building was completed in 1957; Mrs. Debbie Compton's 85th birthday was the first celebration in the new church. Felix Parker donated a piano and Mr. and Mrs. Roger Winston and Roger Jr., donated the choir chairs. Pews were placed by the descendants of J. T. and Eula Vaughan.

The first homecoming celebration was in 1960. All debts on the building were paid in 1962, but the tile was laid on the floor which added another small debt. On May 26, 1963, "Debbie Compton Day" was celebrated to honor the senior members the church and the new debt free status of the church. Another great day in the church was on June 23rd, 1968 when Angus and Georgia Vaughan Day was celebrated. An anniversary party celebrating the 14th anniversary of the present building was celebrated on May 14th, 1971. Carpet was added to the aisle and front of the church in 1973. A cloth for the communion table and the pulpit were placed in memory of Felix and Vesta Parker. a lighted cross and pulpit bible were placed in memory of Minnie Vaughan Lee. In 1976, twelve Methodist hymnals were placed in memory of Walter J. Compton. Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Dennis were honored in 1977. The brass cross and candlesticks were dedicated in memory of Leslie Lee; a purple and green paramount were dedicated in memory of Clarence Dennis. Annie Lee Vaughan Day was held on October 28th, 1984; the service included a litany of dedication of the Christian flag and the American flag. 

Interesting Facts about Alabama Methodism