Flowery Branch United Methodist Church

The author of Hebrews reminds us that "every home is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything."  (Hebrews 3-4)  And so it is with the Flowery Branch United Methodist Church.  When we examine its history, we take note of the men and women who were the earthly tools of a divine God who was always the church's architect and chief contractor.
 
The Flowery Branch Church had its beginnings in 1862 when Calvin Spencer donated land for a small chapel.  It was Spencer and his neighbors who constructed the first building on land along the Chattahoochee River near the Flowery Branch community.  Records indicate that the small building was moved from its site along the river shortly after the end of the Civil War in 1865.  Spencer reportedly used rollers and a mule team to move the chapel and it was placed on the site where the church is now.  The worship of God prospered and in 1875 the chapel was officially organized as the Flowery Branch Methodist Church, the first Methodist Church in the town.
  
The Church continued to grow and in the early 1900's the small chapel was replaced by what many people called the "White Church".  This white, wood frame church building served the needs of the Flowery Branch congregation until the 1950's when again the membereship decided that some work was needed on their church building.  After surveying the needs of the Church, it was decided that it would be better to simply tear down the facility and start again.  It was discovered, however, that the foundation of the "White Church" was so strong that it could serve as the foundation for the new Church.  The new facility was dedicated in 1954 and the congregation continued to grow as it reached into the community with the message of a risen Savior.
 
The next dramatic chapter of the Church was written in the early morning hours of Monday, December 23, 1985.  It was after a Sunday evening program that saw many people gathered in the Church to celebrate the Christmas season.  About 1:00 a.m. the pastor was awakened by the sound of something breaking.  Going to the bedroom window of the parsonage, he raised the shade and discovered that the Church building next door was in flames.  Faulty electrical wiring was blamed for the blaze which destroyed most of the building.
 
After the fire, there was a time of testing for the congregation.  Thrust into borrowed quarters, they tried to overcome the shock and sorrow the felt in the loss of their church home and begin to look to the future.  A building committee was appointed and they began the arduous task of trying to discover what path the Church should follow in its determination to rebuild.
 
Much discussion followed and the congregation voted to rebuild the Church on the land which had been its home for more than 100 years.  That brings us to where we are today, a happy and loving church family in the growing city of Flowery Branch!