So here it is:
The Akin Memorial Methodist Church
This church building is 123 years old, and, although I do like these old buildings, the people that were a part of its past and present are the continuing story line.
This church, by that term I mean the people, is active and up to date. They even have their own Facebook page, and I note that there is a lot going on. As I scanned the listings on this page, I noticed that one of their former pastors was Rev. Don Proctor, a minister I worked with in the Ware State Prison on our Kairos weekends.
Small world, for sure.
From the website Historic Rural Churches of GA, I copied this information:
Akin Methodist Circa 1892
Akin Memorial United Methodist Church is located in the southern section of Wayne County. Its interior is one of the loveliest we have seen among the simpler country churches we explore. This church has stood for over a century as a place for men, women, boys and girls to worship, be taught and inspired to live better lives. Lawrence Randall Akin erected the building, built of virgin heart pine lumber in 1892. It was dedicated as Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church.
Mr. Akin had moved to Mt. Pleasant from Camden County as a young boy. In 1882, he met Jane Brown, also from Camden County, when she came to visit his mother. Two years later on May 17, 1884, they were married. After the honeymoon, they returned to live in Mt. Pleasant and start their family. Lawrence had already told everyone he wanted twelve children. He got his wish and twelve were born in less than 23 years. Lawrence Akin was a very conservative lumber and turpentine man, a director of the First National Bank of Brunswick, a senator, a legislator, a family man, a good husband, good father and a faithful church attendee… even to the point of building his own church at Mt. Pleasant.
One of the reasons this church was built was because Mr. Akin already had a big family and knew that it would eventually get bigger and he was too embarrassed to take such a large family into the Methodist Church in Brunswick. The congregation was made up of the people who worked in the lumber mill, the commissary, the train station and even neighbors from Everett City and Gardi. A visiting preacher from Jesup would come down every Sunday to hold the service each week.
Many pastors served the church for the first half-century and the church was on several different circuits or charges in Wayne, Glynn, and Mclntosh Counties. The church served the little town and community of Mt. Pleasant for about half a century. The main business of the section, saw milling, slowly dwindled in the 1920’s due to bad land management practices and over-cutting. Then the mill was closed and Mt. Pleasant began its decline into obscurity. The church, both spiritually and physically, was in much need of repair. In 1940-1942, about six people worshiped here. The Methodist Conference was seriously considering closing the old church.
Several years before this, Brunswick Pulp and Paper Co. had bought the land and holdings at Mt. Pleasant. Old buildings were torn down and cleared away. New ones were built and some new families moved in. At this time, Rev. John Swain (Retired) came over from Darien once a month and held an afternoon service. Very soon, ways and means were sought to restore the church building. Mrs. Edith Mclntosh, one of the other members, was interested and contacted some members of the Akin family for financial help and they became involved as well. Mrs. Ruth Akin Hightower, with other members of the family, had the church restored and repaired. The church was was appropriately renamed in honor of Lawrence Akin at that time.
The above is from the local church history. We can only add our sincere appreciation to all who participated in the re-birth of this magnificent example of a historic rural church in the Georgia pineywoods. Thank you for all you do for her and for us.
It makes me happy when I see these older rural church still in God's business., blessing others and being blessed in this work.
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