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For many years prior
to 1951 the need for a new Methodist Church in the West Rome area had been
discussed. In June of that year the first official action was taken
to meet this need. The Rome District Board of Missions and
Church Extension purchased the lot and ten-room frame house on the corner
of Shorter Avenue and Elm Street. In September, following a tent
revival on the front lawn, the house was renovated to provide space for a
sanctuary and six classrooms. On October 7, 1951, the first official
service was held and fifty-eight people were received into the membership.
In 1954, the Church authorized
development of plans for the first new unit of West Rome Methodist Church
-- A Chapel. Groundbreaking ceremonies were held in March 1955, and
on Easter Sunday, 1956, the first service was held in the Chapel.
As Church School attendance increased,
the classroom space in the frame building became inadequate. To meet
this need, a Building Committee was formed in October 1959, to develop
plans for additional classroom space. A building containing 20
classrooms and 10,000 square feet was proposed in August 1960, ground was
broken. The following spring, Easter Sunday, 1961, Church School was
held for the first time in the new facility.
As
membership grew and the program of the church expanded, the need of a
master plan for the development of church property was recognized. In
September 1964, authorization was given for development of such a plan.
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A Painting of the original
Church
Photo of original church
Photo of Original Chapel and
Educational building
A quilt from 1951
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