St. Mary United Methodist Church was founded in 1877. A few dedicated African American Christians in the town of Hogansville, Georgia, had a hunger for a place to worship. Out of this hunger, on February 10, 1877, a group led by Trustees Silas Johnson and Inzall Phillips, purchased two acres of land "within the town limits of Hogansville," from a Mrs. Lucinda Jackson for forty dollar. Times were hard, because the records show that it took eight years to pay off the debt of forty dollars. The debt was finally paid off on November 16, 1885 and land now belonged to the church. God continued to bless the church on January 5, 1892 purchased 3/4 acre of land from A.B Whatley for the purpose of building a parsonage. The new parsonage was completed June 19, 1903.  Hogansville Mill and Lumber company completed the building.The St. Mary then called "Old Pine Methodist Episcopal Church" first structure was constructed out of pine poles directly behind the former parsonage on Ware Street. We do not know the exact date the name was changed to Saint Mary. However the legal documents show that by 1895, the name "Saint Mary" was in used.  The current church is the third building to be constructed on the same plot of ground. During the time that Rev. Woodson C. Casto was pastor (1948- 1953) a building fund was started. When the Reverend Joe Dell Grier, Jr., was appointed pastor in 1953, he kept the building fund going. On Sunday, March 31, 1957, the congregation marched into the new sanctuary at the cost of $60,000.00. The Opening and Cornerstone Services were held with Bishop J.W.E. Bowen bringing the morning message. Dr. L Scott Allen delivered the afternoon message. Climaxing the eventful day was the Cornerstone ceremony conducted by Bishop Bowen. It was during the leadership of Rev. Andrew P. Mitchell (1959- 1967) that St. Mary retired the mortgage. The Church was heavily damaged by a fire in 1982, but was restored during the administration of Rev. Dr. Robert Crawford. Some of the early families of the Church were the Jones, Johnson, Smith, Ransby,  Hogan’s, Ridley, Thrash, Montgomery, Ware, Dowell, Phillips,  Glanton,Tucker, Ragland, Long, Green, Hall, Robinson, Carter, Williams, Lindsey, Glenn,Russell, Shank, Wilkinson, and Jimpson.Early pastor of Saint Mary were the Reverend Rucker, Vaunchute, Daniel, Thomas, Burch, Evans, Kersey, Slater,Bridges (1925-1927), Brandon, and McPherson, other with records of service were: Moses G. Knight (1940-1948), Woodson C. Cato, (June 1948-1953), Joe Dell Grier, jr., (1953-1958), Henry W. Tarver served as Associate Pastor from 1957-1971, Andrew P. Mitchell (1959-1967), Walter W. Wideman  (1968-1970) Robert W. Sutton (1970-1978), Alfred J. Hoard (1979-1981), Robert L. Crawford 1982-1983), Joseph McAllister (1984-1989), Charles E. Scott (July 1989-June 1992), Michael Frazier (July 1992-1993), Benjamin K. Small (June 1994-June 1997), Gregory William (July 1997-June 2007), Crawford Padgett (June 2007-June 2010),Rev. Dr.Deborah S. Holloway (June 2010- June 2013) and Rev. Elaine Gilbert (June 2013 -present)

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