What started with only a handful of individuals has grown right into a spirit-led, passion-driven neighborhood as Wesley Methodist Church of Covington celebrates its second anniversary.
Two years in the past, a small imaginative and prescient was remodeled into a giant actuality, because the church was shaped and has now grown into one thing really particular.
“The inspiration was easy: A bunch of individuals noticed a necessity in our neighborhood and a chance to discovered this church, and we simply went from there,” mentioned James Wisner, co-chair of the management workforce.
When the church was first established, the ministry workforce was trying to find pastors. Visitor audio system alternated on Sundays till a Newton County native, Chris Haymore, stepped as much as turn into the lead pastor of Wesley Methodist Church.
Haymore beforehand labored because the principal at Mansfield Elementary, however after retiring in 2024, transitioned from a lifelong instructing profession to a brand new calling in ministry. He’s presently taking seminary lessons for coaching and dealing in direction of turning into a deacon within the International Methodist Church.
“[Becoming a pastor] had not figured into my retirement plan,” Haymore mentioned. “However I loved the talking, and folks stored coming to me. So, I prayed about it, and I mentioned sure. And it seems that it has actually introduced me nearer to God, and I feel he put that [opportunity] there for me.”
The neighborhood has been arduous at work to get this church up and working, and as quickly as they did, away they went with neighborhood outreach. On prime of the Sunday morning service, they’ve various ministries, together with a kids’s and a youth program.
The Wesley Methodist neighborhood works with Meals on Wheels, and several other church members work with native meals banks.
“We’re continually attempting to be there for individuals who want us,” Wisner mentioned. “For individuals who want a little bit undertaking finished on their dwelling and may’t afford it, or to only assist folks in want, that’s our objective.”
The church’s early days have been within the American Legion Constructing. From there, they’ve moved to Peachtree Academy, the place they presently meet for Sunday morning service and Sunday Faculty, in addition to a number of Bible research through the week.
Nonetheless, Wesley Methodist is not going to must arrange and break down at Peachtree Academy for much longer. In simply two years, they have already got a set plan to open a house location in a constructing all to themselves.
The land has been purchased, the plans have been made and the religion of the members of Wesley Methodist goes robust as the event of this native church continues to prosper.
“I really imagine that the individuals who got here to do that all had a imaginative and prescient, and as you recognize, visions aren’t at all times the identical,” Wisner mentioned. “However by having conferences and discussions, we’ve got at all times been capable of come to a standard objective on what we have been attempting to do, and that’s been instrumental in our means to maneuver as rapidly as we’ve got.”
Haymore mentioned that they’ve the whole lot able to go. The church is simply within the allow course of proper now, and the hope is that the constructing will probably be prepared by the tip of subsequent yr.
To maintain monitor of the church’s progress or to get related, folks can go to the Wesley Methodist web site or Fb to seek out out extra details about the church’s mission, Sunday Faculty and any upcoming occasions. Their subsequent occasion is their Christmas Eve Candlelight Service on the Covington Sq. at 5 p.m. Dec. 24, and anybody is welcome to attend.
The guts for neighborhood and devotion to their religion is what has pushed the members of Wesley Methodist Church of Covington to show this dream of a neighborhood church into a spot the place laughter, love and repair are plentiful.
“It’s not the particular person up there within the pulpit, it’s the folks within the pews that make the church,” Haymore mentioned. “It’s a neighborhood church, and our little motto is ‘There’s a candy, candy spirit on this place.’ This church is the folks.”
