OUR HISTORY
John Wesley arrived in Savannah in 1735. Over his lifetime he developed the Methodist branch of Protestant Christianity. His accomplishments in Georgia include the publication of Collection of Psalms and Hymns, the first Anglican hymnal published in the US. He also started the first Protestant Sunday School. It is largely thanks to him that the Methodists had more progressive church views for their time, including supporting the abolition of slavery and prison reform.
1875: TOCCOA FIRST METHODISTS BEGIN TO MEET​
The First Methodist Church of Toccoa began in 1875 under adversity. Georgia, as a whole, was going through a period of hardship following the War between the States, but the early settlers in Toccoa were religious people. This fact is established by the organization of a Union Sunday School during the early days of the town of Toccoa.
​
The early Methodists began their worship by holding services in an old building on Doyle Street which was used as a school house. The first church that was built was a wooden structure, and was a part of a circuit, but by about the turn of the century it became a full station with services being conducted every Sunday.
​
In 1876, a group of twenty-five members purchased a lot on the corner of Doyle and Pond Street on which was erected a wooden church building without any Sunday School rooms. It soon became too small for the membership of a growing church.
​
A document stored in the archives of the University of Pennsylvania details the church history from
1876 to 1951. (Click on the Hitt Church History box to read the report submitted by Geo. W. Hitt.)
​
​
1896: A NEW & MODERN CHURCH
At the fourth Quarterly Conference on September 7, 1896, a building committee was appointed to begin planning and supervising the construction of a new and modern church and to plan the purchase of another lot for additional space.
In June 1897, the congregation went into the new church and began a protracted meeting, which resulted in helping to settle the aims and objects for which the church was organized.​
On April 13, 1898, the beautiful new church was burned, but immediate work was started to rebuild the new church.
The records of May 12, 1898 show the new church that burned was replaced and completed. "We took sweet council together and walked into the house of God in company" (Psalm 55:14).
Memorial Windows, placed in the honor of certain members of the Church, were in the building, which was rebuilt in 1898.​​
TOCCOA FIRST GROWS ​​
Realizing the need for more Sunday School rooms, a building committee was appointed to start work on building a new Sunday School Annex. Since the building program began just prior to the Great Depression, it was not until September 15, 1940 that the Sunday School Annex was free of debt and dedicated.
EXPANDING THE CHURCH
​In 1952, a building committee was formed to raise funds for a larger Church.
Two lots were donated by the Trogdon family at the corner of East Tugalo and
Short Street for the site of the new church building. The Owen lot adjacent to
the site was purchased in 1954 and a smaller lot, located across Savannah
Street from the church, was obtained to be used for a parking lot.
In September of 1957, the Church was completed and dedicated without debt.
OUR CHURCH TODAY
In 1984, the Davis property adjacent to the Church property was obtained from Ms. Martha Davis. This house, on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1906 by the Walters family and later acquired by the Davis family. It is named the Walters-Davis House and now houses the Church Offices.
​
On May 3, 1993 the Cheek Fellowship Hall was dedicated following a building campaign and donation from Ben and Lorene Cheek.
​
In 2015, renovations began to the 1957 campus. The renewed sanctuary was updated with new audio-visual components, as well as renovations to the pews, new paint, updated lighting and sound. The educational wing received new painting and lighting updates as well. The church also purchased the old Georgia Power office building across Short Street that became the new home to the Youth and Children Ministries.
​
On September 24, 2023, the historic Terrell House was formally dedicated by the
church and welcomed with a bronze historic plaque by Main Street Toccoa in the
opening ceremony. Built in 1917, the Terrell House is one of the oldest homes in
Toccoa. Among the early residents of the house were Mrs. A. J. Hogsed, followed
by Dr. W. L. McBath and his family. Dr. McBath operated his medical practice from
the house. The house is named for Fred Terrell who lived with his family in the house
in the 1950s-60s. Terrell was a very active citizen in Toccoa, starting out as a
railroad brakeman and eventually becoming a local businessman, City Commissioner
and City Manager. More recently the house was occupied by local historian
Mitchell Allen. Badly run down at the time, the building was acquired by the church
and renovated under the direction of church members--the renovation funded primarily
by private donations. The house is a textbook example of the Craftsman bungalow style
of architecture, painted and beautifully appointed with fine furniture and personal items
loaned or donated by some of Toccoa's oldest families. Terrell House is utilized by
church members for church meetings and gatherings and is available for rent by church
members or member-sponsored individuals qualifying for use of the facility.
Information and fee schedule is available at the church office.
​
In 2023, after a year of discernment, prayer and meditation, Toccoa First's membership
voted to disaffiliate. Shortly thereafter, the church joined the Global Methodist Church.
Terrell House
