Malesus United Methodist Church has a rich history beginning in 1865. Our pioneer ancestors organized this church and met in old Black Jack School House located ¼ mile north of Ebenezer Cemetery on Medon-Malesus road. On September 28, 1867, the trustees bought a 3.5-acre tract on this road and in 1869 they built their own church and named it Ebenezer.
When the railroad was built, the village grew up near the railroad and the little church was dismantled and moved to it present site at 448 Old Malesus Road. And as our church continued to grow this building was removed to make way for the new sanctuary that was completed in 1981 and is still used today.
One of our members describes our church in this way:
“Each generation is a link in a chain that reaches from 1865 until now. Each link in this precious chain has made their contribution. More material progress in some links………some links struggle very hard to produce any material things. The first links struggled with hardships and recovery from the Civil War. Other groups persevered through World War I, the Great Depression and World War II. Each link had its problems, its successes, joys, and sorrows, but I believe each link has had the spirit, love of God and love for each other. Truly a sweet, sweet spirit is in this place …..!”
Somewhere in
1865, the Methodist people in this area became a worshipping congregation. Their meeting place was the Old Black Jack
School locate on the old Medon-Malesus Road approximately one-fourth mile north
of the present Ebenezer Cemetery.
On September 28, 1867, the trustees of this
congregation purchased a 3-1/2 acre tract at the present site of Ebenezer
Cemetery from William N. Shelton for $36.75.
A deed was made to the following trustees and their successors: Nathan M. Price, George R. Scott, George W.
Nanny, John L. Harton, W. McKnight, CHARLES w Hudson, and William Booe. The congregation relocated there in 1869, and
named the church and cemetery “Ebenezer,” a biblical name (1 Samuel 7:12). Early families of the church in addition to
the above included: Newsome, Raines, Black, Peters, Davis, Robley, Shelton, and
Sherwood.
On January 29, 1894, under the leadership of
Rev. R.H. Hood an acre of land at the present location was bought from R T.
McKnight for $50.00. The Harris Public
School for this area had been located at Malesus (on what is now known as
Fitzgerald Road). The railroad station,
post office and doctor’s office at Malesus were also influential factors in the
move. The old church building at
Ebenezer was taken apart and moved on flat wagons and reassembled at the new
location. This original church building
had additions and it alterations through the years but was still used until
July 1981, when it was demolished to make way for the building of the new
Sanctuary. The first service in the new
Sanctuary was Easter Sunday 1982.
In 1948 and again in 1959, additional land
was bought adjacent to the church property.
In 1960, a development program was begun under the leadership of Rev.
James H. Holmes. The Ebenezer wing was
completed in 1960, the Wesley wing in 1965, Mack Watlington Fellowship Hall in
1975, and the Sanctuary in 1962.
The Ebenezer Chapel was furnished with pews,
pulpit and dossal from the old church.
Wainscoting from the old building was removed and installed in the
chapel. Memorabilia was placed in an
antique book case. The chapel is used
for small group meetings and for the Fellowship Sunday School Class.
On June 3, 1990, the Church celebrated the
125th Anniversary with Dr. James Holmes speaking at the 11 o’clock
service followed by a fellowship pot luck dinner. A grapevine covered with paper leaves and
purple fruit, representing members of the Malesus church from 1865 to 1990,
twined its way across three walls of the Fellowship Hall. Jane Watlington painted five watercolors
depicting the five structures that housed the congregation before the present
building.
On June 6, 1993, the Church burned a note of
debt on the Sanctuary. Bishop Kenneth
Carder dedicated the building assisted by the District Superintendent, Dr.
Cecil Kirk and the pastor, Rev. Kent Bailey.
Dr. William S. Evans, Jr. (assistant to Bishop Carder) and seven former
pastors were present. About 300 members
and friends enjoyed a fellowship meal after the
11 o’clock
service.
In September of 1994, the church was able to
purchase land behind the church (formerly known as the Ragan property) to
ensure future growth.
The church has played an important role in
the life of the Malesus community. Other
information from 1865 to 1925 is available in the historical record of the
church, Raised From Ebenezer, print in 1990.