The Mississippi City Methodist Church was first organized in the early 1840s. The Church was a

part of many charges varying from charges covering large geographical areas to small two-point circuits.

Mississippi City was on the charge with Pearlington, Biloxi, Handsboro, Pass Christian, Ocean Springs, Gulfport and North Gulfport, back and forth from 1841 to 1951 when we became a separate charge.

The history of Mississippi City Methodist Church is difficult to trace for almost fifty years. The most

significant change in the area was the formation of a strong Methodist congregation at Handsboro, which seems to have absorbed the Methodist congregation at Mississippi City.

Before the first church was built, worship was held in the old railroad station on the corner of Texas Avenue and East Railroad, in the old wooden school house on McIntosh and in the old courthouse, located on the corner of Courthouse Road and 16^th Street.

A lot located on Walston Avenue was donated to the church by Judge Wesley Griffin, Jr., son of a Methodist minister.

In the May 1899 Advocate, it was noted that the church building was completed except for the overhead ceiling. W.H. Walston had donated and constructed the road to the church.

In 1950, a lot (100 ft. on Courthouse Rd and 250.5 ft. deep) was bought from George L. Weaver and the church was moved from Walston Ave. to Courthouse Rd.

There were no provisions for a parsonage, so the church rented an apartment at the Central Apartments on 21^st Avenue for the pastor and his family.

A surplus barracks building was donated to the church. It was added to the back of the old sanctuary to be used partly for a pastor’s residence and partly for educational and fellowship facilities.

In August 1954, the church rented a two bedroom house on 16^th St. for the pastor.

In 1955, a lot for a parsonage at 2312 Curcor Drive was donated by W.S. Corley, Jr. of Raleigh, Ms. The parsonage was completed and the pastor and his family moved in on September 14, 1956.

Construction of our present church was begun on March 21, 1960. The first service was held on December 18,

1960 at 5:00 P.M. with Bishop Marvin A. Franklin as the guest speaker.

The Mississippi City area was annexed by Gulfport in 1965.

Bishop Edward Pendergrass dedicated the new Sunday School annex on Palm Sunday, March 26, 1973. It was named the Craig-Young Building in honor of T.L. Craig and Esther Young. After the service, everyone moved to Curcor Drive for the paid-for-parsonage was dedicated.

The old wooden church was demolished in April, 1973. The old church bell was removed and installed in front of the church and some of the rafters were saved and made into a large cross that hangs in the chancel area.

The corporate name of the church was changed to Mississippi City United Methodist Church on December 4, 1973 in accordance with the Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church.

A new parsonage at 18 Timber Lane in the Woodglen Subdivision was purchased on January 6, 1980.

The property (100 ft on Courthouse Rd., 174.5 back on the south and 150 ft. back on the north) north of the church was purchased on May 31, 1985 from Roman B. Garriga and Mary Lou Garriga.

In February 1986, the church offices were moved to the office annex north of the church on the newly acquired property. In June, a 9 A.M. worship service (later set for 8:30 A.M.) was instituted in addition to the 11 A.M. service.

Stained Glass windows were installed and dedicated on September 25, 1983.

The chancel area of the sanctuary was remodeled in 1987.

The church kitchen was completely renovated in 1988.

The “mortgage burning” ceremony for the parsonage was celebrated February 4, 1990.

The office building was re-constructed in July, 1992 after the fire in June.

In 1994, the flat roof was replaced, a new A/C was installed and fans  installed in the sanctuary. In July, a new church sign was erected in front of the church.

In 1995, the roof of the sanctuary was replaced. The new Seamen & Truckers Center was dedicated in August.

In 1997, a coffee fellowship time was established. A drive through awning for the elderly and handicapped was installed at the rear of the building. The Mary Bates Scholarship Program was established.

In 1998, a Centennial homecoming celebration was held with approximately 300 in attendance.

In 1999, the church got an e-mail address and a Fax number. The old church offices were renovated for a larger Sunday School room.

In 2000, A Children’s Sabbath was held in February. Blinds were installed in the Fellowship Hall. The youth hut was refurbished. The Friendship Sunday School Class adopted the banana ship, Nova Caledonia and its Russian Crew as a Prayer Ministry. A Youth Minister was hired in August and in September the 8:30 worship service was discontinued and a 10:00 A.M. service started, with Sunday School at 8:45 A.M. An air conditioner was donated for the youth hut. A church sign was installed on the side of the Dibs building.

In 2001, a Ministry Coordinator was elected, and the old Administrative Council format gave way to a panel of Church Stewards. A Mother’s Day Out program was established in January and this changed to Pre-School in August. A new sidewalk and covered walkway was installed between the church and the office. A remodeling team was formed and plans of renovation started. A Good Friday Tenebrae service was held. Name Tags started in August and a midweek service was started in September. The front of the church was landscaped in October and the new playground was dedicated in December. An irrigation system was installed for the front area of the churchyard.

In 2002, an Epiphany service was held in January. The old pews were removed on February 11 and the renovation started. All ceiling tiles were replaced with sheetrock in the side ceilings of the Sanctuary, in the narthex, and in the hall outside the Fellowship Hall. Sheet rock was installed in the organ chambers, the A/C room, both lobby bathrooms and the wall behind the cross. A new GMC 2-ton Mini-Split A/C system was installed in the Library (Friendship Sunday School Class). In February/March 2002 B The Sanctuary was completely cleaned out: the organ and piano were moved to the Sunday School wing hall for safekeeping during the construction time, old pews were removed, all chancel furniture was removed and sold or disposed of (except baptismal font and two chancel chairs which were refurbished - oak with a cherry stain, the Communion table which would be placed in the narthex and used as a memorial table, and a lecturn). The drapes were taken down from all the windows.

The red velvet dorsal cloth that was behind the cross was removed due to dry rot and soil. All memorial plaques were removed from the church pews, furnishings and stained glass windows. (Stained glass window plaques would be placed back on the windows after the windows were repainted; other plaques would be placed on a memorial board.) The ceiling fans in the Sanctuary were removed and disposed of. Two chandeliers in the chancel area were removed. (Canister lighting and two spotlights were installed in the chancel area. Old carpet and tile were removed from all areas including the Fellowship Hall. The glass sliding doors on the south side of Sanctuary were removed and replaced with windows. Two sets of metal doors with brass push bars were purchased  and installed at the main and side entrances. A new floor was constructed for the chancel area with three steps across the entire front. Two door openings were closed up on the sides of the stage. The wall behind cross was plastered and painted. the electrical wiring in the chancel area was upgraded and controls added in the back of church to control lighting for the Sanctuary and chancel and the lighting for the “doves” was upgraded. The sound system was reworked. Two new speakers were added in the back of the Sanctuary; a new pulpit microphone and two new choir mikes and two new organ sound chambers were added.