During the annual meeting of the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, 10 churches were officially closed, including a historic Alabama church with a building that dates back to 1858.
In 1843, the Uniontown Methodists bought a piece of land and constructed a church on it. Later in 1858, they built a magnificent two-story brick building in the Greek Revival style.
In 1921, the installation of electric lights replaced the gas chandeliers, and the stained-glass windows were added. Later, in 1971, a new steeple was constructed.
Located at the junction of Highway 61 and North Street, the Uniontown United Methodist Church in Perry County is an iconic landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a part of the Uniontown Historic District.
Seven churches in Alabama have been closed down, namely Uniontown in Perry County, Black United Methodist in Geneva County, Booth United Methodist in Autauga County, Wesley Chapel in Choctaw County, Memorial UMC on Broad Street in Selma in Dallas County, Central UMC in Elmore County, and Hills Chapel UMC in Ramer in Montgomery County.
Bethlehem UMC in Holmes County, Midway UMC in Holmes County, and Springhill UMC in Jackson County were among the three Florida Panhandle churches that were closed.
According to the conference’s statement, the churches have a rich history but have been experiencing a decrease in membership and attendance for several years.
Bishop David Graves, who serves as the leader of the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, expressed that the process of churches reaching the end of their life cycle is an annual occurrence. He acknowledged that there are numerous reasons that contribute to this outcome, and although it is a natural part of the cycle, it is still a somber occasion.
The conference will regain ownership of all the closed churches except for Hills Chapel in Ramer, which will now belong to the Hills Chapel Cemetery Association. Hills Chapel has a rich history, with its establishment dating back to 1857 and the church building itself constructed in 1937.
