| I was not here twenty-five years ago, but I can imagine your excitement in establishing this special day as an annual event. You made a commitment on that first homecoming that this would be something special for all who would attend. From where I sit you have been successful in your endeavor.
Eleven years ago on a homecoming we could only offer a worship service in an “unairconditioned” church sanctuary with ceiling fans to cool the worshipers, and in the winter the church was heated with space heaters. The church had limited kitchen facilities, and no inside restroom. Now, we have new kitchen facilities. The building is centrally heated and cooled. There is a restroom, and just recently the church was roofed with a new metal roof. While roofing the church we discovered there was damage to the steeple and the bell tower and the necessary repairs were made.
These improvements have been brought about by contributions to the church. The church was given the heating and air-conditioning system by the Catherine Presbyterian Church. We will be forever grateful to Catherine Presbyterian and Mr. Ted Davis for this gift. The stove in the kitchen was given to us by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Irons who saw a need and filled it for us. The refrigerator was given by Mr. Thomas E. Hale, his kindness and interest in this church cannot be overstated. Church funds were used to remodel the kitchen, and to turn one of the Sunday School rooms into a restroom. Thank God for supplying us with the funds to complete this project. There are plans to replace the carpeting in the sanctuary in the near future. These improvements are giant steps for us, and we are proud of the progress that has been made.
We at Lower Peach Tree are proud because when we look back at the church of twenty-five years ago we see God working, and it is a wonderful sight to behold. In June of 1995 I was appointed to the Bashi/Creels Chapel/Lower Peach Tree Charge of the United Methodist Church and the Lower Peach Tree United Methodist Church met five times each year, once each quarter, and held homecoming on the fourth Sunday in May. We had in attendance at our regular meetings each quarter about ten to fifteen people for worship. Now we enjoy an average attendance in excess of thirty-five and it seems to increase with each service. We have added more worship services such as a Christmas Candlelight Service which is held on the Sunday the week before Christmas, and at charge conference in October 2005 we added an Easter Worship Service. The first Easter Worship Service was held on April 16, 2006. We had forty people to attend worship service on Easter 2006 at the Lower Peach Tree United Methodist Church. Of the forty people attending the worship service, four of them were first time visitors, and many of our regulars were unable to attend. We believe this is just the beginning of the great things God has in store for us.
We have had some sad times during these eleven years I have been your pastor. We have had sicknesses, deaths and injuries, but God’s Spirit has been with us. We have lost four members by death: Doctor Jack Dozier, Mr. David Campbell, Mr. Thomas Gates, and Miss Mildred Overton, but we have received four new members: Mrs. Ann Dozier, Mr. Wesley Dozier, Mr. William Ervin Williams, Jr., and Mr. James Spain. We were all saddened by the death of these precious members, but God has gladdened our hearts and lives by giving us these new members, as well as members who support us but whose names are not on the rolls of this church. We believe God is breathing new life into the Lower Peach Tree United Methodist Church.
Reprinted with permission from the 2006 LPT Homecoming Souvenir Program, Maud K. Garrick, Editor
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