The Chimes - June and July

FAIR HAVEN - OUR HISTORY
A church in the
woods...
When Fair Haven
began, Gessner was
a dirt road, and trees
covered the land
to be purchased
for the new church.
Rev. J. Bryant Young
had been appointed
to organize it. Twenty-nine people gathered on Thursday, July 29,
1954, at the empty parsonage on Rosstown Way to make it official.
About a week later, Bryant and his wife, Margie moved in. What
was then called the “Room to Grow” program had provided an
initial four and three-fourths acres of land, and the next year the
young congregation purchased another two acres.
Worship in an
elementary school
It would be a year
before clearing
some of the land
for building could
start, so worship
began in Ridgecrest
Elementary School
on August 1, 1954,
with seventy-six present. Before the month was over, forty became
charter members.
It was a flurry of activity in that first year. The church grew to 158
members as ministries like choirs, women’s groups and Vacation
Bible School under the trees on the property was organized. When
the new Pine Shadows Elementary School was opened in October
1955, the congregation moved there to continue its services of
worship.
Corner stone
celebration...
dinner on the
grounds
About a year later,
construction on the
first unit began, as
church members
armed with saws,
axes, shovels, and lawn mowers began clearing the land enough to
celebrate the laying of the corner stone and have a dinner on the
grounds. The smell of burning brush and cut undergrowth was in
the air.
A question was also in the air. What should we name this
new church? By the time the cornerstone was set in place on
September 30, 1956 a name had been chosen, suggested by
Margie Young: Fair Haven. The book of Acts in the Bible tells the
story of a safe harbor called Fair Havens into which a boat carrying
the apostle Paul sailed for safety during the stormy season on
the Mediterranean Sea. Ever since, Fair Haven United Methodist
Church has been a place for boats of all sizes and shapes to dock to
find faith, learn the loving ways of Jesus, and sail out again to serve
others.
First Service of
Worship
Worship began
in that first facility
on February 17,
1957. It provided
a worship space,
also used as a
place for fellowship
and activities, a kitchen, offices, and a few classrooms. The Texas
limestone that Pastor Young worked so hard to obtain to accent
the beauty of the entrance and worship area provides a backdrop
for our contemporary service today.
The church campus has grown much since then. Over the last
sixty years or so, the growing church spurred building programs
to add more classrooms housing an expanding Sunday School
and Day School ministry; a larger sanctuary and office complex; a
multi-use building called Trinity Center; a Scout Hut; a Food Pantry
serving tens of thousands per year; a two story Christian Life Center
in use every day to serve the community, providing a place for our
worship in Spanish, and providing many settings to help those
seeking to follow Jesus.
Today... a garden
and more
Of course, we
know that our
ministry helping
others to believe,
love and serve is
not really about
buildings. We hope
that our history includes you… in the boat with us.
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