Buford's Churches: A History of Providing for Spiritual Needs and the Needs of the Community

Just as business and education were key to the forming of Buford's enduring personality, the commitment to church and religion were equally as important. The churches of Buford not only provided for the spiritual needs of the townspeople, but were integral to the ongoing success of the school system, the town's active social life, and even had an impact on the business community.

Pre-turn of the century churches in Buford were very supportive of each other and the community. Initially  some of the congregations used the same one room wooden structure for worship, and often held interdenominational services and meetings. Together, these early congregations sponsored many of the town's social and educational events, such as church picnics and visits from well known lecturers. By the early 1900s the Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian churches were housed in separate structures, but continued to share a spirit of communal involvement with the town. Black citizens of Buford established separate Baptist and Methodist congregations in the early 1870s, branches of which continue to this day.

Throughout the 1920s and '30s, church and Sunday School attendance reached new highs, as most or all of the three main denominations in town acquired new ministers, added new church buildings, and held large revival campaigns, often with dynamic and well known religious orators. The 1930s also saw the establishment of two important new churches, the Church of God in 1932 and the West Buford Missionary Baptist in 1939.

During WWII churches in Buford were instrumental in providing spiritual support to the community, particularly to families with men serving overseas. After the war, church and Sunday School programs gained a new direction -- both the Methodist and First Baptist Churches appointed "Youth Directors," to lead programs that revolved around the welfare of the town's young.

Buford did not escape the "cold war" anxiety of the 1950s, which led to a return of greater church influence and community involvement. Interdenominational  worship services and community events again became the norm. The influence of the church at this time was so strong that the timing of  worship services became the guiding consideration as to when other community programs could take place. According to Handsel G. Morgan's Historic Buford, even at a Friday evening home football game at Buford High, "...the kickoff might well be delayed until after the benediction" if a church revival service was in progress.

The churches of Buford continued to evolve over the next several decades, with nearly every congregation adding or updating their physical structures over the years. Other churches and religions were established in Buford, including the Roman Catholic Church in the early 1970s.  Like the rest of the country, church membership either grew or declined as times changed. No matter what the era, however, the churches of Buford have always been, and will continue to be, an important and influential part of the city's history.

Rather than list the town's individual churches, both past and present, the following is a brief overview of the three earliest churches in Buford's history. The information comes  from Historic Buford as well as each congregation's own publications. For decades each of these churches has been led by a variety of well respected ministers and has been involved in  numerous charitable and spiritual programs, too numerous to list here. Links to each church's website are included.

The First United Methodist Church:

In 1871, the Methodist Episcopal Church, South* became the first organized church in Buford, holding services  in the same log cabin used for the town's first school. By 1875 a new church building was raised on what is now Bell Street. This building was used  by other church groups, and served as a town hall  and school auditorium for public assemblies and entertainments. In 1894 the Methodists moved into what would become their home for many years, a large brick structure on Scott Street.

In general, from the early 1890s onward,  some of the most influential citizens of Buford worshiped at the Methodist Church. The Allen's were prominent leaders, well known for providing funds for church and community projects. The Allen family donated the land for the site of a new Methodist sanctuary on the corner of Main and Hill Streets, where it has stood since 1926. A church leader's memoir from the time recalled that whenever it was needed, Bona Allen would write the congregation a blank check to make up for any shortfalls in missionary or building projects.

These days the First United Methodist Church continues to hold worship services at Main and Hill. It also owns 51 acres on Old Hamilton Mill Road which is used throughout the year for various activities, with ongoing plans to build a spiritual center and sanctuary on the property.
First United Methodist Church

The First Baptist Church:

The First Baptist Church was established in Buford  in 1873 with 14 members. Initially, the one room church was  located where the present day Poplar Hill Baptist Church stands. The original structure was burned in the early 1900s, but was subsequently rebuilt in 1909 on Moreno Street. In 1927 a small group of members split off from the main congregation and formed the Union Baptist Church.

Over time, the Moreno Street church added  a sanctuary, educational buildings, and gym (the  gym was one of the first in the area to be added to a church complex).  In the late 1990s a new church was built, and the First Baptist Church of Buford moved to it's current location on Hamilton Mill Road.
First Baptist Church of Buford

The Presbyterian Church:

Prior to its official establishment, those people of Buford choosing to worship as Presbyterians gathered once a month to hear sermons from a visiting reverend. Like the First Baptists, the Buford Presbyterian Church began with just 14 members, and it's first wooden structure erected on Main Street in 1890. A fire in 1922 completely destroyed the church and nearby buildings, in large part because of the inadequacy of the fire-fighting equipment. As devastating as this loss was, it led to the subsequent improvement of the Buford Fire Department. By 1925 the church had rebuilt in the same location. Although no longer used by the church,the brick sanctuary still stands today, and recently housed the Buford Variety Theater . Since 1984 the Presbyterian Church has been located on an 8 acre complex on Buford Highway in Sugar Hill.
Buford Presbyterian Church

The museum has an interesting display of artifacts and photos from many of Buford's churches, as well as many church records and weekly bulletins from various congregations. Besides several hymnals and songbooks, the museum library holds a number of church histories, including Handsel G. Morgan's comprehensive volume on  Buford's First United Methodist Church, which contains a selection of church rolls going back to the early 1800's.

Rebecca

*Beginning in 1844 until the late 1930s,  issues of slavery and church procedures caused a division in the Methodist church in the United States, leading to the designation of North and the South systems, or conferences. The term "Episcopal" was dropped from Methodism when the two conferences joined again as one in 1939, then becoming the United Methodist Church.