Biography

Wisner United Methodist Church (Wisner, La.) is located at 126 Wisner Street, Wisner, Louisiana.

On October 10, 1859, Samuel H. Copeland donated land to the Holly Grove Methodist Episcopal Church, South for a church. The Civil War brought an end to the plans for a church until August 3, 1888, when Duncan Buie donated land for a church. The Wisner congregation was organized in Holly Grove in 1888. The church later bought land from the school board when the Holly Grove School was abandoned.

When the railroad came through the area, more people moved into the Wisner area. Worship services were held in a one-room school at the comer of Natchez and Wisner Streets. In 1911, Edward Wisner donated land for a church to be built in town. A new church was built in 1915 for $2,300. A parsonage was acquired in 1926. The Holly Grove church was later sold to the Baptist congregation.

A building fund began in 1958 under the leadership of Rev. Arby Coody. The $50,000 church was built in 1961 under the leadership of Rev. Paul Durbin. Services were held at the old Baptist church on Plum Street during construction. While planning for a dedication in 1965, the new church burned down on July 8. Services were held at the elementary school while the church was rebuilt. Led by Rev. John Johns, the church was completed in January 1966 at a cost of $88,000. The church was dedicated by Bishop Aubrey Walton on November 20, 1966.

Wisner United Methodist Church disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church in 2022.

Source: Timothy Hebert, “The Historical Register of the Louisiana Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church,” (Louisiana: Louisiana Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, 2004), page MO-89.

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