Biography

Bush United Methodist Church was located at 81306 Louisiana Highway 41, Bush, Louisiana.

Union services began at Bush in 1900, when Methodists and Baptists met for worship in a Union church across the highway from today's Bush UMC. In 1908, the Methodists built a church of their own, which was located near the present Bush Library. Around 1919 to 1920, the church was moved to J. E. Noble's property at the intersection of Highways 40 and 41. The first pastor was Rev. T. V. Peters. Some memories of those early days include shouting, going to the mourners' bench, and traveling by horse and buggy over dirt roads. Some of the early names in the congregation included Crawford, Dutch, Fauntleroy, Jenkins, McLendon, Noble, Penton, Richardson, Russel, Sticker, Tally, Thomas, Watts, and Williams.

By 1948, a new church building was needed. The old church was tom down and a small wooden building constructed on the present church site. That piece of land was donated by Mrs. Emma Jenkins. This church was used until the present block building was constructed in 1964. The new church was dedicated on September 12, 1968.

The Fellowship Hall was dedicated on January 19, 1985, by Bishop Underwood. An educational wing, with 3 classrooms and a choir room, was added in 1987. Activities at Bush include an annual Christmas Candlelight service, monthly craft day, monthly breakfast, annual children's day, and Sunday school classes for adults, youth, and children.

Bush United Methodist Church disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church in May 2023.

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 NO-9.

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