Rayville United Methodist Church (Rayville, La.) records

Collection

Identifier: LACUMC-2023-008

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection documents the activities of Rayville United Methodist Church (Rayville, La.). It includes church council minutes (2014-2022) and membership records. The Official Membership and Church Record book, acquired circa 1960, includes information documenting prior years. It contains: pastors (1858-2022), members (1879-2023), marriages (1925-2018), deaths (1888-2022), baptisms (1908-2022), and preparatory members (1958-2004).

Dates

1858 - 2023

Creator

Rayville United Methodist Church (Rayville, La.) (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Physical rights are retained by the Centenary College of Louisiana Archives and Special Collections. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.

Biographical / Historical

Rayville United Methodist Church (Rayville, La.), located at 905 Louisa Street, traces its origins to the 1860s. In 1860, the Louisiana Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South acquired three nearby properties -- one in Girard, one in Jonesburg (north of Rayville), and one at Horn Cemetery (Horn Chapel was located approximately two miles southwest of Rayville). In the community of Rayville, Methodist church services were held at the Union Lodge and church building once it was constructed in 1889. In 1906, Rayville Methodist Episcopal Church South constructed a building at the southeast intersection of Louisa Street and Pearl Street. This structure was replaced with a new church building dedicated in 1954. Rayville United Methodist Church disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church in 2022.