Rivertown UMC
CHURCH HISTORY
Life in the late 1800s was one of simplicity and full of struggles for the mere existence of black people. This struggle was felt in all areas of living: socially, emotionally, educationally, financially and spiritually. Yet, our ancestors made their dreams become realities by establishing “Brush Arbors” - a crude means of shelter made from the cutting of canes to form a tent covered in tree branches to provide shelter for worship.
Religion was a major source of inspiration and guidance for black people during Brush Arbor days so it was important to have a place to worship. According to one early community senior, Mrs. Nelly Tanner, this particular need lead to the formation of two Brush Arbors. The first one was located on the Tanner's place and the second was located near the site of the old church at Rivertown and Rico Roads, possibly on the Cochran's place.
As the Brush Arbors began to vanish our fore- parents gave considerable thought to building a community church. It was extremely difficult to build a church during this time since money was limited and financial resources were not readily available. The land was expensive in the 1800s. One acre cost $18, which was a lot of money in those days. Even though they couldn't afford this amount they understood and relied on being extremely rich in prayers and faith. The labor of their prayers and faith combined with being excellent farmers and sharecroppers made the people not afraid of hard work; and hard work would be the substance required to make their dreams come true. They worked hard and saved, raising enough to acquire almost 2 acres of land on which they constructed the first wood framed Church, "Pleasant Hill Methodist Episcopal Church." According to some of our senior members, the foundation was made of logs hewed out with an ax and almost all the materials were donated by friends and neighbors.
The church relied on hymns and songs to communicate the Gospel and nurture believers in their faith. In 1947 the Music Department was organized and a piano was purchased. Mrs. Emma Alexander was hired and served as pianist for many years. Others would follow such as Mrs. Hattie Knox and Mrs. Vinnie Arnold to serve as pianists and provide a genuine worship atmosphere through music. The Old Testament illustrates how music was used to help the congregation glorify God, and we know worship through music was a vital part of the church’s growth.
The Methodist Episcopal Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church merged on April 23, 1968 to form the United Methodist Church. In 1974 the churches original name, Pleasant Hill Methodist Episcopal Church, was changed to
Rivertown Methodist Church and a few years later when segregation within the church ended, it became Rivertown United Methodist Church located within the Atlanta College Park District of the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Under the leadership of Rev. Wimbley Hale Jr., the church acquired 3 acres of land from Mr. Henry and Mrs. Rosetta Knox in order to further the dreams of our forefathers. Mr. and Mrs. Knox were devoted members who loved their church and served it faithfully until their passing. Rev. Hale inspired the members to build a new church, breaking ground on the fourth Sunday in October 1976. Goodbyes were said to the old church and praises were lifted as we entered our new sanctuary on May 15, 1977. In memory of the loyalty and commitment of Mr. Henry Knox, the finance room was named, furnished and dedicated to him.
Under the leadership of Rev. Patricia P. Pace, with the support of the Administrative Council, the vision was introduced to pay off the church debt. Families embraced the vision with enthusiasm, which produced great success. In October 1987 one half of the debt was eliminated. On May 15, 1988, 11 years to the date (May 15,1977), the estate of the late Mr. Charlie A. Camp, Sr. made it possible to burn Rivertown's mortgage on its present building.
Rivertown continues to birth viable community outreach ministries such as the Happy Day ministry which serves our community seniors through fun outings and a monthly fellowship event. Happy Day Ministry's founding members began the ministry in 1992 spearheaded by Mr. Talmadge Knox, Mrs. Mary Arnold, Mrs. Annie Mae Pinson, Mrs. Gladys Hayes and Mrs. Mattie Sue Williams, all of whom have gone home to be with the Lord. It originally began as a call- a-gram event for Mother's Day. The goal was that between the hours of 8 AM until 11 AM on Mother's Day, people would pay $5 for someone on the committee to call their loved one to wish them a Happy Mother's Day or simply to check on them. It was such an excellent evangelistic tool that it evolved into regular stationary meetings, senior field trips and lunches. To this date, the ministry continues to grow in servicing the senior community with a regular luncheon once a month.
In 2001 with the blessing of Rev.Trammell, Mrs.Myra Knox and Nannette Durham saw a need to develop the first praise dance team to attract and engage young people during worship service at Rivertown. It was very successful and young adult attendance steadily increased. In 2007,Mrs. Myra Knox and Jennifer Johnson reorganized the Rivertown Praise Dancers with the guidance of Rev. Boger. They renamed the group Rivertown Liturgical Dancers. The addition of a new musician, Mr. Demetre T. Simmons, in 2008 added a fresh touch to the order of worship. Contemporary music became a significant part of the worship service. As the group grew it was renamed "The Anointed Sons and Daughters of God” and was led by Minister Dwayne Knox and his wife Mrs. Myra Knox. It was a new season for young people to celebrate and praise God vibrantly with all their heart.
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Rivertown continued to move forward in numerous areas of Christian development under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Stephen D Jones who served Rivertown from 2008-2016. Under his leadership, Rivertown continued to be active in Children's Ministry, Vacation Bible School and various community outreach programs.
RUMC is a little church with a big heart and in 2016 Rev. Marita Y. Harrell took the church by storm with her gigantic heart. Rivertown was in need of a major resurgence. Many of the founding saints had transitioned over the years to be with the Lord and the cultural change of worship styles required a creative approach to ministry. Through her relatable teaching style, humble spirit and willingness to roll up her sleeves, she worked tirelessly to bridge the gap and help RUMC to find ways to connect with the community and the needs of the people. Rivertown is committed to following the statutes and commandments of God by operating in reference to the Biblical word so that we may continually build on the right foundation.
Moving forward while embracing the rich history of our past, we were fortunate to welcome Rev Chaloea E. Hale to RUMC in May of 2018. Her diverse background in the UMC and love to serve the community as a vessel to God was much needed and appreciated at RUMC. Under her leadership, an at will pantry and book exchange was established. Rev. Chaloea Hale gave Rivertown a social media presence with her Friday Facebook Chats, and for the first time in Rivertown’s history, electronic payment was available through Paypal and CashApp.
Rev. Fleming Thompson Jr. joined Rivertown in June of 2019 and created an greater social media presence for Rivertown. With his diligence, RUMC weathered the storm of the 2020 pandemic. Rev. Fleming maintained our worship service online through Facebook live and posted our services on YouTube. He developed the Tuesday night deconstructed discussion where members and friends of Rivertown could further break down the Sunday message and deepen their understanding of the Word. Wednesday night Bible Study was reinstituted digitally as well. Rev. Fleming implemented Youth Sunday services and programs. He wrote a grant to secure the funds to update the church with media equipment to enhance our worship experience. Rev. Fleming updated the church mission statement to Connect, Love & Serve. He took his sheep to the streets to show God’s love through service. The church passed out water and snacks at local gas stations, hosted a community Trunk or Treat, sponsored Cancer Awareness activities, and a church picnic in efforts to fellowship and reach the needs of our community.
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In July 2024, Rev. Dr. Elaine A. Crawford became part of the Rivertown United Methodist Church family, bringing with her an extensive background in theology, administration, teaching, preaching, lecturing, and writing. Pastor Crawford immediately began making impactful changes, leveraging her strong connections within the North Georgia Conference. Under her leadership, our media department was revitalized with upgraded equipment, including larger monitors, while the pulpit received a modern update. She has introduced valuable resources and initiatives, all contributing to a renewed energy within our church community.
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We are excited to see how, through her visionary leadership and unwavering commitment, Pastor Crawford will continue to guide Rivertown UMC in growth, connection, and service to God and our community. Her tenure promises to be one of transformation and deeper faith.