Fly Church of the Nazarene History
It is believed that the church at Fly was built around 1910. At that time, the church was not a Nazarene Church, but a Holiness Church built by all the Christian people in the community.
The land for the church was given by Mr. and Mrs. William Wakefield, and Mr. and Mrs. E.B. Fly. Mr. John Hutcheson donated the timber for the framing. The people hauled the timber to Bob McKnight's sawmill where the sawing was done free of charge. Mr. Andy Harvison and his boys had a contract to build the church, and Mr. W.M. Fly was appointed to look after the building.
It is known that the first pews were planks which sat on sawed off blocks of wood. The church building was lighted by kerosene lanterns until 1946 when electricity was installed. Many people remember the old pot bellied stove used for heat before gas heaters were installed in 1971. In 1966, the inside of the church was sheet rocked and ceiling tile was installed. The first major remodeling was done in 1988 when two Sunday school rooms, two bathrooms, a dropped ceiling and carpet were added.
The Nazarene Church was organized in 1915. The earliest known pastor was Rev. S.W. McGowan. Many pastors have served at Fly. During this time Fly was a circuit church with Akin Chapel, Hilltown, and Mt. Wesley Churches. Rev. and Mrs. E.P. Boyett came to the Santa Fe Circuit in October 1943 and remained until his retirement in 1973. Rev. and Mrs. James H. Lunsford, Jr. began their ministry at Fly in June of 1993 and continue in that role to the present.
Mr. John Hutcheson was Sunday School Superintendent from the time the church was built until July 1960 when his health began to fail. At that time Mr. Louis Scott was elected Sunday School Superintendent. Mr. Scott served in this capacity for more than 40 years and when his health began to fail was granted the title of Sunday School Superintendent Emeritus. Our brother Louis passed away in 2007. Randy Walters currently serves as Sunday School Superintendent. |