[SWAMPSNIPER]

I left 50 years ago. My daddy stayed on, hoped to stop the decay and died in 1996 still trying.

My roots are Methodist, but the family was Lutheran when they migrated in 1749. When my direct ancestor came to the Georgia coast in 1798 Lutheran churches were scarce there.

My great grandfather's name is highlighted.

He rode the circuit on horseback as well as his service in Brunswick, all over S.E. Georgia and N.E. Florida. A little church he preached in here in St. Augustine is long gone, but the parsonage was only torn down recently.

[eartrumpet]

I only left 35 years ago. Never doubted that decision.

[AnAmericanMother]

My grandfather-in-law was a Methodist minister. He was a circuit rider out west in Arizona Territory (and was a U.S. Marshal at the same time - interesting combination. He used to tell his prisoners that they could come back with him as the marshal or as their preacher . . . )

He came back east and had churches in and around Atlanta for years. He was also director of the Methodist orphanage, and started a summer camp. Great guy. I met him when husband and I were courting. He taught us to keep bees.

He would be horrified to see what has happened to his church.