Fayette

 

Like the Presbyterian Church at Rodney, Presbyterians in Fayette constructed a building before they were organized as a congregation. In 1854, they agreed with the local masonic lodge to cooperate in building a structure that still stands in downtown Fayette – the Presbyterians would occupy the downstairs, while the Masons would meet upstairs.

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The Presbytery of Mississippi took action in December of 1859 to allow the Session of the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, about six miles east of Fayette, to dismiss members to be organized into a new congregation in Fayette. The congregation was organized on February 25, 1860 with 33 members, including 3 Ruling elders and 2 Deacons. Of the five trustees elected, only two were also listed as members.

The congregation survived the War Between the States, although with difficulty. In 1876, the agreement with the masons was renewed for the sharing of their common building, but in 1909, the Presbyterians decided to build a new structure that they alone would occupy.IMG_20161011_144638

The boll weevil invaded Jefferson County about the same time, and although the congregation lost some members at first, between 1920 and 1964, the congregation included between 120 and 157 members. After this time, the congregation gradually dwindled, until 2004, when only 11 members remained on the roll.


On May 20, 2004, the Presbytery of Mississippi dissolved the Fayette Presbyterian Church, and transferred the remaining members to the roll of the First Presbyterian Church of Port Gibson.  In 2005, the Presbytery sold the church buildings to the Raining Manna Christian Center.

Documents:

1926 History of Fayette Church by Jeff Truly (1)

1876 Lease