Historic Cove Methodist Church celebrates 150 years
On Dec. 3, the historic Cove Methodist Church in Chickamauga celebrated its 150th anniversary during its annual Christmas candlelight service, the only service the church has held each year since 1985.
Catoosa County resident Lynne Hall was proud to be a member of two joined choirs who sang at the prelude to the service this year. “Our choir at Morton Memorial Presbyterian and the choir from Temple Bible Methodist were invited to sing a collection of Christmas songs and hymns at the Cove Church this year,” says Hall.
People all kinds of people, from all walks of life and many denominations or no denomination, gather so early for the annual candlelight service that coordinators Mary Agnes Fine and Lamar Fine felt two rounds of music were in order.
The Fines, mother and son, sit on the Cove Methodist board of trustees and oversee the upkeep of the historic building and its single yearly service. Mary Agnes is chair of the board.
Cove Methodist Church was established and built in 1872. Twenty-six years later, in 1896, a new church was constructed and services were held in it until 1983 when the congregation became too small to support the church, which was in need of some improvements.
When the church closed, the community rose up to preserve the piece of history that had impacted so many lives for over 100 years. With private donations only, the church was repaired and restored.
“As a gift back to the community,” says Lamar Fine, “and a way to let people see the results of their donations and help, a candlelight service was held in 1985.”
From there, the tradition of an annual Christmas service began.
“Contrary to what we initially thought in 1983,” says the story written by
Mary Agnes for the 150th celebration, “God did not close Cove Church, but simply changed the direction of its ministry.”
“It’s amazing,” says Lamar, “that a church with no pastor, no staff and no congregation is usually packed to capacity for this special night every year.”
Hall says she and her husband began to attend the Christmas services about 20 years ago. She never suspected she would one day be singing at one of them.
The choirs were presented with a collection of songs to perform at Cove
Church and Hall says she was unfamiliar with nearly half of them.
That was a big deal since the choirs would have only one rehearsal together. Hall had the advantage of being able to read music and a background in school bands and in junior and adult choirs, but she says she was still a little worried about it.
But, she says, “we must have done okay because we were invited back for next year.”
The prelude to the service, as well as the service itself, consists primarily of music. There are favorite performers who return every year to sing hymns, carols and even the occasional non-religious song like “Little Toy Trains.”
But the mainstays of the service are beloved hymns and Christmas songs, like “O, Holy Night,”
“Amazing Grace” and “What Child is This?”
“It is at this site,” Mary Agnes wrote for the service, “that for 150 years, God’s people have come together to worship and praise their God and Maker, and still today, the ancient building stands witness to the Faith of its Fathers.”
Cove Methodist Church is located
at 4572 Ga. Highway 341 in Chickamauga and is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. The Christmas service is the first Saturday of every December at 7 p.m.