Temple United Methodist Church, Arnoldsville, GA

04/08/2026

More from Sunday

04/05/2026

He is Risen!

03/29/2026

Front page.

Pastor Derrick Lemons stood at the altar on Sunday, delivering his sermon at Arnoldsville’s Temple United Methodist Church as he has nearly every week for the past 16 years.

02/01/2026

Views from today. Stay warm!

11/03/2025

Share your stories about riding across the Wire Bridge.

https://www.facebook.com/share/14NhwHgEHM2/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Oconee County…Can you see the bridge connecting Oconee and Oglethorpe counties? I could describe it as the wire bridge that refused to wash away! Long before engineers drew up blueprints and contractors poured concrete, one determined man in rural Georgia decided to build his own bridge—and it worked.

In the early 1900s, a local craftsman named Pearl Aycock designed and built what came to be known as the Wire Bridge, stretching across the Oconee River to connect Oconee and Oglethorpe counties. Using little more than hand tools, wire, and grit, Aycock’s homemade suspension bridge became the main link between the two communities—especially when floods made other crossings impossible.

Neighbors swore it was indestructible. The bridge, built with Aycock’s own hands and design, “withstood all floods,” according to old notes from the time. It stood proudly for decades, surviving the worst of Georgia’s high water until it was finally taken down around the end of World War II.

Today, only a road name—Wire Bridge Road—hints at where Aycock’s creation once stood. But for the folks who still remember the stories, that bridge wasn’t just a crossing—it was a symbol of homegrown genius and good old-fashioned Georgia determination.

Georgia on My Mind curated by Lisa Land Cooper - Author and Historian

07/04/2025

Finished up with Ice cream sandwiches! Camp Firelight was a success.

07/03/2025

Camp Firelight night 3. Jesus calmed the storm. Tomorrow is our last night.

07/02/2025

Day 2, we blew bubbles! What's next at Camp Firelight? Join us tomorrow night.

06/30/2025

1st night of VBS. We painted. Come visit Camp Firelight this week.

04/20/2025

He is risen! He is risen indeed.

03/14/2025

Honored to lead today’s devotional for the Georgia House of Representatives. Grateful for the invitation from Chairman Houston Gaines and for Speaker Jon Burns taking the time to visit with me. Truly a memorable experience!

Dr. J. Derrick Lemons introduced by Rep. Houston Gaines.