Cordele First Church

In 1887, a year before the incorporation of Cordele, Georgia, a group of 15 people met at the Cordele Academy to organize the Cordele Methodist Mission - the oldest protestant church in the city. By the end of the first year, the church had 179 members. Because of the growth of the congregation, it became the Cordele Station in 1889. In 1891 Sunday School classes were still small enough to meet around the single room of the church. By 1899 the church had grown to 271 and Sunday School attendance to 213 - forcing the church to operate 2 separate Sunday School times. By the time the new facility in downtown Cordele had opened in 1914, Sunday School enrollment had increased to 435. From the very beginning, children and youth were important to the church. In 1912 there were already 45 members of the "senior league" (high school) and 50 members of the "junior league" (middle school). The church continued to increase in membership and in spiritual growth. In 1978, it was reported: "Attendance is high at all functions of the church. Accompanying this is the fine spirit of love and warmth. And in 1979: "In missions we have a goal in our church of giving as much for others as we spend on ourselves." This growth of love for Christ and others, and our support of missions both locally and globally, continues today. God continues to grow our church and our church membership is over 1100 members, with over 550 people worshiping together each Sunday. For over one hundred years Cordele First United Methodist Church has lived out our vision to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world in how we embrace and invest in our members, our local community, and our world in an attempt to advance God’s kingdom through radical hospitality, passionate worship, intentional faith development, risk-taking mission & service, and extravagant generosity. The Lord continues to bless our church, and our church endeavors to glorify our Lord.