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HISTORY OF CARRABELLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

 On Midsummer’s Day in August, 1887, Rev. Andrew Osgood Hiscock, who had been newly appointed to the Carrabelle-Wakulla Circuit, saddled his horse to take the gospel to a “rough’n’ready” frontier town called Carrabelle.  Carrabelle had the reputation, much like Biblical Corinth before it, of being a seaport town where any and all vices could be found.  However, Drew, as his friends called him, being a muscular frontier preacher in the style of Peter Cartwright, came as the song says, “…With a rifle on his saddle and a Bible in his hand;…”

 He rode into town and set up a tent.  He was a bold fellow, having celebrated his 26^th birthday earlier in the year. Of course, the towns- people were not to happy about a pastor coming to spoil their fun.  One or two even tried their hand at “whuppin’ “him, but he held his ground and they left knowing he had made contact with them.

He preached every night by the light of lantern and torches. At first it was to an empty tent.  But then, The Holy Spirit began to move.  They came by ones and twos and God, through prevenient grace, began to touch lives and bring them into wholeness until Drew had built up a congregation of 32 that became the founding members of Carrabelle United Methodist on August 30^th, 1887.  He received two more on November 11^th of that year. 

 The church continued to meet in the tent, homes, or various buildings they were able to borrow, until March 19^th, 1890, when Captain and Mrs. James R. Pickett deeded the church two lots.  They proceeded to build the first church building in Carrabelle and all 84 members joined in to help.  This was a good time for them to do so as they were separated from the Wakulla circuit by action of the annual conference in January, 1889. They would not rejoin this circuit until December, 1898, when the annual conference rejoined Carrabelle to the Crawfordville circuit. More of our past history to come…