Lester Memorial Methodist Church
Lester Memorial Methodist Church is a Methodist church located at 108 3rd Avenue East in Oneonta.
The church was known as Lester Memorial United Methodist Church until December 10, 2022, when the congregation's disaffiliation request was approved by the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church. Lester Memorial Church members had voted on November 6 by an 81% majority to seek disaffiliation from the UMC. Members who wished to continue in the United Methodist Church formed the Oneonta United Methodist Community.
The church operates a day care program. In 2022 day care worker Linda Lou Self was indicted on five counts of felony child abuse which took place at the church during the year previous. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years under supervision of the Alabama Community Corrections Program and barred from working as a child care provider. Day care director Marleen Lowry was also indicted on misdemeanor charge of failure to report abuse.
References
- Robinson, Carol (September 26, 2022) "Ex-Alabama daycare worker pleads guilty to abuse of 5 kids, including DA’s son: ‘You hit the wrong kid’." The Birmingham News
- Garrison, Greg (December 10, 2022) "United Methodist split: 198 churches leave North Alabama Conference" The Birmingham News
- Simons, Rachel (January 2023) "Oneonta United Methodist Community"
External links
- Lester Memorial Methodist Church website