Bethlehem United Methodist Church
The Bethlehem Methodist Church of Dolomite on Warrior River Road in Hueytown is the oldest Methodist church in Alabama. It was founded in the area called Possum Valley in what was then the Alabama territory in 1818 by missionaries led by the Reverend Ebenezer Hearn from Tennessee. It first met in a one-room log cabin donated by James Rutledge and built by slaves. One belonging to Rutledge, named Adam, hewed the logs by hand. The first pastor was the Rev. James Tarrant.
The logs were re-used in the floor structure when the church building was rebuilt in 1890. The building was raised eight feet in 1954, when Warrior River Road was widened to four lanes.
The church maintains a pair of cemeteries - one alongside the church and one across the road. Notable burials include Mortimer Jordan and Moses Fields.
In 1993, the membership was dwindling, but the church was able to absorb congregations from three other declining churches, Cottage Hill Methodist Church, Midfield Methodist Church, and Forest Hills Methodist Church. The current enrollment stands just over 150, with about one third of those attending on any given Sunday. The current pastor is the Rev. Ivan Trusler III.
After many years in unincorporated Jefferson County, the church was annexed into Hueytown in 2006.
References
- Plott, Bill (November 8, 2006) "Oldest church moving from county to city." Birmingham News.
- Crain, Midred Brown (March 28, 1981) "History of Dolomite (Part I)" (n.p.). Accessed March 12, 2007.