[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11642]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          PEARL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GREGG HARPER

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 05, 2009

  Mr. HARPER. Madam Speaker, it was 1909 when a young Millsaps College 
ministerial student in Mississippi was sent to nearby Pearson Community 
on the old Illinois Central Railroad to organize a new Methodist 
congregation. The young pastor's name was James F. Campbell, Sr., and 
his new members of Pearson Methodist Church met to worship at the old 
Pearson School House. Although Reverend Campbell only served as pastor 
until 1910, his legacy was a stronger and larger community, and a 
church that this year proudly celebrates its centennial.
  As both the congregation and community grew, the church relocated a 
bit north to the current day City of Pearl. There the members continued 
to meet in another local school until 1921. With a desire for their own 
permanent place to worship, the decision was made to purchase one acre 
of land. To construct their new church home, the members purchased the 
abandoned Union Jackson Methodist Episcopal Church South on Old Fannin 
Road. Built in 1850, the structure was dismantled and moved by wagon to 
its current day site. The original pulpit of the old Union church is 
still used to this day.
  When the congregation began worshiping in the new building, they 
adopted the name Pearl Chapel Methodist Church, and thirty-six years 
later the name was changed by church resolution to Pearl Methodist 
Church. The congregation continued to grow, bringing many changes to 
the church as well as new buildings, such as new Sunday School rooms 
and administrative offices. In 1952, more improvements were made, such 
as the beautiful chancel rail, which is still in use today. During the 
next fifty years, the church saw many changes and improvement to 
accommodate the growing congregation. One final change was chosen in 
1968 as the church adopted its modern day name of Pearl United 
Methodist Church.
  Since 1909, eleven members have answered the Lord's call to ministry 
and the congregation has heard the word delivered from nine humble 
servants: Reverend James F. Campbell, Sr., Reverend F.L. Applewhite, 
Reverend E.R. Dickerson, Reverend L.T. Brantley, Reverend Jim Campbell, 
Jr., Reverend C.V. Bugg, Reverend George Thompson, Reverend Scott 
Larsen and Reverend David Patrick.
  Many things change over the course of a century, but after hundreds 
of worship services, weddings, christenings, and baptisms, Pearl United 
Methodist Church in Pearl, Mississippi has remained faithful to its 
calling . . . serving God and the citizens in the Pearl community.

                          ____________________