Pastors of Pine Forest United Methodist Church

Rev. J. O. Lawrence 1903-????                                   Rev. E. M. Holman 1936-1940

Rev. J. W. Breedlove ?                                                Rev. Paul Mathison 1940-1943

Rev. O. S. Perry ?                                                        Rev. A. M. Shirah 1943-1944

Rev. E. W. Roberts 1908-1912                                   Rev. J. H. Bullington 1945-1949

Rev. J. A. McBryde 1912-1913                                  Rev. V. C. Herndon 1949-1950

Rev. M. J. Bourters 1913-1915                                  Dr. O. H. McNeal 1950-1954

Rev. W. L. Floyd 1915-1917                                       Rev. H. E. Houseman 1954-1957

Rev. W. E. Bryant 1917-1920                                     Rev. D. R. Ellisor, Jr. 1957-1958

Rev. H. E. Jones 1920-1921                                       Rev. Walter Albritton 1958-1963

Rev. Bob English 1921-1922                                     Rev. Mark Anthony 1963-1964

Rev. H. M. Ellis 1922-1923                                        Rev. Jerry Dooling 1964-1969

Rev. J. C. Weston 1923-1924                                    Rev. Sam Shirah 1969-1971

Rev. I. F. Bilbro 1924-1925                                        Rev. Richard Wright 1971-1977

Rev. J.W. Horne 1925-1928                                      Rev. John Bryan 1977-1980

Rev. C. J. Buttram 1928-1929                                   Rev. Rual Morris 1980-1987

Rev. W. M. Curtis 1929-1930                                    Dr. Gerald Freeman 1987-1989

Rev. O. H. Vanlandingham 1930-1935                       Rev. Perry Dalton 1989-1999

Rev. W. O. Calhoun 1935-1936                                 Rev. Robert McKibben 1999-2007

                                                       Rev. Ronald Nunn 2007 -

                                        Walking Down Memory Lane – Celebrating 100 years of Ministry

History of the Church

1890 to 1899: In 1891 a small one room school house was built to serve the families in this area. The first school teacher

gave the students the assignment of giving our community a name. Each of the children wrote a name on a piece of paper

and dropped them in a hat. The name pulled from the hat was one submitted by Bob Taylor. He had written on his piece

of paper the words “Pine Forest.” A multi-denominational Sunday school was established three years later and met in the

school house. These faithful disciples where ministered to by Methodist Circuit Riders and other invited guest preachers

and became the nucleus of what would eventually become Pine Forest United Methodist Church.

1900 to 1909: In 1903, Rev. Lawrence organized the small gathering of believers into a Methodist congregation and

became their first appointed pastor. Services were held in the school house one Sunday afternoon each month. In 1905

land was donated for a cemetery and new church building. The property was given by James Wellington and Margaret

Wilkerson Hall. The first sanctuary was finally completed. Its dimensions were a modest 24’ x 36’.

1910 to 1919: In 1913, a steeple was added to the roof of the sanctuary and a large bell was installed. The bell called

the faithful to worship for many years. The membership had grown to 63 members.

1920 to 1929: In 1922 the first Ladies Aid Society was organized. Six women met monthly in various members’ homes.

The Ladies Aid Society focused primarily on missions, sending quilts and clothing to the less fortunate. These women

also began the tradition of giving Bibles to each of the high school graduates who attended Pine Forest Church.

1930 to 1939: It was during the 1930’s that the first Sunday school classrooms were built. The classrooms were

designed with folding doors that opened to form a fellowship hall. Despite the difficult times throughout the United States

during these years, the Pine Forest family continue to thrive and grow.

1940 to 1949: A parcel of land was donated in 1944 to build the first parsonage for Pine Forest Methodist Church.

During these years Pine Forest became a two church charge sharing their pastor with Ensley Methodist Church. During

the late 1940’s the first Methodist Men’s organization in the Pensacola District was established at Pine Forest. It was

also in the late 1940’s that Pine Forest gave birth to a new Methodist congregation in the Myrtle Grove area.

1950 to 1959: This was a decade of growth for Pine Forest Methodist Church. The vision of a new sanctuary came to

life. Mr. & Mrs. J.D. McDonald donated two acres of land on the north side of the road so the new building could be

erected. On April 18, 1954 Bishop Purcell was invited to dedicate the new facility to the glory of God. It was at this

celebration that the mortgage was burned and the church was declared “debt free.” The building of the new sanctuary

was the result of many hours of fruitful labor and hard work. In 1955 the church stepped out in faith to build a new

educational facility. The first dollar donated to the building project was given by a nine year old young lady who still is

a faithful member today. By the time the building was complete, the congregation had already outgrown the space.

Continuing the vision, the church purchased 18 acres of land for future expansion and growth.

1960 to 1969: The ground breaking for a new parsonage took place in 1961. Rev. Walter Albritton and family were

the first to occupy the new home. Pine Forest continued to emphasize missions. It was during this decade that Pine

Forest helped establish a church in India, thirteen churches in the Philippines, and one in Korea. The Korean

Methodist Church is now the largest and fastest growing Methodist congregation in the world. It was also in this

decade that Pine Forest helped give birth to yet another Methodist congregation in Pensacola. The Bellview United

Methodist church was established with several Pine Forest faithful becoming “seed members” for the new congregation.

1970 to 1979: During the 1970’s the Pine Forest congregation continued to grow. God’s people found they were in

need of additional space and a larger sanctuary. The new wing would house special rooms for children and offices,

plus a chapel. In September of 1976, the congregation worshiped our Lord in the newly expanded facility.

1980 to 1989: It was during the eighties that the Pine Forest congregation began sponsoring new outreach ministries.

It was during this decade that various scouting dens and troops were established as well as many new sports activities

for youth and young adults. Mission trips to Costa Rica began in this decade. It was also during this decade that our

pipe organ was dedicated. Several full-time members were added to the staff to support the growing ministry

of Pine Forest.

1990 to 1999: In the early 1990’s the church offered bonds to underwrite yet further expansion. The new additions

would include several new classrooms, office space and a church library. A new Family Life Center was also part

of the building project. Construction of the facilities was completed and all are used extensively for a variety of

ministries and service to the community. Even as recent as last month the Family Life Center was used as a Red

Cross shelter for those evacuating the East coast in the threat of Hurricane Floyd.

Conclusion by the Pastor: It is evident that the Holy Spirit has been moving in the hearts of God’s children called

Pine Forest for many years. Within each decade the faithful members have responded to God’s call, reaching out to

the community in love and grace. If the generations present and future will continue this faithful pattern of discipleship,

Pine Forest United Methodist Church will extend the growing trends well into the new millennium. The result will

be the advancement of God’s Kingdom and the glorification of God’s.

Other recollections: The history of Pine Forest United Methodist Church can be traced back to 1891 when the

county built a schoolhouse on the corner of Pine Forest Road and Detroit Boulevard. The school was not named,

so the teacher asked the pupils to suggest a name. Ole timers recall that Oscar “Bob” Taylor wrote down the name,

“Pine Forest”—which is how the school, the community, and the church got the name. In 1894, B.A. Davis

organized a nondenominational union Sunday school class, using the schoolhouse as a meeting place. Davis,

Blumley, Hall, Webb, McCall, Diamond, Pierce—these were some of the original families in the community around

the turn of the century. The Rev. J.O. Lawrence officially organized Pine Forest Methodist Church in 1903 as an

outgrowth of the Union Sunday school, which was nine years old. The church met first in the schoolhouse, until in

1905 the main part of the old church building (which still stands) was built on land donated by the Hall family.

Some of the men who helped build the old church were Alexander L. Webb, B.A. Davis, Blumley, Courrier,

Henry Klabish, Taylor and Hall. Thirty charter members were enrolled during the ministry of Rev. J.O. Lawrence,

all of who were received on Nov. 4, 1903. The name of Henry Klabish was the first to be recorded in the original

roll of members. Klabish died in 1920. No members were received for the next five years, until the Rev. E.W.

Roberts became the church’s pastor in 1908. Roberts received 33 members into the church. A large bell

(soon to be installed in our new church steeple) was purchased by the church in 1913. During 45 years of faithful

service the bell’s familiar ringing has called countless numbers to worship with the beloved little church. The old

bell is a precious landmark at Pine Forest. The depression crippled the country, but Pine Forest kept growing.

More space was needed for the Sunday School classes, so in the early thirties, six class rooms were added to

the church. A kindergarten and nursery building was obtained from the old Bellview School in the late forties to

complete expansion of the original plan. This structure is now used as the Scout Hut for our Scouts.

In 1944 the late James Webb and Annice Webb donated the land on which the parsonage was built. This is the

house, which is still “home” for the Pine Forest pastor and his family.

The major turning point for Pine Forest came in 1950 when Dr. D.H. McNeal was appointed pastor of Pine

Forest and Ensley Charge. Dr. McNeal later became the first station preacher when the church went full-time.

A building fund drive was organized after Dr. McNeal came, though the people already had been planning to

enlarge the old church or to build a new one.

To Dr. McNeal must go considerable credit for progress the church has made since mid-century. Within two

years the people gathered to witness the laying of the cornerstone by resident Bishop Clare Purcell on

April 18, 1954. Dr. McNeal and the people proudly invited Bishop Purcell to return to dedicate the beautiful

new sanctuary to almighty God. Thus within four years the new church was built and paid for. These were four

of the most eventful years in the church’s history, during which Dr. McNeal received 157 new members into the

church. The able work of the Building Committee for the new church must not be overlooked. Its members were

Q.C. Webb, Earl Jackson, Hobart Villar, and W.H. Wakefield.

The Rev. Henry E. Houseman became pastor in 1954 and plans for the new church school building were initiated.

Application for a loan was made and Rev. Houseman had received pledges from half of the members when he

suffered a heart attack in the pulpit on Mother’s Day of 1956. The illness of Rev. Houseman was a crucial period for

the church, but its laymen responded willingly and faithfully to see that the pulpit was filled and the work carried on.

Rev. Houseman resigned in January of 1957, and died on Mother’s Day four months later, having given the last years

of a good and faithful ministry to Pine Forest. Plans for the new church school plant were well underway, and a year

after Houseman’s death the church school had moved into the large new building.

Work was nearing completion on the church school plant. Spearheading this construction was the Rev. D. Reynolds

Ellisor, who succeeded Houseman, and the competent Building Committee including John R. Hall, John Connell, U.C.

Bell, Glenn Miller, Warren Thompson, Earl Jackson, and Q.C. Webb.

Rev. Ellisor served as pastor from February 1957 until June 1958 when he was succeeded by the present minister,

Reverend Walter Albritton.

Mrs. Annie Jones wrote the above article. She was an active and dedicated member of Pine Forest for over

50 years. Mrs. Annie’s first husband, Rev. Henry Houseman, was the pastor and passed away in 1957.

Mrs. Jones was a great encourager to all of us who knew and loved her. She wrote many letters of

 encouragement, as this was her ministry in the later years of her life.

                                                                HISTORY OF THE STEEPLE BELL

The bell story is just a precious remembrance to our church. In our fast changing, high paced world, it is very reassuring

to hear true stories of the past. In 1913, a steeple bell was given to Alexander Levi Webb, who was the grandfather of

Irma York, John, Adrian, Steve and Larry Webb. It seems that an old ship was being decommissioned at the foot of

Palafox Street, when Alexander Webb inquired about the bell; he was told that he could have it if he could move it. It

was loaded onto a wagon and hauled to Pine Forest where it was installed in the “little white church.”

The following story of the installation of the steeple bell was told to Mrs. Annie Jones, church historian by Mr. Quilla

Webb in 1982 when Mr. Quilla was 94 years old and the last charter member of the church…….

In 1913 Mr. Quilla [at the time was 25 years old] helped his father, Alexander Levi Webb along with six younger

brothers and sisters build a bell tower on the one room lumber church. He said after the bell tower was finished, the

family went for the bell on a hot Saturday afternoon, his father gathered all the family and farm animals that could pull,

all the ropes and chains that he could borrow and headed to the church to hoist the bell into the bell tower. After many

attempts, and trips back to their house for tools to rebuild the tower, they finally hoisted the bell into the tower.

Alexander pulled the rope and rung the tower bell loud and long. Looking to his large family, he said, “This bell is

going to call a lot of little Webb’s.” In 1976 when our church was bring enlarged, renovated and the sanctuary

lengthened, a new type of steeple was added and the bell was laid on the ground by the kitchen door. When we

celebrated our two hundred Methodist Bicentennial and our Homecoming, many were able to see and touch

the heavy iron bell. Mr. Quilla and John Webb stood beside the bell as old men. Later Hubert Smith and this three

sons, Stan, Alan and Terry lifted the bell into the church steeple again. The Quilla Webb family gave his memorial fund

to restore the bell, and now it rings at the flip of an electric switch.

Mr. Quilla Webb served as Sunday School Superintendent for more than fifty years. He pulled the rope that rang the

bell, and remembered the bell tower story to tell for seventy years of his fruitful life. The bell now rings on Sunday

mornings at 10:50 to call us to worship and is rung at weddings and other special occasions as it began ringing 90

years ago.