Akin Methodist (Wayne County, Ga.)

Akin Memorial United Methodist Church is located in the southern section of Wayne County. Lawrence Randall Akin erected the building, built of virgin heart pine lumber in 1892. It was dedicated as Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church. Akin was a very conservative lumber and turpentine man, a director of the First National Bank of Brunswick, a senator, and a legislator. The congregation was made up of the people who worked in the lumber mill, the commissary, the train station and even neighbors from Everett City and Gardi. A visiting preacher from Jesup would come down every Sunday to hold the service each week. Many pastors served the church for the first half-century and the church was on several different circuits or charges in Wayne, Glynn, and Mclntosh Counties. The church served the little town and community of Mt. Pleasant for about half a century. The timber production slowly dwindled in the 1920's due to bad land management practices and over-cutting. Then the mill was closed and Mt. Pleasant began its decline into obscurity. The church, both spiritually and physically, was in much need of repair. In 1940-1942, about six people worshiped here. The Methodist Conference was seriously considering closing the old church. Very soon, ways and means were sought to restore the church building. Mrs. Edith Mclntosh, one of the other members, was interested and contacted some members of the Akin family for financial help and they became involved as well. Mrs. Ruth Akin Hightower, with other members of the family, had the church restored and repaired. The church was was appropriately renamed in honor of Lawrence Akin at that time.