Hoosier United Methodist Church was officially opened at
4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 27, 1982. This new
congregation was formed to replace The Audubon Forest
Church, which disbanded in 1982 upon the retirement of
the pastor, Reverend Wallace Wiggins. The new church
became part of the North Georgia Conference in the
Atlanta-College Park District as a result of an almost
complete racial transition from white to black in the
Cascade and Audubon Forest communities in Southwest
Atlanta.
The church is named in tribute to Harry Hoosier, the
great black Methodist preacher. Bishop Joel McDavid
revealed the church’s name at the first worship service.
Hoosier was born a slave near Fayetteville, North
Carolina around 1750. He became a national figure as a
competitive preacher of Bishop Francis Asbury, one of
the founders of Methodism in America.
The keynote speaker for the first service was Bishop L.
Scott Allen, retired bishop of the Western North
Carolina Conference. The first pastor, Reverend Rodney
T. Smothers was presented to the newly formed
congregation and 17 persons came forward to unite with
the church. At the first charge conference, held on
October 6, 1982, 156 persons were declared members. The
new cornerstone was installed following a special
service on Sunday, August 12, 1984.
Under the leadership of Reverend Smothers, a viable and
mission-minded church was begun with active
organizations and many Christian programs. The church
motto—“Committed to Christ and the Community” —and the
Mission Statement, which provide a base for the
development of programs, ministry, and mission were
formulated and activated.
