• 1817: The first Methodist circuit rider assigned to the North Alabama part of the Mississippi Territory;

• Oct. 1, 1818: The Methodist Nashville conference creates six new “appoints,” including one in far North Alabama that is formed in the Alabama territory. Methodist pastors preach at Big Springs in Athens.

• 1818: Athens incorporated;

• November 1819: Alabama becomes a state;

• 1820: U.S. Census counts 9,871 people in Limestone County. (6,922 whites and 2,949 blacks, 30 of whom are free);

• 1836: Construction of the first Methodist church building completed on Marion Street;

• 1925: Current church building completed with a membership of almost 800;

• 1925: The sanctuary’s pipe organ installed. It took the Pilcher’s and Sons Co. of Louisville 10 months to build it and workers three weeks to install it;

• 1940: More than 100 church women sign the charter of Women’s Society of Christian Service;

• 1948: The church becomes home for a new Boy Scouts club;

• 1964: Garth Chapel dedicated;

• 1968: Lester Rich Prayer Garden dedicated;

• 1974: Church rolls increase to 1,200 members;

• 1982: Reuter 28 pipe organ installed at a cost of $142,000;

• Oct. 8, 1992: Beasley Center dedicated;

• 1994: Mary Stevenson hired as new choir director and establishes the Cherub and Wesley children choirs; and

• 2018: Membership rolls increase to 1,566 as the church celebrates its 200th birthday.