"West Blocton was the second church to be organized in the Alabama Mission. Early in 1907 P.C. Ramsey started holding church in West Blocton (possibly after Ada Chapel Church was completed.) For the first time a notice in the February 2nd 1907 issue of the Blocton Enterprise announced that Wesleyan Methodist Church services were to be held at Wrights Hall in West Blocton. The newspaper’s advertisement read as follows:

“Wesleyan Methodist---Services every second Sunday at 11:00 AM and 7:30 PM and on Saturday before the second Sunday at Wrights Hall. P.C. Ramsey pastor Sunday School every Sunday at 3:00 pm. J. S. Bracknell, Superintendent.“

”Wrights Hall was the principle meeting place for the towns various groups and organizations. The Hall also served as the “Court House” for the Blocton Division of the Bibb County Court. Charles Edwards Adams tells us in his book BLOCTON that “The upstairs accommodated the meeting room and downstairs housed a grocery store and briefly, and African-American managed dry cleaners. In October 1923, because of age and structural problems, it was torn down. Once, when it creaked and groaned with a full house, court had to be dismissed and moved to the Opera House.”

Here are some quotes from the book from page 38.

The summer following, the French family were in a tent meeting at West Blocton, Alabama.  Rev. J. A. Wood was the good pastor of a thriving church in this mining town. God gave a wonderful meeting there. It did not reach the proportions of the Pell City meeting, but large crowds attended, and night after night the whole front of the tent became an altar. There was a tremendous moving among the young people. As in all meetings of this character, there was a falling away. Even so, some are still standing and some have made it through to the City.

The second reference is on page 39.

A Wesleyan Methodist Church was organized at Pell City.  Father (Rufus Alfonzo French) took the pastorate there.

Sometime later, the West Blocton Church was without a pastor, and Will French was called to that place.  God used him as a shepherd of the flock there and he had a successful pastorate. Will was always devout and energetic. When he undertook a task, he trusted God and went into it with all his might.

Robb French took the pastorate at Tuscaloosa. Before long they built a new church. After two enjoyable years at this place, Robb went back into evangelistic work and traveled the conference part time, holding quarterly meetings.

On June 23, 1919, Robb was married to Geraldine Trusler. They had grown up together, and now it was the Lord who brought them together in matrimony. Geraldine was to be a wonderful helpmeet indeed, sharing the burdens of both their pastoral and evangelistic ministry.

Though we do not have a complete list of the early members, here is a partial list of some members dating back to as early as 1933.  This list may not be complete.  If you know of other that are not included please click here to let us know.

Starting in the later part of 1966 we begin to read in the church quarterly business meeting records of the impending merger of the Wesleyan Methodist Church with the denomination known as the Pilgrim Holiness Church.  We know from other records of that time the controversy surrounding this movement.  Many in the Wesleyan Methodist Church opposed this change.  The church record for September 28th, 1966 reads as follows:

The Wesleyan Methodist Church of West Blocton voted on the merge.  The vote was as follows:   Votes Cast 10 all no's.

The next record of this issue is recorded as follows:

On Sunday Night February 5th, 1967 the West Blocton Wesleyan Methodist Church has a business meeting to decide whether or no we wanted to merge with the Pilgrim Holiness Church.  It was left to the church to vote yes if we wanted to go, No if we wanted to continue as we are.  Nine votes were cast, all No's.

However, the prevailing vote in the majority of Wesleyan Methodist Churches was for a merger of the two denominations.  This occurred on the national level and in the summer of 1968 the two denominations merged to form the new denomination which is today called The Wesleyan Church.  However we read the following information in the church record for October 4th, 1967:

A resolution: Whereas we the West Blocton Wesleyan Methodist Church, a corporation, that has duly voted not to be a part of the merged Wesleyan Methodist and Pilgrim Holiness Church in the Wesleyan Methodist Church.

Be it resolved that we the members of the West Blocton Wesleyan Methodist Church, incorporated, sell and legally convey all property and interest to the West Blocton Bible Methodist Corporation.  Mr. Arthur Finnen made a motion to adopt the resolution.  Mrs. Arthur Finnen 2nd the motion.  The motion carried without a dissenting vote.

With this the church changed names but continued the traditions of worship and joined the Alabama Bible Methodist Connection of Church, where they have continued as a member since that time.

Later significant church events included the purchase of a home adjacent to the church property for use as a parsonage, paving and improvement of the parking lot, the complete remodeling of the church interior, and the most latest addition of the church fellowship hall.  Today the Bible Methodist Church of West Blocton is an active, caring congregation, looking toward the future for continued ministry to the town and church members.