Excerpt from: Churches of St. Andrew, ©1989
Sumner Presbyterian Church
Organized: 1873
Shortly after the close of the Civil War there were enough Presbyterians in this area to warrant occasional visits from the North Mississippi evangelist, the Rev. R. R. McInnis, and from the Rev . Edwin Cater of the College Hill Church. Later these two ministers "began a meeting on the banks of Cassidy Bayou on October 11 ; 1873, closing on October 19 with the organization of a Presbyterian Church."
The charter members numbered fourteen, six of whom came by letter from the College Hill Church in Lafayette County. The name chosen for the new church was "Neriah" which means "my light is Jehovah." On November 11, 1873 the church was enrolled by the North Mississippi Presbytery.
Until late 1891, the congregation met for worship in the "Brooklyn Meeting House" which was owned by the Methodist Church and, occasionally, in the Woodmen of the World Hall. The Neriah Congregation voted in 1891 to build a house of worship. A one room white frame structure was erected. The original cement walk and one cedar tree still mark the location of the first building which was dedicated by the Rev. A. H. Caldwell of Senatobia in 1892. The next year the congregation asked Presbytery to change its name from "Neriah" to "Sumner." The cornerstone of the present building lists the name as "First Presbyterian Church."
The church was served at irregular intervals by a dozen different ministers. In 1905 the Rev. B; M. Cowan of Collierville, Tennessee was elected as regular Stated Supply and came twice each month. The church flourished. The women organized themselves into the "Earnest Workers" and took on many responsibilities. There was a strong Sunday School program at least as early as 1900.
In 1914 the church called the Rev. Morrison Brown of Charlotte, N. C. as its first full-time pastor. He served until January 1917. This same year the church building was moved to a corner lot and a large attractive manse was erected on the original church lot. Dr. Fred R. Graves of Greenville was called as pastor in the summer of 1917 and served this church until his death in 1943.
Since 1943, we have been privileged to have the following ministers:
1945 - 1947 Rev John Vail
1948 - 1958 Rev H. S. Henderson
1959 - 1962 Rev Jack Wilheim
1963 - 1969 Rev Denton O’Dell
1969 - 1973 Rev Robert Lake
1973 - 1976 Rev Ron Salfen
1977 - 1984 Rev Sam Marshall
1984 - 1987 Rev Ray Jones
1988 - 1990 Rev John Bell
1991 - 1994 Rev Roger Patton
1995 - 1999 Rev Doug Sullivan-Gonzalez
2000 - 2002 Rev Neil Sherman
2004 - 2007 Rev John Taylor
2013 - 2016 Rev Ron Wilson
2017 - 2019 Rev Greg Goodwiller
2020 – Present Rev Ann Laird Jones
Organized: 1873
Shortly after the close of the Civil War there were enough Presbyterians in this area to warrant occasional visits from the North Mississippi evangelist, the Rev. R. R. McInnis, and from the Rev . Edwin Cater of the College Hill Church. Later these two ministers "began a meeting on the banks of Cassidy Bayou on October 11 ; 1873, closing on October 19 with the organization of a Presbyterian Church."
The charter members numbered fourteen, six of whom came by letter from the College Hill Church in Lafayette County. The name chosen for the new church was "Neriah" which means "my light is Jehovah." On November 11, 1873 the church was enrolled by the North Mississippi Presbytery.
Until late 1891, the congregation met for worship in the "Brooklyn Meeting House" which was owned by the Methodist Church and, occasionally, in the Woodmen of the World Hall. The Neriah Congregation voted in 1891 to build a house of worship. A one room white frame structure was erected. The original cement walk and one cedar tree still mark the location of the first building which was dedicated by the Rev. A. H. Caldwell of Senatobia in 1892. The next year the congregation asked Presbytery to change its name from "Neriah" to "Sumner." The cornerstone of the present building lists the name as "First Presbyterian Church."
The church was served at irregular intervals by a dozen different ministers. In 1905 the Rev. B; M. Cowan of Collierville, Tennessee was elected as regular Stated Supply and came twice each month. The church flourished. The women organized themselves into the "Earnest Workers" and took on many responsibilities. There was a strong Sunday School program at least as early as 1900.
In 1914 the church called the Rev. Morrison Brown of Charlotte, N. C. as its first full-time pastor. He served until January 1917. This same year the church building was moved to a corner lot and a large attractive manse was erected on the original church lot. Dr. Fred R. Graves of Greenville was called as pastor in the summer of 1917 and served this church until his death in 1943.
Since 1943, we have been privileged to have the following ministers:
1945 - 1947 Rev John Vail
1948 - 1958 Rev H. S. Henderson
1959 - 1962 Rev Jack Wilheim
1963 - 1969 Rev Denton O’Dell
1969 - 1973 Rev Robert Lake
1973 - 1976 Rev Ron Salfen
1977 - 1984 Rev Sam Marshall
1984 - 1987 Rev Ray Jones
1988 - 1990 Rev John Bell
1991 - 1994 Rev Roger Patton
1995 - 1999 Rev Doug Sullivan-Gonzalez
2000 - 2002 Rev Neil Sherman
2004 - 2007 Rev John Taylor
2013 - 2016 Rev Ron Wilson
2017 - 2019 Rev Greg Goodwiller
2020 – Present Rev Ann Laird Jones