“Woody” Powell was certainly special to Pittman Park United Methodist Church, Georgia Southern, and the Statesboro community. His residence was rather small, located just behind the Pizza Inn, now El Jalapenos on 301 South, but his giving spirit was so large that the memories live on today.

Woody had more than 200 rose bushes covering everything in his yard except the driveway. Every color and fragrance was on display and in abundance. Dr. Powell, however, did not keep the beauty to himself. He tended the roses meticulously, pampering them and sharing their beauty by cutting and delivering the blossoms all over the county to the delight of unexpected recipients. One such gift was in July, to a church member’s family wedding. Woody cut and prepped more than twenty dozen buds for transporting to the North Carolina ceremony location.

Perhaps he was better known as the “Pecan Pie Man,” baking dozens at a time, and delivering them to others, such as the faculty of Georgia Southern. On several occasions he baked one for every member of the Administrative Board of our church!

His legacy lives on today in the Woody Powell Sunday School Class, and the Woody Powell Sharing Group he began in the late 1960s. The prayer group was held each Tuesday morning at his home; 6:30 a.m.! Woody cooked eggs, bacon, (flowers on the table) and toast, with coffee, milk and OJ.

The group has had from 10-14 active members since those early days. After finishing the delicious meal and chewing on the latest news topics, the men shared a devotion and each in turn spoke a prayer, which concludes even today by reciting the Lord’s Prayer with hands clasped around the table.

Today’s meetings do not include the food or flowers, and the beginning time is 8:00 in the church conference room. Several founding members are still in active attendance and participation. Some eyes and ears have begun to fail, and canes support passage, yet these men have remained steadfast to the prayer heritage begun by Dr. Woody Powell.

Hadley Campbell

Harry and Avis Harrison were loyal Pittman Park members. You know the kind, always there, caring and sharing in all the church’s endeavors. Mr. Harry had a really deep voice, and there was no denying who it was when you heard that low bass tone!

In the 1980s we often had Sunday night services outdoors in the garden, when weather and insects permitted. At that time the nursery and children’s rooms were not enclosed by the current hall, so sound could easily carry from area to the other.

At one such evening service, as prayer requests were being spoken, Mr. Harry vocalized a particular need to the attention of those in attendance. Inside one of the nearby children’s rooms, a child said “Quiet – everyone quiet!” When the teacher, Beverly Campbell, asked what was wrong, the little boy said reverently, “I think I heard God talking out there!”

Hadley Campbell

Though many people thought they were sisters, Sibyl Scruggs and Jean Coleman actually were sisters-in-law and best friends. Jean was married to Sib’s brother. Sib and Jean had their spots on a particular pew row — on the left just behind the post — and you could find them there at the 8:45 service every
Sunday morning. Both were active in their Sunday School Class, the United Methodist Women’s Agape Circle, XYZ, and many other projects around the church. Both were very welcoming to new church members. Both had a good sense of humor and were fun to tease. Toss them a smart remark and the
come back would be swift and witty, and all involved would enjoy a good laugh. -Sandy Gallamore

The Administrative Board met at Mrs. Bryant’s for breakfast. Dr. Henderson was the chair of the board.
Sitting around the table at Mrs. Bryant’s were counter checks. This was during the building of our
current sanctuary. It was a struggle every time to make the payment that was due. At the meeting, Dr.
Henderson would lead us and tell us just how short they were for the upcoming payment. Then we
would take the counter checks and “pass the hat.” Someone would count the amount collected and
then tell us how much they were still short. The counter checks were brought back out, and we
repeated the process until they felt like they had enough to make the payment.

Karen and Earl Lavender

Mac and Helen joined Pittman Park shortly after the church was formed. When they retired from gainful employment, they decided to make projects at the church their focus. Mac became the key fix-it guy and led the XYZ men in taking care of a variety of maintenance functions around the church. He stopped by the church to work most days of the week, not just on Tuesdays when XYZ met. Plumbing was his specialty, and he was kind enough to extend his services to individuals in their homes. Duct tape and a big smile were his constant companions.

Helen became queen of the kitchen. She generally stopped by daily to be sure silverware, dishes, pots and pans, and everything else were in their assigned spot and counters were clean and spotless. She directed the XYZ luncheons, assigning tasks as needed and providing specific instructions about table set up, dish washing, and where various items were stored. She worked all funeral meals and was particularly insistent that table cloths were folded correctly, napkins were placed properly, knife blades faced plates, and everything else was perfection for those meals. Working with Helen was an education in respect for the church and respect for church members. Sandy Gallamore

My parents and siblings moved to Statesboro in 1955. I vaguely remember going to First United Methodist Church, where my siblings and I were baptized on April 1, 1956. Around that time there was talk about forming another Methodist Church, and my parents went with the Pittman Park congregation. We didn’t have a church building at the time, but I recall going to the Marvin Pittman School on Sundays. Grace Black was my kindergarten Sunday School teacher. Mary Ellen Godfrey stayed in the church nursery one time and made funny hand drawings with us. In the first grade I remember Ruth Cone doing a pasting project with us. I recall Lawrence Houston preaching in the big school auditorium. One time we had a picnic-on-the-grounds behind, what was then, the old gym on the college campus. At that picnic I remember seeing Louise Cone-how friendly and welcoming she was to my mother and me.

Another memory was Rev. Lawrence Houston breaking the church ground. In the picture of that groundbreaking you can see my father, sister, and me. My mother, always camera shy, hid behind the people with my brother in the stroller.

I remember going through what would be the nursery and kindergarten rooms as the church was being built. The very same rooms where I would someday take care of the church and PPEC children.

Through the years I remember my Sunday School teachers and the great influence they had on me. Myrtle Tillman was my second-grade Sunday School teacher and what fun it was being in her class. She would always greet us with a warm welcome, and we would sing such happy songs. If we were sick, she would send us a card. These were my first memories of being in this church after it was built.

Going into the third grade, I remember the Bible I received from the church. I still have it. My parents had Bibles at home, but this was special. It was my own Bible. If I’m correct, we are still doing this. I hope we never stop this tradition.

Elizabeth Adams, Mrs. Joe Wilber, Barrie Blaser, Leo and Johnny Weeks, Billy Cone are just a few of my other Sunday School teachers who helped me grow in my Christian faith. Avis Harrison was so good about taking on the Youth Group and later Robert and Anita Wiggins did in the late 60’s. What brave souls and what a great, positive influence they had on my Christian faith.

These are just some of the highlights of growing up in Pittman Park. I can’t think of a better church to have been a part of both then and now.

Coleen Boole

The first Sunday when the new members of Pittman Park gathered to worship, there were no offering plates. Someone went into the back and grabbed two boxes of Ritz Crackers and used those as the
offering plates. I worked at Nabisco at the time and our pastor, Lawerence Houston, told me that was a very sneaky way of advertising. -Charlie Williams

At that time working in Statesboro there was a great guy named Dr. Daniel. He came to me and said, “Is it time for a cup of coffee?” He was a man that everyone listened to when he talked. We gathered at the pharmacy for a cup of coffee, and the pharmacist, Buddy Cone joined us. We talked and discussed what it would take and the next steps. Dr. Pittman gave all that land to build a new church, and “now is the time,” said Dr. Daniel. -Charlie Williams