Swainsboro First Methodist Church was founded in 1863. Worship was held at Clark’s Chapel, the Old Academy located at the corner of North Main and Church Streets, and in various homes of congregation members. The first church building was built in 1875 on land donated by J. J. Moring.
In 1896 a new church building was built on the northwest corner at the intersection of Church and Green Streets. The church was enlarged and improved in 1911, and under the leadership of the Reverend Charles G. Earnest, a new sanctuary was built in 1937 on the same site.
First Methodist grew and on February 16. 1956, ground-breaking ceremonies were held for a new building on West Main Street. The land for the new building was donated by Mrs. Frank Mitchell in memory of her late son, John Coleman Mitchell. The first sermon was preached in the new church building on June 2, 1957. An additional wing was added to the structure and was dedicated on January 17, 1965. In 1993 the sanctuary was remodeled and a pipe organ was installed.
Previous Pastors
1860, 1863 R. N. Cottor
1861-62 J. V. M. Morris
1864-65 Wesley Lane
1866-67 Levi P. Neese
1868 J. D. Mauldin
1869 Norman D. Morehouse
1870-71 Robert F. Evans
1872 Charles T. Toole
1873 Daniel G. Pope
1874 T. R. Wave
1875-76, 1883-85 C. A. Moore
1877 T. T. Giles
1878 T. L. Williams
1879-81 W. F. Roberts
1882 Joseph O. Langston
1886 Carnie H. Carson
1887-89 F. W. Flanders
1890 C. T. Clark
1891 T. C. G. Raburn
1892 H. C. Fenress
1893 T. F. Carvil
1893 E. M. Wright
1894-98, 1918-21 J. M. Foster
1898-1900 T. G. Harrison
1900-01 T. H. Darley
1901-03 B. S. Sentell
1903-04 W. L. Wooten
1904-06 J. W. Weston
1906-07 H. P. Myers
1907-10 J. T. Ryder
1910-11 B. E. Whittington
1911-12 J. W. Domingos
1912-15 J. M. Peacock
1915-16 R. E. Bailey
1916-18 Q. L. Kelly
1921-25 W. A. Tyson
1925-26 T. G. Christian
1926-29 K. H. McGregor
1929-31 O. S. Wilson
1931-33 R. L. Whitehead
1933-35 C. A. Jackson
1935-38 C. G. Earnest
1938-43 Earl T. Garbutt
1943-47 H. C. Griffin
1947-52 H. S. Brooks
1952-57 Vernard Robertson
1957-58 W. A. Alsobrook
1958-60 M. P. Webb
1960-63 Pledger M. Parker
1963-68 Elick Bullington
1968-72 Orman Sloat
1972-76 Donald J. Sparks
1976-81 Frank J. Terry
1981-85 Ed Cadle
1985-89 Dave Hanson
1989-93 Frank Harris
1993-1999 Ronnie Wills
1999-2003 C. Benjamin (Benjy) Varnell
2003-2009 Wayne DeFore
2009-2013 Reverend Dr. William E. Woodson III
2013-2017 Scott Brenton
2017 – present David Unkles