Washington First Methodist Church will celebrate 100 years in its Spring Street home with a rare visit from the denomination's resident bishop on Sunday, August 9.

"In honor of our forefathers' faith and vision," said Rev. Gale Seibert, "we are celebrating 100 years of worshipping in our sanctuary. "We're planning a wonderful celebration with our new resident bishop, Bishop B. Michael Watson."

The bishop's visit is special in itself, she said. "This memorable occasion will be the first time in 99 years the North Georgia Conference's Resident Bishop has joined us in worship."

The 10:30 a.m. Sunday service will be followed by dinner at noon. "Bishop Watson will be preaching and our fabulous choir will lead us in worship," Rev. Seibert said.

It was in 1907 that the congregation of Washington First Methodist Episcopal Church South, as it was called then, "stepped out in faith and began to build a beautiful new sanctuary," she said. "Local craftsmen were hired to shape wood, plaster, and mortar into a heart-stirring place to approach the one true living God. It wasn't until August 1909 that the building was finished."