Liberty United Methodist Church strategically working to serve the future

In 1823 — the same year Macon was incorporated — a group of settlers began meeting in a log cabin in south Bibb County’s Rutland farming community to form a congregation that would become Liberty United Methodist Church.

Macon was a good ways away by foot, mule, horse or wagon, and the group’s mission was to organize a house of worship to serve their community neighbors.

Intervening years saw the log cabin burn to the ground and the group obtain property and construct a building near what’s now the intersection of Houston Road and Liberty Church Road — thanks to the help of a troublesome bear!

“After the log cabin burned, 10 acres was donated where the church is now and what was then called Liberty Church was built,” said the church’s senior pastor, the Rev. Wayne Anthony. “That’s where the bear story comes in. The land was donated by Laurancy Atkinson, who had moved here from up north. As the story goes, a bear attacked and killed a lamb on her property and, as I understand it, she got so upset she decided to leave and move back north. She gave the land to the church and a two-story church building was built, probably the first two-story building in this part of the county. That was in 1934 and those are Liberty’s ‘bear facts.’ ”

That early white, steepled structure and additions over almost a 200-year history have become a familiar, almost iconic sight along Houston Road as it stuck to values such as being an old church with a modern vision, a house of prayer and a Christ-centered church with ministries for all ages offering opportunities to experience God through meaningful services.

Through the years, Liberty UMC has continued to expand ministries and further its mission. Anthony said in 2017 that means undertaking a capital funds campaign to raise $7.7 million in the next five years to implement a Mission and Ministries Program that will expand and improve ministries, programs and facilities to meet needs in a community poised for growth.

As in the past, the church is depending on the faithfulness of members and the generosity of the community to position itself to best serve members and the wider community.

“The elements of the proposed Mission and Ministries Program, or M&M Program as we’re calling it, include $4.2 million for extensive new construction and $3.5 million for modification of existing facilities, program planning and staffing,” Anthony said. “Our goal is to raise the $4.2 million new construction funds from within the church and from friends of the church and the remaining $3.5 million from outside donors, foundations and such. We’re building for Liberty’s third century but also looking ahead into the 21st century to help serve those around us.”

Facility-wise, Anthony said plans include a new multi-use activity and community center that will be suitable to serve local needs during weather and similar emergencies, as well as needs of those farther away forced to flee to Macon-Bibb County because of evacuations where they live.

Plans also include a music and art facility with practice, training and performing spaces and a life-skills training and development facility. There also will be a home improvement training and deployment center, crisis-response base and multi-use classrooms for a faith-based pre-school and education center.

Anthony said that with the church’s children’s ministry growing to the point of making current space inadequate, sports programs fast expanding, and worship services doubling, the church is choosing to not just react to immediate needs but to proactively prepare for the great days it sees ahead.

“We talk about facilities but the facility isn’t the church, it’s just where the church meets and is a tool to serve,” he said. “We have a growing community; I’m told the fastest growing spot in the area. Real estate agents tell me they have an average of 12 offers for every house built. Liberty UMC sits next to Herd Elementary School, the largest elementary in the county and one built for growth. The new recreation center is just down the road, set to open in the fall, and we’re across from a public library. We’re near the busiest, longest interstate in the U.S. with some 200,000 cars coming through Macon a day. Macon has real potential in the next 10 years and we’re in the heart of where so much of that will happen. What does God have in mind for this church? This community? This region? Because he surely is doing great things in this area.”

In addition to Liberty UMC being poised for a heyday of service in a growing community, Anthony and others see his 2013 appointment as pastor at Liberty as a divine, strategic positioning as well. Anthony has training and advanced degrees in strategic planning, business, financial planning, healthcare issues and related areas, as well as a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Asbury College and Master of Divinity degree from Emory University.

In addition to serving numerous United Methodist congregations since 1972, Anthony successfully held long-term positions in businesses such as KFC and RJR Nabisco and led initiatives related to leadership, healthcare, home improvement and repairs for elderly and disabled military and public safety veterans, and other initiatives including work and leadership with the National League of Cities.

Also, the Columbus native was elected to office and served on that city’s city council plus was appointed to and served as chairman of the River Valley Regional Commission, which serves Columbus and 16 counties.

Since coming to Macon, Anthony has served in governmental advisory roles, some related to city-county consolidation, which Anthony has experienced firsthand in Columbus.

“I feel God called me to this situation,” he said. “It certainly brings into play what I’ve done in the past, from the call to preach to involvement in strategic planning. I’ve seen a merging of ministry and management in my life, my work and my teaching, and I believe I’ve been led to bring management to ministry and ministry to management. And to bring leadership to serving and serving to leadership.”

Anthony said those factors have provided direction for his life and ministry.

“It’s been the North Star director of my life and the choices I’ve made,” he said. “When that matrix matches up, God blesses and I feel most fruitful. It’s all reflected in my roles in ministry, business, public office and public service and it’s undergirded by the call to proclaim and embody the Gospel.”

This story was originally published June 29, 2017 at 6:49 AM with the headline "Liberty United Methodist Church strategically working to serve the future."