The congregation was put together around 1869 a time where early pioneers settled around the edge of the Ocala National Forest. In 1886 Ruseell and Sarah Camp sold two acres of land for $40 dollars to the church trustees. A small church called The Mount Zion Methodist Episcopal Church also called the Paisley Church. Before the name Paisley came to be it was actually called Acron which today is a ghost town out near Lake Acron with little or no remains. The first pastor of the church was Brother Steinmeyer which also covered the Methodist churches all the way to Altoona a nearby town. Then at a later another Reverend came along by the name of G.W. Sellers who lived in a parsonage behind the church. The parsonage no longer stands but there is signs that it once existed such as a giant clearing behind the church itself.

In 1896 a group called the Methodist Epworth League was formed to provide weekly worship services and social events for the children in the Paisley area. They also provided Sunday school and had adult activities. At the time the community was not very large here so this was a very small congregation sort of like a house on the prairie type of setting.

Then in 1982 right next to the old sanctuary a new one was built and consecrated by 1983. The old historical church building made out of wood entirely is now only used for meetings and as a fellowship hall. So there is alot of history here. 

Back in the 1850s many local towns which no longer existed here once stood before the town of Paisley thrived. Settlements like Bayview, The Lightwood Camp, Ponceannah and Kismet. So eventually when them settlers moved on they moved on to Paisley and attended church here. Is the church haunted? I believe so at night it has such a gloomy but friendly feeling. Such a nice piece of history to be able to bring the public.

©

Rick-AngelOfThyNight

History of Paisley, by Paisley Extension Homemakers (1989)

 
     
 

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