Cookouts, concerts and folklore: Rural church makes a comeback

Once on the brink of closing its doors, a congregation in Jackson County has found new life with a willingness to get creative.

By Matt Garfield
Director of Communications

Webster was once the hub of Jackson County, with a courthouse, school, and Methodist church anchoring its Main Street. Though the town lost prominence long ago when the county seat moved to Sylva, the 138-year-old church still stands as a beacon. And the faithful are finding ways to do God’s work in this corner of the Smoky Mountains.

The congregation has seen a resurgence under Rev. Dr. Pati Graham, who arrived in February 2024 with big ideas and a love for mountain people. Concerts, hamburger cookouts, a Christmas-in-July craft and bake sale, and Folklore Nights (no, not the Taylor Swift album; but traditional Appalachian music, dance, and storytelling) are part of a vision to draw newcomers and reclaim Webster’s place as a center of community life.

A partnership with the United Methodist Foundation of Western North Carolina will advance the cause.

Webster faced the possibility of closure coming out of the pandemic. Now the indicators point upward: There were 18 in worship on a mid-summer Sunday and 47 at a recent performance by a group of professional recorder players (the recorder is a wind instrument known for its clear, sweet sound). The church has built a presence on social media, where services are shared via livestream.

“People tend to think it’s a landmark and not an active church,” said Diane Schallock, lay leader of the congregation. “Pati always talks about getting into the community. I see people warm up to her and say, ‘Gosh, your church is really doing a lot.”

God brings the harvest

Last summer, church members set up a table with free produce from the church garden. Neighbors took notice and brought more from their own yards. A project called Seeds of Hope was born. With support from the Foundation’s Reynolds Ministry Fund, the table fills a gap for seniors on fixed incomes and families struggling to afford groceries.

“What we’ve tried to do is make the church be apparent to the community,” said Fitzallen Eldridge, a regular worshipper for 30 years. “We take what we have and use it to the absolute best of our ability.”

The stigma associated with charity can be a deterrent in rural areas. Folks prefer to make an exchange, which explains the can of pinto beans and assorted items left on the table when Dr. Graham last checked it.

“In the mountains, you have a barter system,” she said. “We were always taught that if we didn’t have money, we could trade something. So, people will bring extra boxes of cereal and not have to be embarrassed. They feel like they’re giving back.”

Church members embody the United Methodist idea of being in relationship with neighbors, instead of ministering “to” them, said Rev. Annalee Allen, Director of Reynolds Ministries and Programs.

“They understand that ministry goes beyond just extending an invitation,” Annalee said. “It’s about actively engaging in activities and values important to the community.”

By listening first and asking others to serve in key roles, Dr. Graham instills shared ownership in Webster’s future, says Diane Schallock, the lay leader.

“The can-do spirit has spread,” said Diane (pictured at left below with Dr. Graham). “As we’ve grown our presence, I think it causes people to say, ‘we can do this’ instead of ‘that’s too much.’”

Pastor’s remarkable life story

Dr. Graham comes from a long line of Methodist preachers. Her grandparents spoke the Word in Cades Cove, a settlement founded in the 1820s in what is now the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

“For me, it’s like coming home,” she said. “To see these little rural churches that my mom and dad grew up in and be able to come back and be part of that tradition, that is what fulfills me.”

Dr. Graham saw the world at a young age. Born in Morocco while her father served in the Navy, the family moved often before returning to the mountains to be closer to relatives. At Southwestern Community College in Sylva, Dr. Graham’s instructors identified multiple types of learning differences, including dyslexia and adult ADHD, and supported her with alternative learning methods.

From there, she earned degrees in English and Spanish literature and a Master of Arts in Linguistics from Western Carolina University, taught English as a Second Language courses in Jackson County Schools, and published five books of Appalachian-themed poetry and short stories. Her husband, Ken, has supported her along the way.

‘We need many Websters’

Dr. Graham joins a list of notable alumni who have come through Webster (pictured above in the early 1900s), said Rev. Eric Reece, pastor from 1983-86.

Past luminaries include Dr. Robert Madison, founder of Western Carolina University; Rev. Dr. Ben Coleman Fisher, a well-known minister and professor; and future Bishop Ernest Fitzgerald, who rode the Webster Circuit as a college student in the 1940s.

The church, Eric said, has endured as other local institutions faded away: “We need many Websters in our Appalachian Mountains.”

Dr. Graham’s skillset may be hard to replicate. She plays the violin, mandolin, flute, and Banjammer (a cross between a banjo and mountain dulcimer), in addition to the African drum from her time in North Africa.

But her greatest source of joy is pastoring the white-frame church on Highway 116.

“We’re fortunate to have a minister who is committed to seeing that we survive,” said Fitzallen Eldridge, the longtime worshipper. “We have a great deal of energy and hope. And we’re working to make sure it happens.”