A small church in Fleming County celebrated its bicentennial in September. The picturesque church framed by the Goddard White Covered Bridge off of US 32 has a rich history.
On a late September Saturday afternoon, community and church members gathered under a big white tent to celebrate 200 years of Goddard Methodist Church in Fleming County. The day was marked by prayer, music, recognition of veterans, and a historical re-enactment.
Joseph Goddard was played by retired Colonel Jim Clark, United States Marine Corps. Clark told the story of how the Goddard family came to North America in the 1700s and settled in rural northern Virginia, where they soon started hearing about unrest in the colonies.
“Things about the Stamp Act or the Battle of Lexington and Concord, and some things like that. So, we knew some things were going on, but we knew that freedom was important to us and especially freedom of religion,” said Clark as Goddard.
So, in 1777, at the age of 15, Joseph Goddard enlisted to fight the British.
“So, I was in the light infantry and they created this plan to expel the British from Stoney Point and General Washington assigned Mad Anthony Wayne to lead us,” said Clark as Goddard.
That battle was won and Goddard soon received his discharge papers. He married a local girl named Frances Glasscock and had children. In 1795 the family made their way to Kentucky and Fleming County, where the Goddards started spreading their Methodist faith.
“I was a trustee of the Tilton Methodist Church, but you all know it now as Flemingsburg Methodist,” said Clark as Goddard.
Goddard was instrumental in erecting a second church in Fleming County. Then in 1824, the couple drew up a deed, selling an acre of land for the creation of a third church and burial ground.
“Frances and I sold this land for 12 and a half cents to the trustees, and I was a trustee at the time,” said Clark as Goddard.
200 years later, several descendants of the original five trustees were in the audience and in the community, carrying on the tradition of spreading the faith. Brenda Plummer is President of the Fleming County Museum Society and has been a member of Goddard Methodist Church her whole life.
“In the past, I’ve been a Sunday School Teacher, I’ve been a Youth Group Leader, I’ve been a Vacation Bible School Leader,” said Plummer.
For decades after it was built, the church was the central hub of the community.
“Now, looking at the place now, you would never know it, but there used to be a school on the other side. There were at least three stores on the other side of the road. There was a phone exchange,” said Plummer.
None of those structures exist anymore, but the church is still central in the hearts of the congregation, with birthdays, anniversaries, funerals, and more still bringing them together. Plummer says a common request is for weddings.
“Some are familiar with it and some are not, they just like the setting,” said Plummer.
A sentiment difficult to deny on that sunny afternoon, the newly reopened Goddard “White” Bridge just outside the front door. On the day of the bicentennial celebration, the bridge had drawn some visitors of its own.
“So, today me and my sweet peoples are traveling through Kentucky to see all the covered bridges,” said Maria Grimsley, 31. She was about halfway through her journey to see all the state’s historic covered bridges, three of them in Fleming County.
“They’re beautiful, just the scenery and how old they are and just to know that people back then traveled through what I’m seeing right now,” said Grimsley.
Built at an unknown date, it was moved to its current location in the early 1930s. However, Brenda Plummer said the bridge is synonymous with the church.
“You can’t think of one without the other. Cause I mean, when you drive through it every Sunday, or Sunday night, or Wednesday night, or vacation bible school week. That’s the way for many, many, years, that’s the way you came,” said Plummer.
Pastor James Doughton said the congregation of 30 to 35 people is similar in size to what it would have been in 1824. He attributed the group’s strength to the legacy of Joseph Goddard.
“We celebrate all of that history and thank the lord for his faithfulness over the last 200 years and for the people here that now are recipients of that and continue that faithfulness even through today,” said Doughton.
