North Alabama Hallelujah Trail of Sacred Places

The trail represents sacred spaces that are integral to the story and places and communities.  The trail features churches that are at least 100 years old, stand on their original sites, and are still holding services today.  Red Bay boasts one of the featured churches, The First United Methodist Church of Red Bay located at 509 4th Street SW.  A missionary from Booneville, Mississippi set out to preach under a brush arbor, which was called “Oak Grove”.  On split log seats, the community worshipped there until they were later able to build a cabin.  After the Methodist Church became part of the Alabama circuit, Oak Grove became First United Methodist Church of Red Bay.  The church has grown from logs to an encased brick structure with today’s modern conveniences.