A decrease in membership since the 1970 peak left the church with 1373 in 1980. Since 1986 membership has remained quite steady at about 950.
In February 1983 the yoke on the church bell broke. When the bell was rung in the late afternoon of February 3, someone pulled the rope too hard and the bell flipped over. The bell, itself, was sound, but the yoke and frame that held it had cracked for the third time.
The cost of repair was estimated at $6,000, which was more than the church could bear at the time. Once again the town came to the aid of the church. The Reading Lions Club began a community-wide fundraising drive. The Reading Chronicle gave the drive a lot of publicity, retracing the history of the church and reprinting articles from the Chronicle of seventy years earlier when the town had responded so generously with funds for a new church, bell, and clock. Just as it had done in 1912, the Chronicle printed the names of donors to the fund and kept the public informed about progress. By mid-May the fund had reached $10,000. At this time it was decided that any excess funds would be kept in an interest-bearing account to be used for the continued maintenance of the bell and clock. Up to this time, the cost of maintenance had been borne by the town with funds appropriated annually by Town Meeting. By the time the fund drive ended, $12,000 had been raised, enough to maintain the bell and the clock for many years without appropriations from the town.
The 1555 pound bell and its frame, which had been in place since it was installed in December 1912, were dismantled in April in order to begin repairs. The original cost of the bell was $860; the cost of replacing it in 1983 would have been $21,000. When the bell was removed, the clock was stopped and wrapped in plastic to protect it while repairs were made to the bell tower. The safety and maintenance of the clock then, as now, was in the hands of the Roberts brothers of Clockfolk of New England. The clock is one of the few in the area that is not operated electrically. It will run just ten days without rewinding, but the Roberts brothers usually wind it every seven days. It takes fifty revolutions a day to rewind the bell and striker, so for seven days 350 revolutions are required. Ten days means 500 turns. The clock had been completely overhauled in 1980, and is due for another total stipping in about sixty years.
On June 26, 1983, a Bell Dedication Service was held on the lawn of the church. The service was ecumenical with speakers from the Board of Selectmen, the Lions Club, and the pastors of many of the other Reading churches. The Bell Choirs of both Old South and the First Congregational Church took part by playing several selections. The forty-five minute service ended at noon as the bell began to toll once again.
In 1986 the parsonage on Linnea Lane was sold and a new one was purchased on Baker Road.
The church had supported part-time associate pastors for several years, and in 1983 the position of full-time associate pastor was added. Lynn Euzenas, who held the position from 1983 to 1985 was also Old South's first woman pastor.
In 1984 the Bell Choir acquired a four octave set of Schulmerich bell and expanded to twelve players. On Saturday, May 19, 1984, the Bell Choir gave a public concert which included both classical and pop music. The next day, May 20, there was a special service of dedication for the handbells. Besides playing at special church services, the Bell Choir also perform outside the church and are especially busy around Christmas time in December.
From 1985 to 1988 the church supported a woman missionary in Taiwan. Since the mid 1980's the church has also supported an economic mission in Strong, Maine. Clothing drives have been held periodically, and the donations are delivered to the Mission's Thrift Shop in Strong. Mission partnership with two congregations in Liberia came about in 1988. Since 1988 Old South has supported a missionary couple in Chile and has assisted in the development of an agricultural school in the Andes Mountains.
For many years the women of the church planned and organized the Old South Fair in the fall of each year. This was always a successful fund raiser, and more recently it has become an all church event, with men and youth sharing responsibility for the affair. Spring auctions have also been a recent addition, and these, too, have become successful fund raisers.
During the 1980s, the Senior and Junior High Methodist Youth Fellowship provided activities for the youth of the church.
The Puppet Ministry meets regularly for practice and takes part in worship services as well as other church activities.
The need for a young adult group was answered in the 1980s by the formation of the College and Career Group.
In 1987 The Old South Video Group began to provide the Sunday morning worship services to the community throuh our local cable channel.