First United Methodist Church, Bay City
By Mary B. Ingram

1986

One hundred fifteen years ago the First United Methodist Church had its beginning when services were held at the Red Bluff Church on the banks of the Colorado River, a mile from present downtown Bay City. Red Bluff Church served the people in the Bay Prairie area and was a part of the Matagorda  circuit which dated back to 1839. When the assigned circuit rider could not come, lay ministers, such as Norman Savage and Levi Arnold, who lived in the area, spread the word of God and ministered to the sick throughout Matagorda County.

Less than a year after the establishment of Bay City in 1894, work was commenced on the erection of a house of worship one block west of the courthouse. Completed in 1897, this Methodist church served all the congregations of Bay City as a Union Church for the next few years. By 1902 the Matagorda circuit became the Bay City-Matagorda circuit.

At the present Fourth Street and Avenue H site, a tabernacle served the congregation from 1904 until 1909. In 1908 First Methodist became a separate charge from Matagorda, and a new sanctuary was erected. The sanctuary was constructed of stone blocks and was noted for its beautiful stained glass windows. It served the congregation until 1957 when the present sanctuary was erected. The stained glass windows of the old church were incorporated into the large Christ's window over the narthex. The sanctuary was dedicated April 15, 1962. The LeTulle Education Building, erected in 1937, was completely refurbished in 1979.

The church property, which began with two lots in 1904, had grown to almost an entire city block by 1986. Today the church plant has a beautiful sanctuary, the LeTulle Education Building, a youth building, a chapel, a Boy Scout house, two residences on Avenue G, and the parsonage on Lazy Lane, with a total value of over one and one-half million dollars.

All through the history of the First United Methodist Church, there has been a steady flow of dedicated men and women meeting the needs of the church. The tangible gifts are seen in mortar and stone; however, the intangible gifts of loving service to their God are inestimable.

The ministers serving the church from 1869 to 1986 were: Thomas W. Rogers (1869-70), J. M. Turner (1870-71), John C. Huckabee (1871-73), M. C. Fields (1873-74), Samuel H. Brown (1874-77), W. H. Shockley (1877-78), W. A. Bowen (1878-79, remained on circuit only two months) [No record exists for the next few years.], Samuel H. Brown (1884-85), J. W. Holt (1885-86), George H. Collins (1886-89), J. L. Kennedy (1889-90), Lewis Porter Davis (1890-91), Harry May (1891-92), J. W. Morris (1892-95), W. C. Bracewell, (1895-96), A. J. Anderson (1896-97), J. J. Callaway (1897-1900), J. C. Stewart (1900-01), H. R. Kimbler (1903-05), A. S. Whitehurst (1905-09), G. W. Schroeder (1909-10), Alphonoso A. Kidd (1910-12), J. F. Carter (1912-16), 0. T. Hotchkiss (1916-20), D. S. Hotchkiss (1920), Orion E. Vivion (1920-24), Cornelius Pugsley (1924-26), E. T. Campbell (1926-27), Charles W. Hughes (1927-28), Terry Wilson (1928-30), P. T. Ramsey (1930-32), A. J. McCary (1932-33), E. G. Cooke (1933-35), E. A. Peterson (1935-36), R. E. Connell (1936-39), Ira F. Key (1939-40), Marvin S. Vance (1940-44), Harry V. Rankin (1944-48), Mouzon Bass (1948-49), W. W. Hawthorne (1949-51), W. W. Conerly (1951-55), Garnet House (1955-58), Leslie LeGrand (1958-63), T. Walter Moore (1963-65), Leslie D. Scott (1965-67), Conrad W. Winborn, Jr. (1967-71), Wayland Elmore (1971-73), James Thompson (1973-78), S. Merle Waters (1978-80), Leroy Stanton (1980-85), Bill Leediker (1985-86), and Bill Dugger (1986- ).

Historic Matagorda County, Volume I, pp 574-575
 

The Gleaners All-Day Meeting At Wesley Chapel

The Gleaners of the Methodist Church held an all-day meeting at Wesley Chapel, Tuesday from ten to three o'clock, having as joint hostesses, Mesdames Tony Carr, P. G. Secrest, R. Bussell, D. E. Cates, Dora Dienst and Helen Wilkinson.

The meeting was opened with a prayer from Mrs. A. J. McCary followed by the business session. The devotional on Missions was given by Mrs. R. Bussell. Mrs. F. S. Taylor who was in charge of the program announced that several discussions would be given on the study book, "Facing the Future in Indian Mission," by Mrs. Joe Freeman, Mrs. B. Ehlert, Mrs. Vance Porter, Mrs. W. E. Davant and Mrs. Frazier of which was most interesting. Mrs. Paris Smith then closed the meeting for the social hour.

At which time the luncheon, consisting of chicken a la king in patties, with cream peas, potato chips. pear salad, hot rolls, iced tea and strawberry cake was served on lace-laid trays, centered with baskets of sweetheart roses, at individual tables.

After the luncheon, the members then viewed the Indian display which was most interesting and entertaining, especially so with Mrs. Smith and Miss Fay Carr explaining each item. Miss Carr further entertained the class with a story about her father who was an Indian war veteran. The meeting was then closed by the class benediction.

The members attending this meeting were Brother and Mrs. A. J. McCary and Mesdames O. H. Gusman, Helen Wilkinson, Dora Dienst, Schaeffer, W. E. Gaedecke, S. E. Hager, S. Oliver, Paris Smith, F. S. Taylor, W. F. Tetts, Pat Thompson, Joe Freeman, Vance Porter, P. E. Lee, P. G. Secrest, Frank Thompson, Frank Carr, W. E. Davant, B. Ehlert, Meschkat, R. Bussell, Fred Mielsch, H. C. Ellis, W. E. DeWeese, D. E. Cates, Tony Carr, Crawford Barnett and E. M. Williamson.

Matagorda County Tribune, April 27, 1933
 

First Methodist Church

 

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