Mission:
The mission of Angleton First United Methodist Church is to glorify God
as revealed in the Bible and personified in Jesus Christ by becoming
disciples, being disciples and making disciples.
History of the Angleton First United Methodist Church
In 1880 before the town of Angleton was established, two dedicated
women, Mrs. M.S. Munson and Mrs. James Jamison, decided to organize
a Sunday School to further Christian education for the children and
the community. This Sunday School met in the small house located at
“Variety Grove” on the J.J. Ranch, home of J.J. Jamison, about three
and one-half miles southwest of the present city of Angleton. A
Miss Black, niece of Mrs. Munson, was tutor for the Jamison’s. She
taught in the new Sunday School. The project prospered and the
group soon overflowed the building. Meetings were then held under
the oak trees on the ranch.
This called for action, so a log house with dirt floor was built
near Oyster Creek Station, the work being done by some of the
employees of the Munson and Jamison families. Furnished with
backless benches, this became the first real church building.
As the Sunday School continued to grow, a new building was planned.
Near the Sloan Jamison home, a frame building with floors became the
next church. Here the benches had backs. What an improvement.
In 1892, when the town of Angleton was laid out by Kiber and Bryan,
a choice lot, Block 35 was donated to the Methodist Church. Soon
after the donation, a large frame building was erected on the south
corner, facing south. Since this was the only church in town, all
denominations worshiped here. One member is reported to have said,
“You couldn’t tell the Methodists from the rest.” This was a
circuit church with a minister holding services two Sundays a
month. Sunday School and Epworth League meetings were held each
week.
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The first pastor of this church, by this time located in the town of
Angleton, was reverend C.M. Thompson, who came in 1892. The first
presiding elder was Reverend O.T. Hotchkiss.
One list of the ministers who have served the First United Methodist
Church, Angleton, contains the statement though the writer is
unidentified: “Mrs. Pearl Rucks says he (Ike Riley) was the first
minister. I haven’t found his name in any of the church records, so
he probably preached before the Angleton church was organized.”
The Reverend H.G. Williams became the second pastor with Brother
Hillburn finishing his term.
The third pastor was Reverend J.L. Murray, whose pastorate fell
during the1900 storm, which according to the Angleton Times,
“devastated the town and destroyed not only the church but its early
records as well.” An Angleton Times story published September 14,
1900, relates the storm’s effect on the church, its pastor and his
family.
“During the lull in the storm, the editor of the Times went to
secure the services of Dr. Smith for Mr. Stamper, who had been badly
hurt, and as he passed the heap of rubbish where formerly had stood
the Methodist parsonage, reverend Murray was humbly kneeling on the
top of the pile, offering thanks to God for His mercy in sparing his
little flock, all of whom were saved as by a miracle…”
Elsewhere in the same report, included a block-by-block description
of the storm damage and experiences, The times states, “The
Methodist Church and parsonage are completely destroyed…” Since the
parsonage had also been destroyed, the church purchased a nearby
house which had survived the storm in fair condition, and used this
for the minister’s residence.
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In the months between the storm and
conference, Brother Murray was extremely busy with plans to start
construction of a new building. In the fall, he transferred to the
Montana Conference and was replaced by the Reverend E.L. Ingram, who
completed the building, described in one church record as “nicely
furnished and boasting an acetylene-gas light, a fine double-reed
organ, and a wonderful bell.” In the mean time services were held
in temporary quarters.
Then came the 1909 storm, and the “new”
church building was destroyed. The bell, of which the congregation
was so proud, fell tearing out one corner of the building. So great
was the destruction that the remaining lumber was sold for $2.75.
The Reverend M.F. Daniel was pastor during construction of the new
stone building erected in 1910 on the same spot as the former
church: it consisted of two rooms and a vestibule. By 1918, all
debt had been cleared, and the building was dedicated.
By 1924,
expansion was necessary, and another building program was begun
under the leadership of the Reverend J.M. Ball. The choir and
pulpit were moved; Sunday School rooms and an improvised kitchen
were partitioned off by folding doors.
By 1934, still more room
was needed. The Reverend W.J. Richards drew the plans and supervised
the construction of the northeast annex, which provided additional
classrooms downstairs and a kitchen, classroom, and recreation room
upstairs.
During the pastorate of the Reverend Morris House, who
came to Angleton in 1945, an addition was constructed on the
southwest side to include classrooms and a pastor’s study upstairs
with recreation hall and kitchen downstairs. The north east annex
was converted entirely to classrooms, and the sanctuary was
completely remodeled. These projects were completed and the
building ready for worship in 1949.
The Reverend Vernon Cornelius
was pastor in 1961, when yet another addition was made to provide
more classrooms for the children’s department.
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In 1962, the
Reverend Lewis Nichols as pastor, the church began a building
campaign, which continued through the pastorate of Reverend Byron
Lovelady. Plans were made for a new sanctuary, Fellowship hall,
offices and chapel.
In May, 1970 the old sanctuary and northeast
annex were demolished, and the current structure was begun. The
reverend Louis Sada was pastor at the time.
While construction was
underway, Sunday School classes continued in the educational wing,
but church services were held in the theater next door.
On April
16, 1971, the first service was held in the new church sanctuary;
the consecration took place on May 9, 1971, with Bishop Kenneth
Copeland officiating. The Church celebrated the one hundredth year
anniversary of its first services in 1980. The building
indebtedness was paid that year and the church was dedicated on
November 16, 1980, by Bishop Finas A. Crutchfield of the Texas
Conference. In 1992 the church celebrated its one hundredth year
anniversary of being in this location. During these anniversary
years, former pastors filled the pulpit on numerous Sundays.
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The
physical plant has continued to grow with the membership, one recent
addition being the purchase of the E.L. Boston home on East Magnolia
for a parsonage, while the old parsonage next to the church has been
retained for other uses. In 1990, the church purchased six lots
across the street from the sanctuary. For future expansion, the
Beacon (theater) Building and parking lot was secured in 1992. At
present this building has been leased for income.
In 1997 during
the pastorate of Reverend Dan Danheim a capital funds campaign was
begun to build a Family Life Center, originally planed to be erected
on the six lots across the street from the sanctuary. During the
years 2000-2004 plans changed for the Family Life center to be
constructed on the north end of the existing church property and be
attached to the existing Fellowship hall and education wing on two
floors. This would require the demolition of the old parsonage and
playground. A new playground was constructed in 2005 on the six
lots across the street from the sanctuary.
The Family Life Center
consists of: a full service Kitchen, Fellowship hall (with a full
court for sports activities, worship services, and special
programs), Youth room for all youth activities, full stage (for
concerts, special programs, and praise band activities), two
Projectors (for use in worship and special programs), an elevator
that will provide access to both the youth room and the existing
second floor of the church education wing.
The addition of the
Family Life Center, allowed for the remodeling of the existing
Kitchen, Fellowship hall and existing classrooms into Offices, a new
Library with Glass door and walls, a new main lobby, a new Parlor,
new Brides room/Classroom and a new work room.
The new Family Life
Center and remodeling work was completed and the grand opening was
held on April 29, 2007 lead by the current pastor, Reverend Bob
Sinclair. Soon after the contemporary worship service was moved
from the sanctuary to the new Family Life Center. The traditional
worship service continues to be held in the existing Sanctuary.
In
2008 the existing Narthex, hallway and restrooms of the existing
sanctuary were remodeled replacing the carpet with stone tiles and
the sanctuary carpet was replaced.
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Bob Sinclair
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