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There had been Methodist
ministers holding services in this wild, western
country before 1876. At that time, the Northwest
Texas Conference began sending pioneer Methodist
ministers to hold religious services when Coleman
was established. There were nine charter members
when the Methodist Episcopal Church South was
organized in Coleman by the Rev. W. C. Brodie in the
upper room of the stone building known as the
Paddleford building on South Commercial Avenue in
1881. The Methodists bought the 500 block of West
Live Oak Street on which the present church stands,
and in 1889 under the pastorate of Rev. C. H.
Oswalt, built the first church, a frame building
with Gothic windows.
There was a small dwelling on the east side of Block 22, north of the location where the Methodist Church was built in 1889 at what became 500 West Live Oak Street.
Under the pastorate of Rev. M. K. Little, a liberal subscription was raised and a large brick church building was completed in the summer of 1916 (as seen in the 1916 map). Tiffany art glass windows portrayed Biblical scenes and church leaders and symbols and preserved the memory of early church members. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"In 1929, the First Methodist Church was
located on West Live Oak Street and the northwest
corner of North Neches Street (now 500 West Live Oak Street)."
 The Second Methodist Church Building pictured in the 1940s
Soon after 1951, with the
assignment of the Rev. J. D. F. Williams to the
church, the recognition that the church needed a new
building to meet the needs of the congregation was
made and plans began to be formulated. Ground
breaking for the new First United Methodist Church
was held on June 9, 1957. The old building was
located on the southeast corner of the block and the
new sanctuary was built on the southwest corner.
Construction began right away. The first service was
held on March 31, 1958.
In July 1959, workmen began tearing down the old First Methodist Church building. Some of the materials from the old building were used in the construction of the new fellowship hall and Sunday school class rooms. After the old building was removed, a new fellowship hall was built north of the new sanctuary and a chapel on the site of the old building, with class rooms built between the two buildings.  The Third Methodist Church Building built in 1958 - picture taken in 1961 In February 1968, Mrs. Ann
(Miller) Hargett, became the music director at the
First Methodist Church. She had been a member and
soloist of the chancel choir and served as
co-director from 1956 to 1961. After studying music
in college, marrying and beginning a family, she
taught voice as well as being a ranch owner with her
husband.
In September 1972, a program and lunch was served, with about 265 attending, to recognize Bobbie Warren, who had served as the official church organist for 50 years, beginning in 1922. The prominent pioneer ranch woman, Mrs. Martha Tye Overall, saw to it that the First Methodist Church had a pipe organ (below left, 1951, with Bobbie Warren at the organ) and she even sent Sarah Murray to Texas Women's College to take instruction in playing the pipe organ. Miss Murray was church organist until 1920 when she married. At that time Girlie Hubert and Bobbie White were taking lessons from Miss Murray. Girlie Hubert followed Miss Murray as organist. By 1921, Bobbie White and John Warren had married, and when Miss Hubert left Mrs. Overall made a special trip to see Bobbie Warren and asked her to become church organist. When the new church was built in 1958, the old pipes from the organ were retained although they were concealed behind a panel, which was behind the illuminated cross. (below right).
First United Methodist
Church - March 2003
 2023 Aerial view of block ................................................................... (See additional history and images of the Coleman Methodist Church, see the History of the Coleman Methodist Church.) |
