Canyon, Texas
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| 1910 - First Church building with parsonage on the right and Canyon School in the midle. |
1953 - Sanctuary decorated for Wedding |
First United Methodist Church in Canyon, Texas, was organized in October
of 1889, in a store on the east side of the square with seven charter members.
It was the first religious congregation organized in Canyon. For its first
ten years, the Methodist Episcopal Church-South of Canyon worshiped in the
courthouse with other denominations. In 1903, a small white frame church building
was finished on 9th street, between 5th and 4th Avenues. In 1925 a beautiful
edifice was finished at 1818 Fourth Avenue, its stained-glass
windows were the congregation's pride and joy. The Methodist Episcopal
Church South, the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the Methodist Protestant
Church united to become The Methodist Church in 1939. In 1975 "Phase
I" of a three-part building plan was erected. It contained a sanctuary,
parlor, church offices, library, nurseries, and some classrooms. In 1989 a
second story was added to the education part of this building. Then in 1995
the "old" building was torn down, the stained-glass windows were
revamped and adorn the hallway in the new building. In 1997 the church was
completed with the addition of a fellowship hall, commercial-sized kitchen,
and classrooms.
During all this building activity, the congregation of First Church has journeyed
far. Twenty-eight pastors have led us, beginning with T. F. Robeson. A Texas
Historical Marker was placed outside the church in 1969. Parsonages were built,
bought, sold then repurchased in 1991.The first associate pastor was appointed
in 1996, and a contemporary Sunday morning service was added in 1997. Church
membership rose from those seven in 1889 to 1,133 at the end of 2000-112 years
of progress.
