DUANE
Duane's take
Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Austin Avenue United Methodist Church in McLennan County. Now settle in, because this one starts the way all good Texas stories start — with a room that's gotten a little too full. By the close of the nineteenth century, Waco's Fifth Street Methodist Episcopal Church, South — the congregation that would eventually become First United Methodist Church — had grown itself right out of its own britches.
The members looked around at each other Sunday after Sunday and decided something had to be done. So they did what Methodists do: they petitioned the denomination conference for the organization of another congregation right there in Waco. And the quarterly conference, bless its deliberating heart, said yes.
The establishment of Austin Avenue Methodist Church was approved on December 31, 1900. Last day of the century. Not a bad moment to plant a seed.
The Reverend John R. Nelson was appointed to organize the new congregation, and he got to work. Three lots were purchased at the corner of Austin Avenue and 12th Street — ground for something meant to last.
The congregation was officially chartered on December 29, 1901, with a membership of 81 souls, and by April of 1902 a sanctuary stood completed. Eighty-one people. A building.
A neighborhood growing right alongside them. That steady growth kept on coming, and eventually the first building itself became too small — history has a way of repeating its own lessons. That original structure was sold to Trinity Presbyterian Church, and a new Methodist building went up at Austin Avenue and 13th Street.
One block. One block north, and the story kept right on going. Throughout its history, this church has served its community with a variety of outreach programs, and the marker says plainly what that means: it continues to be an important part of Waco's history.
Started on the last day of one century. Still standing in the next. That's not a coincidence — that's a congregation.
What the marker says
At the close of the nineteenth century, when it was determined that Waco's Fifth Street Methodist Episcopal Church, south (now First United Methodist Church) had grown too large, its members petitioned the denominaiton conference of the organization of another congregation in Waco. As a result, the quarterly conference approved the establishment of Austin Avenue Methodist Church on December 31, 1900. The Rev. John R. Nelson was appointed to organize the new congregation. Three lots were purchased at the corner of Austin Avenue and 12th street for a church building. The congregation was offically chartered on December 29, 1901, with a membership of 81,and a sanctuary was completed in April 1902. The congregation experienced a steady growth that paralleled that of its neighborhood. When the first building became too small for the growing church, it was sold to Trinity Presbyterian Church, and a new Methodist structure was built at Austin Avenue and 13th street. Throughout its history, this church has served its community with a variety of outreach programs. It continues to be an important part of Waco's history.