Bosqueville Methodist Church

Duane's take

Well, the marker outside tells the story, and here's my telling of it. Some congregations start with a grand building and a brass bell, but the folks who would become Bosqueville Methodist Church, they started with somebody's parlor. Before they ever organized, in 1853, this congregation was meeting in homes, just neighbors gathered together doing what they could with what they had.

The year after that, they moved services into the New Oakwood schoolhouse, and later on into the Bosqueville College. Borrowed spaces, borrowed time, building something that would outlast all of it. Then came 1875.

Under the leadership of the Reverend W.T. Melgin, this congregation finally raised its first proper building, right here on this very site. And that land, it had been donated by a Dr.

Warren Wortham. Now, a place worth gathering in has to be worth riding to, and the marker makes sure we remember that a Reverend Mordecai Yell was among the outstanding circuit riders who served here. That name alone sounds like something out of a tall tale, but the record shows he was the real article.

The congregation kept growing, kept believing, and come 1911 into 1912, under the pastorate of the Reverend M.H. Bowden, a new building was finished, the one standing here today. Then in 1953, a hundred years on from those parlor meetings, educational facilities were added.

From somebody's front room to a full-standing church with room to learn. That's a long road, and every mile of it was on purpose.

What the marker says

Before organizing in 1853 this congregation met in homes. The following year services were led in the New Oakwood schoolhouse and later in the Bosqueville College. In 1875, under the leadership of the Rev. W.T. Melgin, the first building was constructed on this site which had been donated by Dr. Warren Wortham. The Rev. Mordecai Yell was among the outstanding circuit riders who served here. The present building was finished in 1911-12, under the pastorate of the Rev. M.H. Bowden. In 1953 the educational facilities were added.