Columbia United Methodist Church

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to honor every word. Way back when Texas was its own Republic, Methodist missionaries were already riding hard across this land, planting seeds of faith wherever they could find a foothold. In 1839, the Rev.

Isaac L. G. Strickland was assigned to the Brazoria circuit, and he organized a Methodist church in Columbia, which today you'd know as West Columbia.

Columbia was no small thing at the time. It was an early capital of the Republic of Texas. So right from the start, this congregation was born in a place where history was being made at a pretty serious pace.

Now, as the nineteenth century wore on, something interesting happened to the town of Columbia. Much of its population drifted away, over to a place called Marion, which today goes by East Columbia. Towns do that sometimes.

They shift, they wander, they follow the people. And the Methodist congregation followed right along, eventually beginning to meet there in Marion, where the Columbia circuit preacher would ride in and hold services twice a month. Twice a month.

You worked around the preacher's schedule back then, not the other way around. Then, about 1913, another Methodist congregation started meeting back in West Columbia. That congregation grew.

Grew enough that before long it needed a full-time pastor, while the East Columbia fellowship was still being served by that circuit preacher making his rounds. Two congregations, same roots, different rhythms. By 1928, those two came together.

They merged, and they have been meeting in West Columbia ever since. One church, carrying a lineage that reaches all the way back to the Republic itself. Columbia United Methodist Church stands today as what the marker calls a significant reminder of Brazoria County history, and I'd say that's putting it just about right.

What the marker says

This congregation traces its history to early Methodist missionary activity during Texas' years as a Republic. In 1839 the Rev. Isaac L. G. Strickland was assigned to the Brazoria circuit and organized a Methodist church in Columbia (now West Columbia), an early capital of the Republic. During the latter half of the nineteenth century, the town of Columbia lost much of its population to Marion (now East Columbia), and eventually the Methodist church began meeting there. The congregation built its first sanctuary in Marion, where the Columbia circuit preacher held services twice a month. About 1913, another Methodist congregation began meeting in West Columbia. In a few years, this church had grown to require a full-time pastor, while the East Columbia fellowship still was served by a circuit preacher. By 1928, the two congregations merged and have continued to meet in West Columbia since then. With its ties to the beginnings of Methodism in Texas, Columbia United Methodist Church stands as a significant reminder of Brazoria County history. (1984)