First Methodist Church of Floydada

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the First Methodist Church of Floydada. Now settle in, because this story starts before there was even a town to tell it in. Way back in the 1880s, before Floydada existed, before Floyd County was even formally organized, Methodist circuit riding preachers were already out there.

Working the land. Ministering to pioneer settlers at a place called Della Plain, five miles north of where we're sitting right now. And when there was no church to speak of, no schoolhouse, no meetinghouse, well, a man named J.

S. McLain had a general store, and that general store became the place where occasional worship services were held. That's the kind of faith that doesn't wait for the right building.

It just finds a roof and gets to work. Then 1890 came. The county organized, Floydada was named county seat, and the Northwest Conference of the Methodist Church said, alright, it's time.

They established a congregation right here. The Reverend W. F.

Ford was the first to serve it, and the membership gathered in the local schoolhouse, because that's what you did on the frontier. You used what you had. By 1902 they had something of their own.

A community church went up in the 300 block of North Main Street. Now here's a detail worth sitting with. The Methodists owned it legally, but the sanctuary was also used by other denominations in town.

One building, many voices. That church got moved to this very site in 1913, and then in 1918, up went a red brick structure to replace it. Sturdy.

Solid. The kind of building that says we're staying. And they were.

The congregation kept growing, and by 1953 new buildings were being erected to hold them all. Eventually that red brick church was razed. Gone, but not forgotten, because the story it carried kept right on going.

For over one hundred years, the First Methodist Church of Floydada has been here, offering worship, education, and outreach to this community. It started in a general store before the county had a name. That's not a congregation that waited for circumstances to be perfect.

That's a congregation that showed up anyway, and never really stopped.

What the marker says

The roots of Methodism in Floyd County can be traced to the 1880s, prior to the founding of Floydada and the formal organization of the county. Circuit riding preachers ministered to pioneer settlers at Della Plain (5 mi. N), and occasional worship services were held in a general store owned by J. S. McLain. After the county was organized in 1890 and Floydada was named county seat, the Northwest Conference of the Methodist Church established a congregation here. Initially served by The Rev. W. F. Ford, the membership held worship services in the local schoolhouse. In 1902 a community church was erected in the 300 block of N. Main Street. Although legally owned by the Methodists, the sanctuary was also used by other denominations in town. The building was moved to this site in 1913 and replaced by a red brick structure in 1918. As the congregation continued to grow, plans were made for larger church facilities. New buildings were erected beginning in 1953, and the red brick church was eventually razed. For over one hundred years, the First Methodist Church of Floydada has served the community with worship, educational, and outreach programs. (1990)