First Methodist Church of Rockport

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and here's how I'm gonna pass it along to you. The Methodist Church has been in Rockport since about 1870. That's a long time to be rooted in one place, and roots like that don't come easy.

By 1872, the Rev. H. G.

Horton had been assigned as pastor of the Rockport church, and things were taking shape. The congregation put up their original building at the corner of Live Oak and Bay Streets, and here's the part that tells you something about the character of this community: that building didn't just serve the Methodists. A number of other congregations used it too, right up until those congregations could get their own facilities completed.

One building, doing the work of many. That's a particular kind of generosity. Now, 1914 is when the Methodists relocated to this site, the very ground the marker stands on today.

And they didn't stop there. As the membership kept growin, they built new structures to meet those needs, expanding and adapting the way a living congregation does. The church put a strong emphasis on educational programs, and by all accounts it has continued to be an integral part of the community.

From about 1870 to right now, the First Methodist Church of Rockport has been woven into the fabric of this town. Some things in Texas come and go with the weather. And some things just stay.

What the marker says

The Methodist Church has been in existence in Rockport since about 1870. The Rev. H. G. Horton was assigned as pastor of the Rockport church in 1872. The original Methodist church building, erected at the corner of Live Oak and Bay Streets, was used by a number of other congregations until their own facilities were completed. The Methodists relocated to this site in 1914 and later built new structures to meet the needs of the growing membership. With an emphasis on educational programs, this church continues to be an integral part of the community. (1991)