First Methodist Church of Turkey

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the First Methodist Church of Turkey, up in Hall County. Now settle in, because this one's got more than a century of stubbornness baked right into it. It starts on September 8, 1891; just seven charter members and a preacher by the name of Reverend J.

D. Terry, gathered together at the home of W. M. and Elizabeth Cooper.

Elizabeth Methodist Episcopal Church, South, they called it, right there in somebody's front room. Seven people. That's it.

Seven. You've probably had bigger family arguments at the dinner table. But those seven had an idea, and ideas have a way of growin' in Texas soil.

For years, the congregation worshiped in homes and in the nearby Wolf Flat Community Schoolhouse, wherever there was a roof and a little room to bow your head. Then 1907 rolled around, and they finally put up something of their own: a proper frame sanctuary, and a parsonage right alongside it. You can almost picture how proud those folks must've felt.

And then 1928 showed up. A tornado tore right through and destroyed the church building. Just like that; gone.

Now, here's where the story gets interesting, because most outfits might have called that a sign and packed it in. Not this congregation. They dug down (literally) and built a basement structure, and they worshiped underground until 1948, when they finished an above-ground addition and came back up into the light.

From seven people in a farmhouse to a church that's still serving the community today. That right there is the long game, friends.

What the marker says

The Rev. J. D. Terry and seven charter members organized the Elizabeth Methodist Episcopal Church, South, on September 8, 1891, at the home of W. M. & Elizabeth Cooper. Worship services were held in homes and in the nearby Wolf Flat Community Schoolhouse until 1907. In that year a frame sanctuary and parsonage were completed. After a 1928 tornado destroyed the church building, the members built a basement structure and worshiped there until 1948, when an above-ground addition was completed. The church continues to serve the community. (1991)