First United Methodist Church Alvord

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker says about First United Methodist Church in Alvord, Wise County, Texas. Pull up a chair, because this one's been a long time in the makin'. A hundred and thirty years, to be exact.

That's what the marker says, and I believe every word of it. It all started in 1884, when the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, set down roots in Alvord. March of that year, construction began on a new church building, with a Reverend F.W.

Morton stepping up as the very first pastor. Now, you want to talk about a bell? This congregation didn't settle for just any bell.

They ordered a six-hundred-pound bell from the C.S. Bell Company, way up in Hillsboro, Ohio. Historic outfit.

Six hundred pounds of purpose, rung right there on the corner of Wickham and Washington. And here's the part that'll get you, that original bell is still there. Still right there on that corner.

Some things, you just don't move. The original church house was a long building with a bell tower, facing east on Wickham Street, windows on the south side, windows on the north side. Come October of 1884, a Methodist Sunday School was organized, meeting on Sunday evenings right there in that same church house.

Worship and Sunday School called that building home all the way until 1961, when a new sanctuary and pulpit was built. And when they built it, they preserved some of the wood from the original 1884 building and worked it right into the new one. That's not just construction, that's continuity.

Along the way, in 1922, the Foster Church, which had been sitting north of Alvord, consolidated with the Alvord church. More members meant more need, so a white frame house was built on the lot right next to the church, used for Sunday School classes until a proper educational building could be raised. That educational building came along and was dedicated in 1957.

Sunday School, dinners, receptions, programs, recreation, senior citizen meals, homecomings. It has done the work, that building. Then in 2008, a new fellowship hall was constructed and christened Memorial Hall upon completion.

Now, through all of this, through every bell and building and consolidation, there has been one thread running steady since 1890: the women's society. Organized that year, and still active. Still going.

The marker says this church was built on belief, built by the community, and continues to grow and move forward in faith. A hundred and thirty years of showing up on Wickham Street. That bell's still there to prove it.

What the marker says

Originally organized as the Methodist Episcopal Church, south, in 1884, First United Methodist Church has been serving Alvord for 130 years. In March 1884, construction began on the new church building with Rev. F.W. Morton serving as the first pastor. The 600-pound bell for the church arrived from the historic C.S. Bell Company of Hillsboro, Ohio. The original bell is still located at the corner of Wickham and Washington. A Methodist Sunday School was organized in October of 1884 and met on Sunday evenings at the church house. The original church house was a long building with a bell tower, facing east on Wickham Street with windows on the south and north sides. This building was the place of worship and Sunday School until the new sanctuary and pulpit was built in 1961 using some of the wood preserved from the original 1884 building. In 1922, the foster church, located north of Alvord, consolidated with the Alvord church. An additional building was needed with the transferring of members, and a white frame house was built on the lot adjoining the church. This house was used for Sunday School classes until the educational building was built. The educational building was dedicated in 1957 and has served the church for Sunday School, dinners, receptions, programs and recreation as well as senior citizen meals and homecomings. In 2008, a new fellowship hall was constructed and christened "Memorial Hall" upon completion. A significant part of the Alvord Church has been the women's society which was organized in 1890 and is still active. The church was "built on belief" by the community and continues to grow and move forward in faith.