First United Methodist Church

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Back in the 1850s, Methodism was on the move. It spread across south Texas and pushed its way into a little German-speaking town called New Braunfels.

Now, you have to picture it: immigrants fresh from Germany, building new lives on Texas soil, and here comes the Methodist faith, finding its way into those communities. Many of those German-speaking settlers would be converted, and that set everything in motion. In 1853, a circuit rider by the name of Rev.

Henry P. Young rode into New Braunfels and established a congregation there, folding it into a circuit that included other German-speaking congregations in the area. A circuit rider's job was never done, and this one had planted something that would outlast him by generations.

What followed was the appointment of Rev. J. W.

Devilbiss as the presiding elder of the German district, and that district covered all of Texas. All of it. Devilbiss made his home in New Braunfels, and from there he trained ministers and gathered German-speaking converts to the faith.

The work was quiet, steady, and it was growing. By 1858, that work had earned a roof. A church building was constructed in the Comaltown area of New Braunfels, on Union Street.

And among the converts who had come into the fold was the Karbach family. They didn't just join the church. They leaned into it.

They hosted Sunday school. They opened their ranch for preaching and camp meetings. When a congregation finds people like that, it tends to grow.

And grow it did. By 1913, the Methodist community in New Braunfels had grown enough that a brand new church building went up, this one on West San Antonio Street, and it was named Karbach Memorial Methodist Church, a nod to that family that had given so much to keep the faith alive. Then in 1916, the church stepped off the circuit entirely, standing on its own.

Over the decades that followed, something else was quietly shifting too. The congregation that had gathered in German, then learned to hold both languages at once, eventually moved to English entirely. The community was changing, and the church changed with it.

By 1952, membership had passed five hundred souls. That same year, a new sanctuary was built on the San Antonio Street site, and the church was renamed First Methodist Church. The story didn't stop there.

By 1980, membership surpassed a thousand. And in 2005, with an eye toward continuing its mission of outreach, the congregation sponsored a daughter church, Gruene United Methodist Church. Today, both congregations are thriving, still serving God and the people of the area.

What started with one circuit rider on horseback in 1853 became something that now fills two sanctuaries. That, right there, is how a seed takes root in Texas.

What the marker says

In the 1850s, Methodism spread across south Texas and into New Braunfels. Many German-speaking immigrants in communities like New Braunfels would be converted to Methodism. In 1853 a circuit rider, Rev. Henry P. Young, established the New Braunfels congregation as part of a circuit which included other German-speaking congregations in the area. This action was followed by the appointment of rev. J.W. Devilbiss as the presiding elder of the German district which covered all of Texas. Living in New Braunfels, Devilbiss trained ministers and gathered German-speaking converts to Methodism. In 1858, a church building was constructed in the Comaltown area of New Braunfels on Union Street. Among the converts was the Karbach family who strongly supported the growing church community by hosting Sunday school, preaching and hosting camp meetings on their ranch. By 1913, the Methodist community had grown and a new church building named Karbach Memorial Methodist church was constructed on west San Antonio Street. In 1916 the church was no longer on a circuit. Over the next decades, the church moved from German-speaking to bilingual to English-speaking. by 1952 membership passed 500. That year a new sanctuary was built on the San Antonio street site and renamed First Methodist Church. By 1980 membership surpassed 1000. In 2005, to continue its mission of outreach, the congregation sponsored a daughter church, Gruene United Methodist Church. Today both congregations are thriving and continuing to serve god and the people of the area.