First United Methodist Church of Cuero

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Way out in the Cuero Creek area, Methodist circuit riders were already holding worship services as early as 1841. Now picture that: traveling preachers, saddlebags full of scripture, stopping wherever folks would gather.

That went on for decades. It was not until after Cuero itself was incorporated, in 1873, that a permanent Methodist church was finally founded here. And when the earliest records were kept, they counted eight members on the church roll.

Eight. In 1876. You might think that's a modest start, and you'd be right.

But within ten years, that number had crossed one hundred. And by 1981, the fellowship had grown to nearly three hundred members. From eight to nearly three hundred.

Let those numbers do the talking. The church building itself went up on this very site in 1886. It ran on gas lighting for a while, then sometime in the early nineteen hundreds, electric lights took over, while coal stoves kept the congregation from freezing through a DeWitt County winter.

Then came 1929, and the pastorate of the Reverend J. W. Black.

Under his watch, they did something that takes a moment to really picture: the entire building was raised. Lifted up. A basement was dug and built underneath it, carved out to hold Sunday School rooms.

While all that was happening, the congregation held its services over at the De Witt County Courthouse. At the same time, towers were added at the corners of the building, and a pipe organ was purchased. Now that's a church that meant business.

But the story doesn't stay triumphant. By 1958, deterioration of the roof trusses and structural supports had created safety hazards. The building sat unused for several months, waiting on repairs before people could safely walk back through those doors.

In later years, the congregation received memorials and gifts that brought new carpet, pew cushions, chandeliers, and an electric lift. From circuit riders stopping at a creek in 1841, to a lifted building with a pipe organ and a basement, to chandeliers and an electric lift. That's not just a church.

That's a community that kept showing up, kept building, and kept raising things up, sometimes literally.

What the marker says

Circuit riders held worship services for Methodists in the Cuero Creek area as early as 1841. It was not until after Cuero's incorporation in 1873, however, that a permanent Methodist church was founded here. Earliest records report eight members on the church roll in 1876. Within ten years that number exceeded one hundred. By 1981 the fellowship consisted of nearly three hundred members. In 1886 the church building was erected on this site. Electric lights replaced earlier gas lighting in the early 1900s, while the church was heated with coal stoves. In 1929 under the pastorate of the Rev. J. W. Black, the entire building was raised. A basement was built underneath to provide a space for Sunday School rooms. At the same time towers were added at the corners and a pipe organ was purchased. Church services were held in the De Witt County Courthouse during the remodeling. By 1958 deterioration of roof trusses and structural supports had created safety hazards. The building was not used for several months until it was repaired. In later years, memorials and gifts have provided the congregation with new carpet, pew cushions, chandeliers, and an electric lift.