First United Methodist Church of Hebbronville

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. It was December 12, 1912, out at Mrs. Ralph McCampbell's ranch, and that's where it all began.

Reverend C.W. Perkins sat down with six townspeople, just six, and out of that meeting came what would grow into the First United Methodist Church of Hebbronville. Not a grand hall, not a ceremony with ribbons and speeches.

A ranch. A reverend. Six souls.

That's your foundation right there. Now, a lesser congregation might've fretted over not having a building. But for fifteen years, the Methodists and the local Baptists did something you don't see every day.

They shared a schoolhouse on Smith Street and held services together, side by side, denomination by denomination. You have to admire that kind of practical faith. Then in 1917, Mr. and Mrs.

Henry Edds made a move that changed everything. They purchased three lots from a man named Viggo Koehler, and then they turned right around and donated that land to both churches, the Methodist and the Baptist, together. Bought it and gave it away.

Just like that. The congregation kept on, worshipin' and waiting, and in 1927 a church building was finally completed on that very property. Then in 1950, the W.W.

Jones Educational Building was added, and the place kept on growin'. By the time that marker was written, the First United Methodist Church of Hebbronville had served the citizens of that community for one hundred years. A hundred years of Sunday mornings that started with six people at a ranch on a December day.

That's not just a church. That's a beacon, and the marker says so plain.

What the marker says

THE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF HEBBRONVILLE WAS ESTABLISHED AT A MEETING BETWEEN REV. C.W. PERKINS AND SIX TOWNSPEOPLE AT MRS. RALPH McCAMPBELL'S RANCH ON DECEMBER 12, 1912. FOR 15 YEARS, SERVICES WERE HELD IN COOPERATION WITH THE LOCAL BAPTIST CHURCH IN A SCHOOLHOUSE ON SMITH STREET. IN 1917, MR. AND MRS. HENRY EDDS PURCHASED THREE LOTS FROM VIGGO KOEHLER AND DONATED THE LAND TO THE METHODIST AND BAPTIST CHURCHES. A CHURCH BUILDING WAS COMPLETED ON THE PROPERTY IN 1927 AND THE W.W. JONES EDUCATIONAL BUILDING WAS ADDED IN 1950. FOR 100 YEARS, THE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH HAS SERVED THE CITIZENS OF HEBBRONVILLE AND CONTINUES TO BE A BEACON OF LIGHT FOR THE COMMUNITY.