First United Methodist Church of Katy

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Back around 1898, out in what would become the town of Katy, something quietly remarkable was happening in the home of a man named Willard James. Baptists, Disciples of Christ, Presbyterians, Quakers, and Methodists all walked through the same door, sat down together, and organized a Union Sunday School.

Now, that kind of ecumenical handshake doesn't always hold, and sure enough, sometime around 1900, the Methodists decided to form their own separate fellowship. No hard feelings, just a congregation finding its footing. The first pastor appointed to that congregation was the Reverend M.

L. Lindsey, and the man had his work cut out for him. He also served other Methodist churches on the Houston circuit, which meant he was not always there on Sunday morning.

So the lay members stepped up. When the minister couldn't attend every Sunday, those early families held worship services themselves. Among them, the families of W.

P. Bowers, J. E.

Cabiness, E. M. Morton, and T.

G. Roberts. Ordinary people keeping the thing alive week by week.

Then in 1903 came a milestone. Land was secured from W. E. and R.

M. Cash and from L. C.

Luckel, and the foundation for a frame church building was laid. The following year, 1904, during the pastorate of the Reverend E. W.

Potter, that Methodist sanctuary was completed. Here's the part worth pausing on: it was the first church building constructed in the entire town of Katy. The first one.

That building served the congregation all the way until 1938, when a new sanctuary was built. And the story didn't stop there. The current structure was completed in 1961.

From a Union Sunday School in Willard James's home to a standing congregation that the marker says continues to reflect the ideals and traditions of its founders. Some things, it turns out, are worth building more than once.

What the marker says

This congregation traces its history to 1898, when a group of Baptists, Disciples of Christ, Presbyterians, Quakers, and Methodists organized a Union Sunday School in the home of Willard James. Sometimes about 1900, the Methodists formed a separate fellowship. The Rev. M. L. Lindsey, first pastor appointed to this congregation, also served other Methodist churches on the Houston circuit. He was assisted by several of the early families of the church, including those of W. P. Bowers, J. E. Cabiness, E. M. Morton, and T. G. Roberts. Lay members held worship services during the early years when the minister could not attend every sunday. In 1903, land was secured from W. E. and R. M. Cash and from L. C. Luckel, and the foundation for a frame church building was laid. The Methodist sanctuary was completed in 1904, during the pastorate of the Rev. E. W. Potter, and was the first church building constructed in the town of Katy. It served the congregation until 1938, when a new sanctuary was built. The current structure was completed in 1961. Throughout its history, the First United Methodist Church of Katy has provided significant service and leadership to the community. The congregation continues to reflect the ideals and traditions of its founders.