First United Methodist Church of Navasota

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Back in 1853, the Methodist faithful of Navasota didn't have a church to their name. They made do with the community schoolhouse, gathering there for the first worship services this congregation would ever hold.

Humble beginnings, sure, but they were beginnings. For most of the antebellum years, and straight on through the Civil War, the Rev. T.

W. Blake served as part-time pastor, keeping that fellowship together through some of the hardest seasons this country has ever seen. Now, that takes a certain kind of steady.

Then came 1866, and with it, something that changed the picture entirely. The Houston and Texas Central Railroad deeded land right here at this very site to the Methodist congregation. And in that same year, they put up a frame building, shuttered windows and all, a proper home for the fellowship at last.

They named it Robert Alexander Chapel, in honor of an early Methodist circuit rider in Texas. The Presbyterians of Navasota used it too, so that little frame building was doing double duty for the faithful of more than one tradition. Time marches, though.

By 1891, the frame structure gave way to a rock building, solid and sturdy. That rock building served the congregation all the way until 1912, when a brick sanctuary was built to take its place. And the story didn't stop there.

The current sanctuary was completed in 1959, the latest chapter in a line of buildings that stretches back to that schoolhouse more than a century before. Now, the marker makes a point of noting that the size of this congregation is relatively small compared with other churches in the area. But here's the thing about that.

This congregation, this smaller-than-average fellowship in Navasota, has served as host to the Texas Annual Conference of Methodist Churches. Small in number, maybe. Small in presence, not a chance.

Throughout its history, the First United Methodist Church of Navasota has provided significant service and leadership to the community, holding steady to the ideals and traditions of its pioneer founders. From a schoolhouse in 1853 to a brick sanctuary, from circuit riders to annual conferences, that's a long road, and they're still on it.

What the marker says

The first worship services of the Methodist church in Navasota were held in 1853 in the community schoolhouse. The Rev. T. W. Blake served as part-time pastor for most of the antebellum and Civil War years. In 1866 the Houston & Texas Central Railroad deeded land at this site for use by the Methodist congregation. In that year, a frame building with shuttered windows was constructed for the fellowship. It was named Robert Alexander Chapel in honor of an early Methodist circuit rider in Texas. The chapel was also used by Navasota's Presbyterian congregation. In 1891 a rock building replaced the frame structure and was used until 1912, when a brick sanctuary was built. The current sanctuary was completed in 1959. Although the size of the congregation is relatively small when compared with that of other churches in the area, the First United Methodist Church of Navasota has served as host to the Texas Annual Conference of Methodist Churches. Throughout its history, this congregation has provided significant service and leadership to the community and has continued to uphold the ideals and traditions of its pioneer founders.