First United Methodist Church of Odem

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the First United Methodist Church of Odem, down in San Patricio County. Every word of it comes straight from that record. Now settle in, because this church has been through some things.

It started small, the way the best stories always do. The year was 1909, and a man named the Reverend F. H.

Barnhouse held the first recorded church services in the city of Odem right there in somebody's living room, the home of a J. W. Wright.

No steeple, no pews, no stained glass. Just folks and faith under a borrowed roof. Soon after that, Sunday School services moved into a vacant store, formerly the site of the Gisler blacksmith shop, sitting right at 400 Main Street.

One address over, at 401 Main Street, is where the real building work would eventually come. But first, in 1910 and 1911, the First Methodist Church of Odem was organized, and the Reverend J. A.

Pledger was the man leading that effort. Then the Reverend W. N.

Carl stepped in to organize the congregation's push to build that first small church building at 401 Main. And when they counted up who was standing with them at the founding, there were nine charter members. Nine.

Mr. and Mrs. George Humphries, Senior. George Humphries, Junior.

Otto Humphries. Alva Humphries. Zula Humphries.

Jarred B. Clark. Mrs.

Anna Clark. And Miss Lula Williams. Nine people staking their name to something they believed would last.

Now, a congregation that small, you'd think the next chapter might be quiet. It was not. The years rolled on, the church grew, and in 1922 they purchased their first parsonage over at 306 Kline Street.

The Reverend W. F. Buss was the first pastor to call that address home.

Things were moving. And then came the hurricanes. The marker doesn't name just one, it says several hurricanes damaged that original church building across the years.

Several. Each one a setback. Each one survived.

By 1949, the congregation had made a decision: break ground on a new sanctuary. And here's the part that stays with you. They didn't just walk away from the old frame church.

They dismantled it, board by board, and used that very same lumber in the construction of the new building. While the work was underway, the congregation held services in the Odem High School auditorium. They kept showing up.

And in 1951, the new building was completed. It had stained glass windows, paid for by family donations, and in 1964 an electric carillon was placed right up on the roof. Now you might think that was the end of the hard weather.

It was not. In 1970, Hurricane Celia badly damaged the sanctuary. But repairs were covered by insurance and volunteer labor, and the church kept on.

The First United Methodist Church of Odem continues to thrive, growing to include educational services and supporting numerous civic activities in the community. Nine charter members in a borrowed living room in 1909, and the story's still bein' written.

What the marker says

The Rev. F. H. Barnhouse held the first recorded church services in the city of Odem in the home of J. W. Wright in 1909. Soon after, Sunday School services were held in the vacant store that was formerly the site of the Gisler blacksmith shop at 400 Main Street. In 1910-11 the First Methodist Church of Odem was organized under the leadership of the Rev. J. A. Pledger. The Rev. W. N. Carl organized the congregation's efforts to build its first small church building at 401 Main Street. There were nine charter members: Mr. and Mrs. George Humphries, Sr., George Humphries, Jr., Otto Humphries, Alva Humphries, Zula Humphries, Jarred B. Clark, Mrs. Anna Clark and Miss Lula Williams. The congregation grew, and in 1922 the first parsonage was purchased at 306 Kline Street. The Rev. W. F. Buss was the first pastor to live there. Through the years several hurricanes damaged the original church building. In 1949 the congregation broke ground to build a new sanctuary. The old frame church was dismantled and its lumber used in the construction of the new building. Services were held in the Odem High School auditorium until the new building was completed in 1951. The new sanctuary had stained glass windows paid for by family donations, and in 1964 an electric carillon was placed on the roof. The sanctuary was badly damaged by hurricane Celia in 1970 but repairs were covered by insurance and volunteer labor. The First United Methodist Church of Odem continues to thrive and has grown to include educational services and supports numerous civic activities in Odem. (1999)