First United Methodist Church of Rusk

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Way out in Cherokee County, in the town of Rusk, there's a church that's been standin' on the same patch of ground through just about everything Texas has thrown at it. The First United Methodist Church of Rusk.

And its story starts, as so many good Texas stories do, with a man on horseback. The congregation was organized in 1849, and the very first minister to serve them was the Reverend Henderson D. Palmer.

Now Palmer was a circuit rider, which means he didn't just show up on Sunday mornings and head home for a nap. He covered the country, on a horse, in all weathers, bringing the Word to whoever needed it. He had received his license to preach back in 1838, in Nacogdoches County, and by the time he came to serve this congregation he'd been at it a good long while.

He was born in 1812 and he lived until 1869, and the folks of Rusk were fortunate to have him. The first deed for the Methodist church property in Rusk was recorded on May 22, 1850. That's the moment it became official, on paper, in ink.

The first church building went up the following year. Then, in 1896, with the Reverend A. A.

Godbey leading the congregation, a second sanctuary was built. The men who served on that building committee, and somebody ought to say their names out loud, were E. L.

Gregg, J. W. Summers, and J.

F. Mallard. Remember those names.

They put in the work. Time kept moving, as time will do, and the congregation kept growing. The present building, the one standing today, was completed in 1920 under the leadership of the Reverend J.

W. Goodwin. But here's the thing about this particular building.

It took a while to make it truly theirs. The dedication didn't come until 1935, and it came for a reason: that was the year the building debt was retired. Paid off.

Finished. The marker tells us that dedication day was referred to as a great day in the life of the church. And you believe it.

There's something about the moment a community finally, fully owns the place where they gather that just hits different. Now, through all of this, not one of those three sanctuaries ever moved. All three have stood on this same site.

The parsonages, too, three of them across the years. The first built in 1879, replaced by a second in 1947, and additions kept coming: an educational building in 1961, another parsonage in 1981. For over a century, the marker says, this church has been a vital part of the community.

And the proof of that sits in the pews. Many descendants of those early members are still active in the life of the church today. That's not just history.

That's roots.

What the marker says

Organized in 1849, this congregation was first served by the Rev. Henderson D. Palmer (1812-1869). A circuit riding minister, Palmer received his license to preach in 1838 in Nacogdoches County. The first deed for the Methodist church property in Rusk was recorded on May 22, 1850. The first church building was erected the following year. A second sanctuary was built in 1896 during the pastorate of the Rev. A. A. Godbey. Those serving on the building committee were E. L. Gregg, J. W. Summers, and J. F. Mallard. The present building was completed in 1920 while the congregation was under the leadership of the Rev. J. W. Goodwin. It was dedicated in 1935, when the building debt was retired. The dedication day was referred to as a great day in the life of the church. All three Methodist sanctuaries have stood on this site. There have also been three parsonages. The first, built in 1879, was replaced by a second home in 1947. Recent additions to the church property were an educational building in 1961 and parsonage in 1981. For over a century, the First United Methodist Church of Rusk has been a vital part of the community. Many descendants of early members continue to be active in the life of the church.