First United Methodist Church of Waco

Duane's take

The way I heard it, this comes straight from the official marker for First United Methodist Church of Waco, so let me tell it right. Now, when you talk about firsts in Waco, you have to start here. The year was 1850, and a man by the name of Reverend Joseph P.

Sneed showed up with twenty-three charter members and they did something that had never been done in the townsite of Waco before. They founded a congregation. The first church the town ever had.

And where did they worship? A log cabin. Corner of Second and Jackson Street.

Nothing fancy, nothing grand, just four walls and faith and twenty-three people who meant it. But here is the part I love. Those Methodists, they didn't keep that log cabin to themselves.

The First Baptist and the First Presbyterian churches, they all shared the building. Three congregations, one cabin. You want to talk about getting along with your neighbors, well, there's your example right there.

Of course, a congregation that starts at Second and Jackson doesn't necessarily stay at Second and Jackson. This fellowship moved not once but twice more before finally settling at Fifth and Jackson Street in 1876. Three locations.

They were committed, I'll tell you that. That Fifth Street congregation kept growing, kept going, and in 1919 it became First Methodist Church. Then, in 1963, the members moved again, to the present site.

From a log cabin on Second and Jackson to where they stand today. Reverend Sneed and those twenty-three charter members planted something in 1850 that Waco is still living inside of.

What the marker says

In 1850 the Rev. Joseph P. Sneed and 23 charter members founded this congregation, the first church in the townsite of Waco. Services were held initially in a log cabin at Second and Jackson Street. The Methodists shared their building with the First Baptist and First Presbyterian churches. This fellowship worshiped at two other locations before moving to Fifth and Jackson Street in 1876. The Fifth Street congregation became First Methodist Church in 1919. The members moved to the present site in 1963.