La Vernia United Methodist Church

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, in my own words. Way out in Wilson County, there's a congregation with roots that go deep, and I mean deep, into the Texas soil. We're talking 1853 deep.

That's when the earliest services of this church were held near here, at a place called Bethesda, led by a man named Reverend J. S. McGee.

Now McGee was a circuit rider, which means he wasn't the kind of preacher who waited for the flock to come to him. He went to the flock, saddle and scripture, moving from settlement to settlement. That's how faith worked on the frontier.

You brought it with you. Then the years rolled on, and in 1876, La Vernia Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was formally organized, with Reverend John E. Vernor serving as pastor.

A proper congregation now, with a name and a leader. Only one problem. Nowhere to meet.

So by tradition, and I love that the marker says by tradition, the Masonic Hall opened its doors and housed the services. That went on until 1881, when the trustees had finally had enough of borrowing space. They bought this very site and put up a church building of their own.

Now here's where the story takes a turn. Five years after that building went up, a storm came through and destroyed it. Just like that.

Gone. But this congregation was not the giving-up kind. They built again.

The present church was raised in 1887, standing right here, and it has been standing ever since. And the story doesn't end there. In 1970, the Post Oak Methodist Church, eighty-five years old at the time and located nine miles to the northeast, was merged with La Vernia.

Two congregations, one roof, and a shared history stretching back generations. To this day, this church also controls Post Oak Cemetery. Some places hold the living.

Some hold the memory of the living. This one does both.

What the marker says

Earliest services of this church were held near here, at Bethesda, in 1853 by The Rev. J. S. McGee, a circuit rider. In 1876, La Vernia Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was organized with The Rev. John E. Vernor as pastor. By tradition the Masonic Hall housed services until 1881. Then trustees bought this site and erected a church building, which was destroyed by a storm five years later. Present church was built in 1887. The 85-year-old Post Oak Methodist Church (9 mi. NE) was merged with La Vernia in 1970. This church controls Post Oak Cemetery. (1976)