Stevens Chapel UMC

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to honor every word. Way out in Fayette County, in the town of Schulenburg, there's a congregation that has been gathering together for over a century, and their story is one worth slowing down for. This is Stevens Chapel United Methodist Church, one of the oldest African American churches in Schulenburg, and the road that got them here runs straight through some of the hardest chapters Texas ever lived.

It was 1893. Segregation was the law of the land, and in that climate, the African American community of Schulenburg did something quietly powerful. They created a place to worship.

They put it on Eilers Street, and they called it Stephen Methodist Church. The Reverend Bank Stephen stepped up as the first pastor, and a congregation took root. Now, roots don't always stay put.

The church moved, found itself on Wolters Avenue, and in 1939, under the leadership of the Reverend T.H. Bryant, it was rebuilt. A new structure rising up, the congregation carrying on.

Then came 1968, and a merger, and with that merger came a new name: Stevens Chapel United Methodist Church. The building itself is worth a look if you find yourself passing through. A front-gabled frame building, a modified rectangular floor plan, with additions added on the rear as the years went by.

A building that grew because the people inside it kept showing up. And they're still showing up. The church, which is no longer segregated, continues to foster good relationships with the community in the surrounding area.

Over a century of gathering, and they're still at it. That's not a footnote. That's the whole story.

What the marker says

Meeting together for over a century, Stevens Chapel UMC is one of the oldest African American churches in Schulenburg. In 1893, during a time of segregation, the African American community created a place to worship on Eilers Street named Stephen Methodist Church. The Reverend Bank Stephen was the first pastor. The church moved to Wolters Avenue and was rebuilt in 1939 under the leadership of the Reverend T.H. Bryant. After a merger in 1968, the church became known as Stevens Chapel United Methodist Church. The front-gabled frame building features a modified rectangular floor plan with subsequent rear additions. The church, which is no longer segregated, continues to foster good relationships with the community in the surrounding area. (Recorded Texas Historic Landmark 2022)