Edom Methodist Church
Edom, Van Zandt County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Officially organized in 1874 with the Rev. D. L. Lake as first pastor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, South of Edom is believed to have been founded as early as 1859, relocating to this site in the 1920s. A singing school began in 1866 and a Women's Missionary Society was formed by 1914. Church members cultivated a history of worship and service. In 1952, a new brick building replaced earlier wood structures. A fellowship hall and library were added in 1984. Celebrating over 70 years at the same site in 1997, Edom United Methodist Church (renamed in 1968) continues a tradition of community involvement. (1997) Incise on base: Polly L. Martin, Historian
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
The Methodist congregation at Edom traces its worship to the eve of the Civil War and organized formally in 1874 under the Rev. D. L. Lake. A singing school begun in 1866 and a Women's Missionary Society formed by 1914 wove music and outreach into its life, and the fellowship carried on through a succession of wooden and, later, brick sanctuaries. Renamed Edom United Methodist Church in 1968, it marked more than seventy years on the same ground in 1997.
Why it matters
Small rural congregations like Edom's were the social spine of nineteenth-century Texas, binding scattered farm families into a lasting community.
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Related people
- · D. L. Lake
- · Polly L. Martin
Themes & tags
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