First Methodist Church of Lubbock
Lubbock, Lubbock County, Texas
Marker Inscription
This congregation traces its history to 1892, when circuit riding minister R .M. Morris and 12 charter members organized the Lubbock Methodist Church. Early worship services were held in the schoolhouse and the Lubbock County Courthouse. In 1900 the Rev. T. W. Sharp became the city's first resident Methodist pastor. The church's first sanctuary, built in 1904, was destroyed by a 1917 fire. The congregation built larger structures over the years to accommodate its growing membership and programs, which include missionary activities and educational services. (1992)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
This Methodist congregation dates to 1892, when circuit-riding minister R.M. Morris and twelve charter members organized a church in the fledgling town of Lubbock. Early services met in the schoolhouse and county courthouse before the arrival of the city's first resident Methodist pastor in 1900 and the building of a first sanctuary in 1904. As Lubbock grew into the hub of the South Plains, the church rebuilt and expanded to keep pace.
Why it matters
The congregation's growth mirrors the rapid settlement and rise of Lubbock as the agricultural and civic center of the Texas South Plains at the turn of the twentieth century.
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Related people
- · R.M. Morris
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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