Austin
Avenue
Methodist Church
Location: 1300 Austin Avenue
Designed
by R.H.
Hunt, this Edifice is substantial interpretation of Gothic
Architecture. It was
built in 1925 during the ministry of the Rev. Cullom H. Booth. The
two-story-equivalent brick structure, which rests on a raised basement,
features a prominent Bell Tower. The original tracery detail in the
tower was
removed by the 1940s. The original art glass windows and tracery detail
in the
sanctuary were replaced after a 1954 fire caused extensive damage.
(1990)
Austin
Avenue
United Methodist Church
Location: 1300 Austin Ave; Waco
At
the close of the
nineteenth century, when it was determined that Waco's Fifth Street
Methodist
Episcopal Church, south (now First United Methodist Church) had grown
too
large, its members petitioned the denomination conference of the
organization
of another congregation in Waco. As a result, the quarterly conference
approved
the establishment of Austin Avenue Methodist Church on December 31,
1900. The
Rev. John R. Nelson was appointed to organize the new congregation.
Three lots
were purchased at the corner of Austin Avenue and 12th street for a
church
building. The congregation was officially chartered on December 29,
1901, with
a membership of 81,and a sanctuary was completed in April 1902. The
congregation experienced a steady growth that paralleled that of its
neighborhood. When the first building became too small for the growing
church,
it was sold to Trinity Presbyterian Church, and a New Methodist
structure was
built as Austin Avenue and 13th street. Throughout its History, this
church has
served its community with a variety of outreach programs. It continues
to be an
important part of Waco's history. (1990)
Bosqueville
Baptist Church
Location: Rock Creek Rd. in Bosqueville
The
Rev. S.G.
O'Bryan organized this church in Nov. 1854. Frank Broadus, N.W. Brain,
W.S.Gill, Mr. and Mrs. W.R. and Mrs. S.F. Sparks were charter members.
They met
in a log schoolhouse, and later at Bosqueville College. In 1887 the
Bosque
Masonic Lodge and this church jointly built a meeting house that burned
within
four months. The first sanctuary was completed in 1895; present one in
1917.
One of the oldest rural congregations in McLennan County, this church
has
worshiped without interruption since 1854. (1978)
Bosqueville
Methodist Church
Location: Rock Creek area Bosqueville
Before
organizing in
1853 this congregation met in homes. The following year services were
hled in
the New Oakwood schoolhouse and later in the Bosqueville College. In
1875,
under the leadership of the Rev. W.T. Melgin, the first building was
constructed
on this site, which had been donated by Dr. Warren Wortham. The REv
Mordecai
Yell was among the outstanding circuit riders that served here. The
present
building was finished in 1911-12, under the Pastorate of the Rev. M.H.
Bowden.
In 1953 the educational facilities were added. (1978)
Bruceville
Baptist Church
Location: Corner of Benton and Blume Steets, Bruceville
This
church was
organized as Salem Baptist Church about 1870-71 in the town of
Mastersville.
Early worship services were held in the home of the minister, and in an
arbor.
The church name was changed in 1884 to Mastersville Baptist Church. The
congregation moved 2 miles south to the new railroad town of
Bruceville. In
1896 a sanctuary was built that stood until 1975 when a new church
building was
erected in its place. The church supports many outreach programs in the
U.S.
and in foreign nations, and has served the community for more than 125
years.
(1996)
Canaan
Baptist
Church
- Location: Canaan Church Rd, Crawford
This
Congregation
traces its history to 1891 when Germans in the Prairie Chapel Community
organized a Baptist Church congregation in a local schoolhouse on
property
owned by Heinrich Engleberecht. Forty people became charter members at
the
community meeting. Worship services were held in homes and in
schoolhouse. In
1893 the Rev. Louis Vogt became the Church's first full time Pastor.
The Rev.
J.E. Sydow served as Pastor from 1898 to 1901. In 1894 the congregation
built
as sanctuary at this site on land owned by Engelbrecht; he later
donated the
land to the church. Additional space for Sunday school classes and a
towner and
steeple were added to the original structure in 1928. Throughout the
early
years, all worship services were conducted in the German Language. In
1933
members decided to have English Services were conducted in English.
Instead of
building a new church, members decided to remodel the existing
structure in
1949. Many descendants of original church members worship here along
with
others in the community. (1992)
Central
Christian
Church
Location: 4901 Lakeshore Dr.; Waco
Eighteen
members of
the Disciples of Christ Denomination in Waco began worshiping together
in homes
as early as 1867. In 1870 they became charter members of a congregation
organized under the leadership of the Rev. B.F. Hall, who came to Waco
from
Grayson County at the request of Phoebe Moore and Sallie Skidmore. The
congregation held Baptism services in the Brazos River. A Sunday school
was
organized in 1874,and a church building was erected in 1875. The
congregation
continues to be active in Missionary and community programs. (1988)
Central
Presbyterian Church
Location: 1226 Washington Ave; Waco
This
church was
established as Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Waco by 18 charter
members in
1869. The Rev. William Dillard served as first pastor. Led by the Rev.
D. C.
Kinnard, the congregation built a 2-story brick sanctuary in 1873 which
also
housed the public school in Waco. A frame sanctuary was built here in
1903, and
in 1906 the church was renamed Central Presbyterian Church. The
congregation
built a brick sanctuary with elaborate stained glass windows at this
site in
1921-22. Central Presbyterian Chruch serves the community with a
variety of
programs. Sesquicentennial of Texas Statehood 1845-1995
Chalk
Bluff
Baptist Church
Location: 5993 FM 933; Waco (Chalk Bluff Road)
This
congregation
was established in 1870 as White Rock Baptist Church by members of the
White
Rock community who saw the need for a Baptist church in the vicinity.
The
church was accepted by the Waco Baptist Association in 1871, and the
congregation met at the Union Grove School until 1878. By May of that
year the
group had erected its own structure. A motion to dissolve the church
was made
in 1907, then rescinded in 1908. Materials from the White Rock
structure were
used in the construction of a new church home at Chalk Bluff. The
edifice was
used until it burned in 1934 and a third building was erected. With
more than
300 active members in 1999, the Chalk Bluff Baptist Church continues to
serve
the Waco area with programs of religious worship, missionary work, and
community outreach. (1999)
Church
of the
Assumption
Location: 300 So. Harrison, West
This
congregation
originated as part of earlier church in Martinville (new tours). After
the
Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroad came through the area about 1890,
church
members in west received permission from the Bishop to erect their own
sanctuary in1892. The Rev. John Geleissner served as first Pastor of
the New
Church. Masses were conducted in Latin, but the Czech language was also
used in
services. The original wooden building, destroyed by fire in March
1903, was
replaced by a brick sanctuary that same year. It was replaced by a
third
structure in 1956. (1992)
Columbus
Avenue
Baptist Church
Location: 1300 Columbus Avenue; Waco
On
December 24,
1900, a group of Baptists living in the newly developed north Waco
neighborhood
gathered together at the home of J.T. Strother to discuss the formation
of a
new congregation. With assistance from the first Baptist Church of
Waco, which
granted letters of transfer to twenty-three of its members, the north
Waco
Baptist Church officially began in January 1901. Early worship services
were
held in the second Presbyterian Church and in the YMCA building until
land at
this site was acquired in March 1901. The church was renamed Columbus
Street
Baptist Church. The Rev. R. G. Bowers was called as first Pastor in
may, and a
Small frame sanctuary was erected in October 1901. Continued growth
over the
years led to construction of larger facilities. In 1926 the church when
the
street was renamed. Throughout its history, this congregation has
maintained a
strong community involvement, ministering to the elderly, students,
wartime
soldiers stationed at nearby camps, the deaf, and disadvantaged, as
well as to
mission congregations throughout the city. (1991)
Congregation
Agudath Jacob-
Location: 4928 Hillcrest Ave.; Waco
In
1870, Only fifty
of Waco's 3,618 residents were Jewish. the Hebrew Benevolent
Association and
cemetery of Waco were incorporated in 1873. The association was Waco's
earliest
Jewish community organization. Its purpose was to support local Jewish
settlers. In the early 1880s political unrest in many eastern european
countries led to heavy migration to the United States. consequently.
Waco's
Jewish population grew rapidly. In 1886, fifteen Orthodox Jewish
families
brought Rabbi Samuel Levy to Waco. Two years later, in 1888, Agudath
Jacob,
Waco's first Orthodox Jewish congregation, received its charter. By
that time
the number of Jewish families in Waco had grown to one hundred. Worship
services were conducted in a rented room over a grocery store until
1894, when
the congregation erected a frame synagogue at 624 Columbus Avenue. In
1914 a
new brick synagogue was erected at the site, and Agudath Jacob
membership rose
to fifty families. The congregation included a ladies auxiliary society
and the
Talmud Torah Religious School. In 1923, a hebrew institute was added to
the
Columbus Avenue facility. A new synagogue, which included a social hall
and
classrooms, was built in 1950 at 15th and Jefferson Streets. in 1966,
the
traditional orthodox congregation voted to ally itself with the
conservative
movement. The congregation erected a new synagogue on Hillcrest Drive
in 1972,
and in 1993 added a Hebrew school. Included among the congregation's
longtime
leaders are the Rev. Samuel Levy, who served for 62 years until his
death in
1948; the Rev J. M. Rosenberg, who served as congregation secretary for
27
years, and Rabbi Charles Blumenthal, who served for 18 years. (1999)
Downsville
Baptist Church
Location: FM 434 (8 miles So. Of Waco)
This
congregation
was organized on May 6, 1894, by Elder A.J. Moore and 19 members of the
Robinson Baptist Church (3 miles NW). Later that year 39 year new
members
joined the congregation during a summer revival. A sanctuary and
schoolhouse
were erected here on land deeded by E.J. Webb, W.C. Crunk and Fannie M.
Crunk
in 1896. Over the years a number of church facilities, including a
fellowship
hall, town hall, and Sunday School, have been built at this site. The
church
shares its facilities and religious services with a number of
communities in
the area. (1995)
Eddy
Methodist
Church
Location: 107 and Ausborn, Eddy
In
1868 a congregation
of Methodist living in the Bell and McLennan county region between Elm
and Bull
hide Creeks erected a simple sanctuary at the site of a nearby cedar
log toll
bridge. The Rev. James Peeler, a Waco district Methodist Circuit
preacher,
served the Cedar Bridge Church congregation in 1873. The community of
Eddy,
known as Marvin when first settled about 1880, moved toward the
railroad tracks
extended through this area by the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas Railroad
in1882.
That year a building known as Sage Chapel was relocated from local
rancher
Charles Dunning's Land to Eddy for use by the Methodist and Baptist
Congregation. Eddy Methodist erected a new church building at this site
in
1892. This sanctuary, built in 1912 through the efforts of the Rev.
S.B. Knowles,
is a good example of an Akron plan Church. It features elaborate
German-made
stained glass windows, a stamped metal ceiling, and Prairie School
style
influences such as overhanging eaves with brackets, a hipped roof, and
tower.
Bruceville and Eddy Methodist Churches merged to form the
Bruceville-Eddy
United Methodist Church in 1983. Renovation of the sanctuary in 1993
included
placement of the Bruceville Church Bell in the Belfry. (1993)
First
Baptist
Church of Eddy
Location: Corner of Eagle and Washington St. Eddy
Organized
as Sage
Chapel in 1875,this congregation moved its one-room frame sanctuary two
miles
east to the New town of Eddy in 1882. The church building also served
as a
schoolhouse for the community, and the local Methodist congregation
shared the
facility until New Baptist Sanctuary was dedicated on April 28, 1912,
after two
previous structures were destroyed by fire. This church has grown with
the city
of Eddy and continues to serve the community. (1988)
First
Baptist
Church of Mart
Location: 601 Texas Ave; Mart
The
Rev. Thomas D.
Suttle (1840-1900) and 18 Baptists assembled on April 28, 1878, under a
large
Elm Tree at the present site of Mart City Cemetery (1 mi. SE). There
they organized
the first church in the town of Mart, originally named Willow Springs.
Near the
tree, the fellowship built a church, which also served as a
schoolhouse.
Burials in the adjacent cemetery began in 1880. During the pastorate of
the
Rev. B.F. Tatum (1853-1928), 1889-96 and 1899-1900, membership almost
quadrupled. In 1893 the church moved to Navarro Avenue and in 1906 to
the
present location. (1977)
First
Baptist
Church of Mart
Location: In Mart Cemetery (SE Corner)
In
Jan. 1878 local
Baptists met at H. J.Breland's home to hear to Rev. C.C. Hardwick
preach. Three
months later, on April 28, 1878, eighteen Baptists gathered under a
large Elm
Tree at this site to organize the First Church in the Community of
Willow
Springs, later renamed Mart. The Rev. T.D. Suttle was the first pastor.
Near
the tree, the congregation built a frame church and established a
burial
ground, which became Mart City Cemetery. The church moved from this
site in
1893. (1977)
First
Baptist
Church of McGregor
Location: Corner of 6th and Jackson;
McGregor
This
congregation
traces its origin to the establishment in 1858 of the Onion Creek
Baptist
Church (10 miles SW at present-day Eagle Springs, Coryell County).
Members of
the Onion Creek congregation later organized the Comanche Springs
Baptists
Church. The Rev.John McClain and the Rev. Martin Isbill and about 30
members of
Comanche Springs Baptist Church established the First Baptist Church of
McGregor in1884. The congregation erected its First Church building at
this
site in1886. In 1890 they joined the Waco Baptist Association which met
in
McGregor in 1895 and 1907. By 1911 Sunday School enrollment had grown
to 280
pupils. Successful fund-raising activities begun by The Ladies Aid
Society in
1908 resulted in the building of a new sanctuary in1914. In 1923 the
church
called its first full-time Pastor and in the early 1940s a parsonage
was
constructed. The church grew steadily and by 1960 membership in the
congregation reached 642. A new brick parsonage was built in 1961 and
in 1969 a
new sanctuary was completed. First Baptist Church of McGregor has
historically
supported numerous local, state, national, and international Missionary
activities and a number of community outreach programs and activities.
(1995)
First
Baptist
Church of Moody
Location: 300 Avenue E; Moody
The
First Baptist
Church of Moody was organized in 1855 in the community of Perry (2 mi.
N), with
Elder S.G. O'Bryan serving as first Pastor. Another early Minister, the
Rev.
John McClain, had been present at the church's organization and served
the
congregation for many years. In 1883, two years after the Santa Fe
Railroad
bypassed the town of Perry, the Baptist church moved to this site in
the new
railroad town of moody. The church has ordained several Pastors from
its membership
and has contributed much to the heritage of the surrounding area. (1985)
First
Baptist
Church of Waco
Location: 5th and Webster; Waco
Organized
in 1851 by
the Rev. Noah Byars and Charter Members, the First Baptist Church of
Waco
worshiped in the meetinghouse of the First Methodist Church until their
own
sanctuary was built at fourth and Mary Streets in 1857. It was
destroyed by
fire in 1877 and was replaced by a larger building. The present house
worship
was erected on this site in 1907. Historic figures affiliated with
First
Baptist Church have included five generals of the confederacy, former
Governor
of Texas Pat M. Neff, and Dr. B.H. Carroll, Pastor form 1871 to 1899
and later
founder of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. Dr.
J.M.
Dawson, Pastor from 1915 to 1946, resigned to become the first
executive
director of the Baptist Joint Committee on Public affairs, Washington,
D.C.
From 1886, when Baylor University moved to Waco from Independence,
Texas, the
University and First Baptist Church have enjoyed close association.
Every
Baylor president since 1886 has maintained active membership here. Many
of the
faculty, administration, and student body of Baylor University
traditionally
have provided vital links in the Fellowship. Several Baptists churches
in Waco
owe their origins to former members of this congregation. (1981)
First
Lutheran
Church of Waco
Location: 1008 Jefferson St; Waco
This
congregation
was organized in 1884 to serve Waco's Norwegian population. Originally
known as
the Scandinavian Evangelical Lutheran Ebenezer Congregation, the church
conducted worship services in Norwegian until 1916. In 1917,the name
first
Lutheran Church was adopted, and the frame building used by the
congregation
since 1884 was replaced with Gothic Revival structure. The building
features
Lancet windows and an asymmetrical facade. (1984)
First
Presbyterian Church of Waco -
Location: 1100 Austin Ave.; Waco
Congregation
established in 1855, with 17 members and two ruling elders. This
building was
erected in 1912, after two earlier structures were outgrown. In 74
years,
church had only two ministers: Dr. Samuel A. King, 1863-1903; Dr.
Charles T.
Caldwell, 1903-1937. (1971)
First
United
Methodist of Hewitt
Location: 600 So. First St.; Hewitt
Methodist
settlers
in this area worshiped at Stanford Chapel, organized about 1875 eight
miles
west of Hewitt. Hewitt Baptists and Methodists formed a union Sunday
school in
town sometime before 1895. The Northwest Texas Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal
Church assigned the Rev. Stephen W. Turner to the newly formed Hewitt
circuit
in 1900 and the Hewitt Methodist Church was organized that year.
Stanford
Chapel disbanded in 1912; some of its members joined Hewitt Methodist
Church.
The Stanford Chapel tabernacle was moved to Hewitt in 1922 and used for
summer
revivals for several years. The Hewitt Methodist Church became a full
station
in 1953. Celebrating its centennial in the year 2000, the congregation
counts
among its members descendants of its founding families. (2000)
First
United
Methodist Church of Waco
Location: 4901 Cobbs St.; Waco
In
1850 the Rev.
Joseph P. Sneed and 23 charter members founded this congregation, the
First
Baptists and the First Baptist and the 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
in1919. The members moved to the present site in 1963. (1978)
Harris
Creek
Baptist Church
Location: Hwy 84 and Harris Creek; McGregor area
Worship
services of
the Harris Creek Baptist Church were held for a time in the home of
Aquilla and
Delila Jones. In 1872 the couple gave this 1.6-acre site for
construction of a
church and schoolhouse and for a cemetery. In 1879 the fellowship
joined Leon
River Baptist Association and later Waco Baptist Association. 1928
after a
period of growth a new sanctuary was erected during the pastorate of
the Rev.
Kermit Melugin. Methodist congregation shared the facility from 1932
until
1960. A new brick auditorium was dedicated in 1977. (1979)
Hewitt
Baptist
Church
Location: 301 So. First St.; Hewitt
This
congregation
was organized on November 4, 1894, by 20 local members of White Hall
Baptist Church
(5 mi. NW) with the help of White Hall Pastor J.B. Reaves, and the Rev.
J.L.
Ward and the Rev.J.W. Thomas. Hewitt Baptist joined the Waco Baptist
Association and built a sanctuary here in 1895. The 1895 church
building was
destroyed in a 1924 storm and replaced with a larger facility. Due to
steady
growth in its membership new worship centers were built here in 1959
and in
1988. Hewitt Baptist Church sponsors a variety of ministries and
continues its
historic role in the community. (1994)
Lorena
United
Methodist Church
Location: Corner of Borden and Bettie St.; Lorena
This
church was
organized in 1881 under the Rev. E.R. Barcus as Pastor. The
congregation met at
first in the Baptist Church building. Trustees Herbert J. Hudson, A.J.
Pool,
and H.C. Williams bought the site and supervised the construction of
the
sanctuary in 1886. It owes its distinctive architecture to plans that
came form
the home church of trustee Hudson, a native of Cambridge, England. A
very
devout Methodist Layman, Hudson came to Lorena in 1877 and operated a
store and
private bank. Bishop A.W. Wilson dedicated the fine original church in
1886.
Asphalt shingles have replaced the wooden roof; Louvers that attracted
nesting
birds have been removed from the tower; and there have been other
alterations.
Stained glass windows now enhance the structure. A classroom annex
erected in
1922 was joined to the sanctuary by another unit in 1950. The later
additions
have been in the style adopted in 1886. The annex is open to many
public gatherings,
as the congregation takes an interest in the Civic life of Lorena.
Besides the
successive Pastors, leaders in the work of this church have included
members of
the Hath, Holvey, Hooper, Rucker, Staford and Stanford, and Stewart
families.
(1976)
Meier
Settlement
Methodist Church
Reisel
Founded
in 1887 by
members of the Methodist Congregation in nearby Perry, this church
first was
known as the Zion Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Construction of A
Sanctuary began on March 5, 1887. With a membership made up of German
Immigrants, the congregation conducted all worship services in German
until
1922. The church building was used as a public schoolhouse for a time,
with the
Pastors serving as teachers. In 1915 the name was changed to Meier
Settlement
Methodist church. It continues to serve the community.
Moody
United
Methodist Church
Location: Corner of 6th and Church
St; Moody
This
congregation
grew from an 1855 union church organized in the pioneer settlement of
Perry (2
mi. NE). When the Santa Fe Railroad was laid through central Texas in
1881, the
town of Moody grew up along its tracks, and many of the residents of
Perry
moved to the new railroad town. The Rev. J.W. Tremble became the first
part-time minister for the small group of Methodists who had come from
the
Perry Union Church. The first sanctuary was built on fourth street in
1884. The
congregation has worshiped at this site since 1956. (1984)
New Hope
Baptist
Church
Location: 915 N. 6th St.; Waco
In
the years before
1865, some blacks in Waco worshiped at the city's First Baptist Church.
In 1866
the congregation's pastor, Baylor University President Dr. Rufus
Burleson with
the Rev.S.G. O'Bryan and Dr. Richard Burleson, organized a black church
with 18
members. It was named the New Hope Baptist Church by its first pastor,
the Rev.
Stephen Cobb. During its early years congregation held services in an
old
foundry, at the Howard institute, and in a building shared with a local
Methodist Church. One of the oldest black Baptist churches in Waco, the
congregation has met at this site since 1923. (1983)
Patton
Baptist
Church
Location: Hwy 317; North of Crawford (Old Patton Community)
The
Walnut Grove
Baptist Church of Christ was organized in 1872 a few miles south of
this site. Richard
Simpson gave land for a public school in 1878, and early worship
services were
thought to have been held in the school building. At a meeting in 1889
the name
of the congregation was changed to Patton Baptist Church. Simpson gave
land at
this site for a church building in 1897. For many years the church has
been the
site of revivals, worship services, and family reunions. The
congregation meets
on a regular basis and continues to serve its community. (1988)
St James
United
Methodist Church
Location: 600 So. 2nd; Waco
One
of Waco's oldest
churches, St. James Methodist Church was organized in 1874 by Father
Anderson
Brack (d. 1905). From the first worship services, conducted in a house
near the
Brazos river that served as a school for the black community, the
congregation
built several sanctuaries before completing work on this building in
1924.
Designed in a modified Gothic Revival style, it features decorative
brickwork,
pointed arch windows, an octagonal towers. For over a century the
congregation of
St. James has been active in Missionary work, community service
education.
(1986)
St John
United
Church of Christ
Location: Shamrock Dr and Hwy 77; Robinson
German
native Herman
Staas, who settled her in 1882, was instrumental in persuading other
Germans to
migrate to the Robinson area. In 1884 the pioneers established this
congregation under the leadership of the Rev. Christian Schaer of Waco.
Services were held in homes and in the Presbyterian Sanctuary until the
first
building was completed in 1890. The first resident Pastor here was the
Rev.
John Strauss, who served from 1900 to 1940. Although the last German
service
was conducted in 1959, the church continues to reflect the ideals and
traditions of its founders. (1983)
St Luke
African
Methodist Episcopal Church
Location: Church and Taylor St.; Waco
According
to oral
tradition, this congregation began in 1886 as an evening Sunday school
that met
on Elm Street. The Rev. Charlie Gipson served as first pastor. A church
building was constructed in 1906, during the pastorate of the Rev. L.M.
Holmes,
and the congregation has worshiped at the current site since about
1920. Early
Pastor E.J. Howard was elected Bishop of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church
in 1936. Over the years, St. Luke A.M.E. church has provided a
significant
source of service and leadership to Waco's black community. (1986)
St
Pauls Church
of Gerald
Location: Off Hwy 308; Gerald
German
Farmers began
settling in this region in the late 1880s. For many years, they
worshiped in
the schoolhouse. Gerald Post Office was opened in 1888. The town had a
blacksmith shop, general store, drugstore, and cotton gin by 1900. In
that year
16 men organized St. Paul's Evangelical Congregation. Chris Schuetz
provided
two acres in 1903 for a church that stood on this site until 1937, when
the
present structure was built. As the international Great Northern
Railroad
Bypass Gerald in 1901, a decline soon began. This church still serves a
large
rural area and marks the former town site. (1979)
(Former
Site) St.
Peters Church
Location: Cemetery Rd (1.5 Mi W. of Main St); West
Before
a
congregation was officially organized in 1884, a meetinghouse was built
on this
land owned by Jacob Closner. Under the Rev. Christian Schaer in
September,
1887, eight German families started St. Peter's Church, Evangelical.
Soon
Closner deeded these ten acres for use as a church and burial ground.
In 1949 a
new structure was completed. St. Peter's joined the First Presbyterian
Church
of West in 1966 forming the First United Church. The building at this
location
was sold in 1977 and the property retained for use as a cemetery. (1979)
Second
Baptist
Church
Location: 1205 M.L. Cooper Dr.; Waco
On
December 7, 1879,
twenty-one members of the New Hope Baptist Church, located on the north
side of
Waco, organized this congregation to serve the needs of the black
community in
the southern part of town. Originally known as the Second Colored
Baptist
Church, the fellowship was begun during the last days of Reconstruction
when
many blacks were leaving former slave states for other parts of the
country.
Worship services were held in a one-room building on Canal Street until
1882,
when the congregation moved to property on First Street. Financial
hardships
and a 1922 fire that destroyed the sanctuary plagued the members of
Second
Baptist Church after they relocated to South Second Street (later named
M.L.
Cooper Drive) in 1896. Despite such setbacks, the congregation
continued to
grow and was able to provide for the spiritual needs of the community.
Throughout its history the church has supported outreach and missionary
programs. A member of the Missionary Baptist General Convention of
Texas and
the National Baptist Convention of America, Second Baptist Church has
served as
a focal point for Waco's black community for more than 100 years. (1983)
Seventh
&
James Baptist Church
Location: 602 James Ave; Waco
On
June 26, 1898, a
group of Waco Baptist formed a new congregation called Third Street
Baptist
Church. The Rev. William D. Bowen became their pastor in July 1898.
Bowen gave
the opening sermon in the church's first building in June 1899. In 1903
the
congregation relocated to this site and became known as Seventh and
James
Baptist Church. A larger building was erected in 1906; facilities were
altered
as needed. The church claims a global extended family of Baylor
University
students, and many of its church pastors have served as professors of
religion
at Baylor. Seventh and James Baptist Church continues to uphold the
traditions
of its founders. (1998)
Shiloh
Baptist
Church
Location: FM 185 and Shiloh Church Road; Crawford
On
May 17, 1884,
five people gathered in Bellview Schoolhouse to organize Shiloh
Missionary
Baptist Church. The congregation initially met only once a month, with
meetings
lasting two or three days. Most of the early pastoral leadership came
from
among the membership. The church has always been located along Hog
Creek,
meeting for a time in a brush arbor at Blue Hole. Many baptisms were
held in
the creek. The congregation took its present name in 1890 and moved to
this
location in 1892. The Sunday school program was started that year.
(1984)
Speegleville
Baptist Church
429 Speegle Rd; Speegleville
Founded
in the home
of early settler and community namesake Israel Washington Speegle, this
historic congregation formally organized in 1850 as Pleasant Grove
Baptist
Church. It was renamed Speegleville Baptist Church after the members
joined
with Greenwood Baptist Church in 1883. Part-time pastors and dedicated
lay
members have led the congregation throughout its history. Sunday
School, a
summer revival with baptisms in Speegleville Creek, music, worships and
community outreach are counted among the ministries and programs of the
Speegleville church. The congregation has relocated over the years to
accommodate the building and enlargement of Lake Waco. (2001)
Wesley
Chapel
United Methodist Church
Off 933; go ½ mi on FM 1858, then Wesley Chapel
Rd; Gholson
In
1873, during the
height of the Reconstruction Era following the Civil War, Methodist
families in
the vicinity of Gholson met to organize a church. Services were first
held in
log schoolhouse near the cemetery. After it burned, members met in the
new
schoolhouse until a sanctuary was completed on this site in 1891. The
land,
located one mile north of the schoolhouse where the church began, was
donated
by Frank and Lucy Sparks. A focal point of Gholson since 1873, Wesley
Chapel
continues to reflect the goals and ideals of its founders. (1988)
West
Brethren
Church
Location: 901 N. Marable; West
Czech
immigrants
began settling in this area of McLennan County about 1875. Early
families
included those of Josef Masek and John Foit. They attended St. Peter's
Evangelical Church, founded and attended by German settlers, until the
Rev.
Henry Juren began conducting services in the Czech Moravian Brethren
tradition.
At his first service in 1888, the Rev. Mr. Juren baptized infant H. E.
Beseda,
who later became a minister himself. The Rev. Adolph Chlumsky formally
organized the West Brethren Church in June 1892. He traveled from his
farm in
Brenham by railroad about six times a year to conduct services. A choir
was
active from the congregation's early days, as were the youth of the
church. The
Krestanske Sestry (Christian Sisters) was organized in 1893 with 26
members. In
1894, church trustees bought three acres east of town and built a
church for
one thousand dollars and donated labor. The building was dedicated in
1896.
There were about fifty communicants by the turn of the 20th century.
Among them
were families named Adam, Barton, Beseda, Foit, Hegar, Janek, Kudelka
and
Svacek. The Mutual Aid Society of the Brethren Church organized in
1905. Mrs.
Anna Urbanovsky donated a tract of land for a cemetery in 1908. The
church
building was severely damaged in a 1919 windstorm. It was replaced in
1920 and
served until July 1956, when it was replaced by a modern brick facility
with sanctuary
seating 220, a large fellowship hall and ten classrooms. A part of the
community
for more than a century, West Brethren Church continues to offer a
variety of
worship and educational programs. (2000)
Youngblood
Memorial
Presbyterian Church Location: 200 Old Robinson Rd; Robinson
(Robinsonville
Presbyterian Church) Established in 1874, this was the second church in
Robinsonville (later Robinson). The Rev. Samuel King and 21 other
former
members of the First Presbyterian Church of Waco organized the
Robinsonville
Presbyterian Church on December 4. The Rev. Mr. King served until
August 1876.
Twenty-five members joined in five days that year. By late 1877, the
congregation had 71 members. They met in the local schoolhouse until a
building
was erected in 1878. Membership declined in the 20th century; by 1942,
the
membership was again twenty-one. The Sunday School reorganized in 1946.
Two
community benefactors gave the funding for a new building in 1956 in
honor of
their mothers, Maude (Edwards) Britain and Emma (Mote) Youngblood. It
was
renamed Youngblood Memorial that year. The congregation continues in
the
traditions of its founders. (1999)
Zion
Lutheran
Church
Location: 503 So. Tyler; McGregor
Many
of the people
responsible for the establishment of this Lutheran congregation were
German
immigrants who entered Texas primarily through the Port of Galveston
and
migrated to the rich farmland of Central Texas. As early as 1890,
families
began meeting informally in homes for worship services conducted in the
German
language. In 1892, the growing congregation built and dedicated the
Evangelical
Lutheran Zions Church southeast of McGregor. By 1921, the
congregation had
outgrown the facility and hired a San Antonio architect to design a
larger
church building at this site. The new Gothic-influenced church was
completed
and dedicated in 1922. By 1946, the congregation discontinued German
language
worship services. In 1947, the church's name was changed to
Zions Evangelical
Lutheran Church, though it is commonly known as Zion Lutheran Church.
Zion
Lutheran Church has served as a place of cultural as well as spiritual
renewal
for the community throughout its history, and has focused its efforts
on
helping to establish mission congregations. (1992)
Zion
United
Church of Christ
Location: 6347 S. IH 35; Waco
First
mission
congregation of the Evangelical Church in Texas. Initial services were
held for
German-speaking people of Waco by The Rev. Friederich Werning
(1843-1931) in
Presbyterian Church. Frame structure built on this site in 1882 was
replaced in
1914 (for $10,000) by present church. Use of German ceased in 1931 when
members
were using English in homes. The denominational affiliation of
congregation has
been determined by mergers in which Evangelical and Reformed Church
and, later,
the United Church of Christ were created. (1972)