H.R. No. 766
R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The congregation of the First United Methodist
1-2 Church, formerly known as Mt. Calm Methodist Church, recently
1-3 celebrated a significant milestone in its rich history with the
1-4 dedication of a historical marker commemorating the church's role
1-5 as an integral part of the community since 1862; and
1-6 WHEREAS, The town of Mt. Calm was established in the 1850s
1-7 when settlers, attracted by the rich black soil and rolling
1-8 prairies of the region, began moving into the northwestern corner
1-9 of Limestone County; the social power of the church and its
1-10 ministry was very important to the raw frontier and its preachers,
1-11 who were in the forefront of the temperance and education
1-12 movements, met an important social need for pioneer families; and
1-13 WHEREAS, The church was organized under the auspices of the
1-14 Methodist Episcopal Church, South, Texas Conference, in the
1-15 Springfield District, which had been serving area churches since
1-16 its founding in 1848; early accounts of the congregation's
1-17 establishment were lost when records in Limestone County and the
1-18 Springfield District were destroyed by fire, so the first tangible
1-19 proof of its existence is linked to the establishment of the Mt.
1-20 Calm Masonic Lodge, whose members erected a two-story building in
1-21 1861 to be used for school and church services; and
1-22 WHEREAS, Pastor Andrew Davis was the first circuit preacher
1-23 to serve the congregation, in 1862, and another minister who was
1-24 teaching and residing in Mt. Calm during its formative years was
2-1 J. G. Hardin, the father of Texas gunman John Wesley Hardin; and
2-2 WHEREAS, In 1871, Mt. Calm Methodists were served by a supply
2-3 pastor, R. O. Brazelton; it was an exciting time of growth for the
2-4 community and when the Texas and St. Louis Railroad constructed its
2-5 tracks, missing the town by two miles, Old Mt. Calm, as it became
2-6 known, relocated in a move that placed it in Hill County rather
2-7 than Limestone County; and
2-8 WHEREAS, The Methodist congregation moved with the town,
2-9 erecting its first church building shortly thereafter through the
2-10 generosity of E. T. Nichels, Ed Bailey, J. C. Blackburn, and F. G.
2-11 Rogers; this edifice was later torn down and rebuilt in 1906 at a
2-12 more convenient location for local churchgoers; and
2-13 WHEREAS, Within the space of four short years, the church had
2-14 already established a Sunday School, the Epworth League, and the
2-15 Woman's Home Mission Society, and they continued to add many
2-16 important ministries to the church until 1950, when the church was
2-17 destroyed by fire; and
2-18 WHEREAS, Rallying in the face of adversity, the faithful
2-19 followers of the congregation completed a new building, which was
2-20 dedicated on June 17, 1951, and has continued to serve the church
2-21 well throughout the ensuing years; miraculously, two ledgers of the
2-22 church that span its history from 1906-1950 were saved from the
2-23 fire and make mention of Lawrence Fergurson, Mattie Fergurson, and
2-24 W. D. Jones, some of whose descendants remain with the congregation
2-25 of their forebears today; and
2-26 WHEREAS, In 1968, the Evangelical United Brethren Church
2-27 joined with the Methodist Church to become the present United
3-1 Methodist Church, and today its congregation is situated in the
3-2 United Methodist Church, Central Texas Conference, of the Waco
3-3 District; and
3-4 WHEREAS, The church's dedicated pastor, Reverend Bruce E.
3-5 Carpenter, serves both the Mt. Calm and Hubbard communities, and
3-6 played a prominent role in the church's centennial celebration,
3-7 which was held on October 3, 1993, to commemorate Mt. Calm's many
3-8 years of service as a place of worship; and
3-9 WHEREAS, For more than a century, the First United Methodist
3-10 Church has remained attuned to the changing needs of the community
3-11 it serves and its presence has had a profound impact on the lives
3-12 of many people; the church stands today as a tribute to the
3-13 dedication and hard work of its members, past and present, who have
3-14 always devoted their time, energy, and financial resources to
3-15 ensure its continued existence as a house of God; now, therefore,
3-16 be it
3-17 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
3-18 Legislature hereby congratulate Reverend Bruce E. Carpenter and the
3-19 members of First United Methodist Church on the dedication of a
3-20 historical marker honoring the church's unique history; and, be it
3-21 further
3-22 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-23 prepared for First United Methodist Church as an expression of high
3-24 regard by the Texas House of Representatives.