History
Things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.Psalm 78:3-4
The Lexington United Methodist Church dates back to the early 1800’s when Rev. Jefferson Shook moved to Texas after his father received a total of 320 acres of land in Galveston County. Reverend Shook was originally from Hempstead County, Arkansas where he and his three brothers were ordained to preach early Methodism in Texas.
His nephew, John Wesley Shook, moved to Pearl, Coryell County Texas in 1875. He and his wife opened their house for the organization of the Methodist Church. Wesley was ordained in 1887 and traveled from community to community on horseback carrying a hand written hymn book. “With a gun in one hand and a Bible in the other, he brought comfort and cheer to many lonely men and women.” (Mears, Scrapbook of Coryell County). Many of the beautiful hymns we sing in church every week were derived from the hand-written book Wesley carried with him during these times.
During the time of the establishment of the Lexington Methodist Church, there were 4 other Methodist Churches in the area. Reverend Shook also erected the Liberty Methodist Episcopal Church to the South during the 1850’s. This church was disbanded during the 1930’s and the congregation joined the Lexington Church.
The Tanglewood Methodist Episcopal was a small church which was erected in the 1930’s. Due to a population decline when the Tanglewood School merged with the Lexington School, the church was disbanded. The land and church were sold with the profits going to the Lexington Methodist Church.
The Early Chapel Congregation was also established in the 1850’s, but due to a decline in membership, the congregation voted to move to the Lexington church in 1927.
Reverend Jacob Ott established the German Methodist Church in 1882, which was disbanded and merged with the Lexington Methodist Church in 1939.
During the late 1900’s, the Blue United Methodist Church was erected in Blue, just west of Lexington. This church and its congregation remains a sister church still today.
Though faced with many changes through the last 150 years, the Lexington United Methodist Church still remains a steadfast beacon in the community.