History of Methodist Church in La Feria, Texas
The history of the Methodist Church actually began with the settlement of La Feria in 1909. The Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian and Christian churches all worshipped together for many years… The town’s pool hall and beer parlor on Main Street was used for meetings at first. In 1912, Rev. J.D. Dorsey, pastor of the Harlingen Methodist Church, made trips to La Feria to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to an increasing congregation. Rev. Dorsey made the fifteen mile trip in a buggy over a trail through the brushland which ran North from Harlingen, rounded the shore of Tio Cano Lake and then southwest to La Feria which in Spanish was The Fair for the three day celebration held every year.
In 1913, a one-room school building was built on Main Street and was used for the town’s church on Sunday. Rev. Dorsey was still inspiring the congregation to do the work of the Lord. That same year he collected signed pledges for the construction of La Feria’s first church… Thus, the first real church was erected in La Feria in 1914 and was a Union Church where people of different faiths worshipped. The building, a frame one, was on the site of the First United Methodist Church today. It was a landmark in the community for some thirty-six years…
The first parsonage was built in the fall of 1921. It later became the education building and functioned as such until 1948 when it was sold and moved to Elsa, Texas to be used as the Mexican American Methodist Church…
By 1945 there was discussion about a new church building… The education building was to be constructed first, followed by the sanctuary… The building was almost completed when a freeze came in January 1949. The building program stopped and the men were laid off… The fellowship hall became the sanctuary for the present… Soon after the old church was sold in order to erect a $56,000 stone church. Debts were paid and money was raised to continue the building program… Work was done slowly a little at a time. The worship window was placed in 1950.
In the late 1990’s, for several years, the NOMADS visited the church for weeks at a time and refurbished many areas of both the church and parsonage.
In 2006 the church Annex was purchased, providing much needed office and meeting space as well as a youth room. Throughout our 100 year history of serving God in the La Feria community, the church has continuously strived to be a place for finding and growing in Christ. May God continue to bless our efforts to be a blessing.