First Church Observes Dual Anniversary
by Katy Kiser
As we approach the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001, we all remember where we were the day the United States experienced the first successful attack on home soil. As the World Trade Center Twin Towers were brought down by two airplanes, the Pentagon was hit and a fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania, the world was stunned. While individual citizens recall that fateful day, so will the members of First United Methodist Church Carrollton who gathered within hours, coming together in their sanctuary to pray for their country, the families who had lost loved ones as well as those whose lives would be impacted by the attack for years to come. Like churches all over the country, they began to prepare for those who would seek their sanctuary for support and help in understanding what had happened.
This September 11, the members of FUMC Carrollton will not only remember the 10th anniversary of 9/11, they will also remember 110 years of ministry of their church. As one member put it, it will be a solemn day of remembrance but also a day of celebrating the history and impact of a church on the lives of individuals, the community, the country and indeed the world which has had and continues to have a far reaching influence for good. As they describe themselves, “First Church is a community of faith, hope, and love, pursuing intimacy with God, transformation through Christ, and compassion for the world.”
Much of the church’s history is intertwined with the history of the Carrollton community. Like so many churches in the Dallas area, the roots of FUMC go back to the very earliest gatherings of Christians in what was known as outdoor camp meetings. One of the first and most well attended was held in the White Rock Lake area around 1885. Those meetings would be held for days and the people from the Carrollton area would travel a fair distance to attend. By the early 1900’s camp meetings and revivals were held in Carrollton. It was after one of these brush arbor meetings in August of 1901 that around 16 Methodists agreed to move their membership to Carrollton and a Methodist society was organized. They met in the attic of a store on the square until in 1902 when four lots on the corner of College Avenue (Belt Line) and Jackson were purchased. By 1903 a 30 by 50 foot building with an extra tall steeple was completed. It became affectionately known as “Old Union.” The church would be rebuilt and then moved two more times before it came to its present location on Hebron Parkway.
Today, First Church is rich in worship, Bible study, and service opportunities as a visit to their website firstchurch.net attests. Over the years, First Church has provided ministry to seniors, singles, the hearing impaired, and immigrants from Southeast Asia, Mexico and Latin America- just to highlight a few. The church has had a rich history of community involvement and outreach. In 1930 when the public school turned its auditorium into class rooms – most likely due to constraints brought on by the depression - the church’s sanctuary and large basement were used for many school functions including Commencement and Baccalaureate services. First Church is home to the oldest Boy Scout troop in the area. Troop 121 has enjoyed a 61 year history of active service and leadership to this community and the scouting program as their many honors and awards demonstrate.
The church also has served the community with child care since 1971 when the church began a Mother’s Day Out program which eventually grew into First Place Ministries. It is their belief that learning begins with children at a very early age and that the people and experiences associated with them throughout their early years should be positive and productive, encouraging and uplifting. Carrollton Christian Academy is a ministry of the church which has a long history dating back to the 1970’s. Carrollton Christian Academy has been featured in the Dallas Morning News as one of the fastest growing, best value schools in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. The school is not just about growth but rather building future leaders through Christ-centered academics, arts, and athletics, who choose character before career, wisdom beyond scholarship, service before self, and participation as a way of life.
Caring for and educating children does not stop at the doors of the church. Among many ministries, the church is particularly proud of the “Sidewalk Sunday School” program where members minister to the underprivileged children & their families of the Carrollton – North Dallas area, on Saturday mornings. The love of Christ is shared through a fun & interactive “Sunday School experience” – taking the love of Jesus to the actual sidewalks of our community.
First Church will also celebrate a long history of commitment to people beyond their community. Sharing the love of Christ with the world has been a priority that goes back to their early days and has been a particular emphasis for the last thirty years. Their members have visited and served in many countries on five continents. In 2011 alone, they will take trips to India, Cambodia, Colombia, England, Germany and Romania. It is their goal for every member to participate in at least one short or long term trip. The church is proud of the members who have become full time missionaries. They are currently building churches in Cambodia and an orphanage in India.
September 11 will be a day to remember more than the tragedy of ten years ago. It will be a time to revere the country, our communities, our churches, and people who came together in unity, perseverance, and purpose to rise above a great loss. They committed to build and not tear down as they faced the realities of a post 9/11 world. First Church Carrollton will do all this and more. They will also celebrate the higher reality of 110 years committed service that transcends even the worst tragedies as they endeavor to implement their denominational mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
