The FirstChurch Story

Our roots can be traced to 1846, when Dallas was just a village where Methodist preachers would stop for worship while riding the circuit. The congregation met at three previous locations in the then-small town before the Trinity Methodist and First Methodist congregations combined in 1916. That combined congregation benefited from Dallas’ rapid growth – now there was critical mass to establish a house of worship for the new, burgeoning city center. While WWI made fundraising challenging, the generosity of a membership more than 2,000 strong made it possible to lay the cornerstone on a new church at the corner of Harwood and Ross in October 1921.

The first service at First Methodist Church was held on February 7, 1926; while in those days churches referred to their worship area as a “main auditorium”, our beautiful place of worship was called a “sanctuary.” One can see why when visiting our historic sanctuary today.

After more than 90 years in the heart of downtown, we have grown and evolved alongside the city that surrounds us, and lives are still impacted, changed and influenced here. In fact, it’s our sense of history and tradition that allows us to move fearlessly forward. We’re situated in the heart of our city for such a time as this, and we’re honored to work daily toward our own spiritual development and that of others, toward a thriving and inclusive Dallas, and toward a world free from poverty and hate. Our greatest charge is not just to believe in God, but to serve as living examples of God’s presence and grace in the world.