1. There are currently six active Methodist churches in Midland.
FALSE
There are currently five churches. First Methodist was the sponsoring church for all the Midland Methodist congregations. Five remain active: First Methodist, St. Luke, St. Mark, St. Paul, and Hollowell. Two have closed: Asbury and El Calvario.
2. The Methodists were the first to erect a sanctuary in Midland.
FALSE
Methodist were the first to attempt to organize as a denomination, but the Baptists erected the first sanctuary in Midland.
3. The stained glass windows along the north sanctuary wall depict four founders of Methodism.
FALSE
Only two of the are Methodists–John Wesley and Frances Asbury. The other two depict St. Paul and Martin Luther.
4. The first handbell program was started in the 1950s for young boys in grades 7-9.
TRUE
The first handbell program was started to provide a musical opportunity for these boys while their voices were changing.
5. Midland Methodists are expected to become perfect.
TRUE
John Wesley stated that Christian perfection is a heart “habitually filled with the love of God and neighbor” and “having the mind of Christ and walking as he walked. This is the goal for all Methodists.
6. The current sanctuary is the third one erected on this site.
TRUE
There have been FOUR sanctuaries for this church, but the first one was built on a different block (near Wall and Main) then moved to this location.
7. The Chrismon Tree we erect each Advent Season is a Methodist tradition that spread to other denominations.
FALSE
The Chrismon Tree tradition began with a Lutheran church in Danville, Virginia.
8. The first contemporary services held by First Methodist took place at the Midland Community Theater.
TRUE
9. One of the pastors appointed to this church was expelled from the Methodist faith during his time here.
TRUE
Walter Spence was expelled in 1897, while serving as pastor in Midland.
10. The current longest organized active adult Sunday school class is the Fellowship Class.
TRUE
The Fellowship Class was organized in 1938.
11. Boy scout troop 152, sponsored by the Methodist Men, was organized in 1939.
FALSE
The troop was organized in December 1947.
12. Only one person has ever served as pastor for First Methodist more than once.
TRUE
Nat Read served as pastor in 1892 and returned in 1906 and 1907.
13. The tenure, or length of service, of Midland pastors changed dramatically after World War II, beginning in 1947.
FALSE
The earliest pastors at the church served single year or two or three year terms until 1954 with the arrival of Timothy Guthrie, who served until 1974 (the longest for any Midland Methodist pastor). Tenures have remained longer than two or three years since that time, often around eight to ten years.
14. The Midland Methodist Church had a parsonage before it had a sanctuary.
FALSE
While the first sanctuary was built in 1889, there was no parsonage until 1898.
15. The chapel contains artifacts from the three previous sanctuaries.
FALSE
The chapel is filled with artifacts from the second and third sanctuaries, but there are no documented artifacts from the original sanctuary in the chapel.
16. The first pipe organ in the church was installed in 1955.
FALSE
The first pipe organ was installed in 1943 with the completion of the third sanctuary.
17. The first church plant by First Methodist Midland was St. Mark’s on North Main.
FALSE
The church plant order was Asbury (1947), St. Mark (1950), El Calvario (1950), St. Luke (1952), Hollowell (1954) and St. Paul (1955).
18. The Boone Bible Class, an adult group organized in 1930, was named in honor of the pioneer Daniel Boone, who was a lifelong Methodist.
FALSE
The Boone Bible Class was organized in 1930 and named in honor of Leslie Boone, who was the pastor in 1929.
19. Descendants of two of the original six Midland church founders still attend First Methodist.
FALSE
No record remains of the names of the original six founders and no one current members claim descent from them.
20. Dr. Tim Walker is the 42nd senior pastor of First Methodist Midland.
TRUE
For many years, of course, there was only a single pastor until the church grew large enough for an associate pastor.