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The church began on July 23rd 1890 when Mr and Mrs W.v DeVault and Mrs B.H
DeVault deeded the ground to the Church. The lumber for the Church was cut from
DeVault Land.The DeVaults had to cross the river by boat to attend Church.The
older members said the preacher only came to the Church, once a month.Some of
the oldest records show an offering of $2.31 for 106 persons present..there are
records of votings to buy brooms for 25 cents and lamp oil for 10 cents. The
janitor recieved $1.00 a month and the duties included building the, fire for
Church services. Sunday school rooms and a furnace room in the basement were
added in the early 1930s, the men built the rooms and the women provided meals,
for the workers. The Sunday school rooms did not have heat in the winter, so
when it was too cold to hold classes with your coat on, members moved back to
the sanctuary for classes. In 1931 under Pastor Harmon, there is a notation of a
4 week revival netting 57 new members ..Baptisms were held in the river behind
the Ford and Tyree houses. All Baptismal candidates joined hands and waded out
into the water. The decision to build a parsonage was made in 1950,and after 1
1/2 years of work it was finished and dedicated in 1951. Due to the Church's
labor and fund raising of $12,000 the parsonage was built for a total of $4,800.
At the time, one of the major decisions was whether to put in a bathtub, since
most of the members did'nt have one in their own homes. The education building
and renovations to the parsonage, including new windows and a carport, were
added under the nine year ministry of Ivan Misamore. again the people came
through with donations and free labor, making the renovations possible and
affordable. The new Church building was contracted in 1967. Since then we've
added the belfry, porch, air conditioning, paved parking area and, most
recently, the new central heat and air conditioning, and handicap accessable
ramp and handrails. Austin Springs has been on a charge with as many as 7
Churches, and has spent many years as a station Church...Over 50 ministers have
served the Church since its inception in 1890..Lon Moneyhun went on to become a
District Superintendent,, Roger Hilton was a member who later became a minister
and went on to become a district Superintendent also...Austin Springs' Original
deed States the land is to be used for a Church, A place of Divine Worship for
the use of ministry and membership of the Methodist Church", And we have kept
that faith for over 115 years........
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