"The church is people worshipping and working together. Ever since Protestant families came to Bandera in the late 1850's, people have worshipped adn worked together. They first gathered in a Sunday School organized by Daniel Rugh in his home in 1860. He gathered the people together and built an altar which he carried in his wagon, with his family, to the places where the Methodists worshipped before they had a building. One of these places was the old Blacksmith Shop of Henry Stevens. This building had a dirt floor. Later they met in a lumber building at a corner of Main and Cedar Streets. The altar was also carried to a brush arbor which was located across Hackberry Street from the location of the present church. Of course, meeting under the arbor was limited to times of good weather. When the first Methodist preacher, Rev. John Wesely DeVilbiss came to Bandera, the people were ready to think about organizing a formal church."
And the work has continued to this day. The following paragraph was taken from a booklet that contains much of the history of our 140 year-old congregation. As part of our Methodist Christian heritage our church continually looks to find ways to live in love and faith with members and friends, and reach out to our community with the message of hope and salvation through Christ Jesus.
All are welcome to participate in any worship, fellowship, outreach or education activity. Please feel free to call our office for more information about any program you have questions about or to arrange a meeting with a pastor to discuss your involvment.
The Bandera United Methdoist Church Vision Statement:
With outstretched arms the Bandera United Methodist Church Family will reach out to all, seek all, will teach, love, serve and grow, as Christ desires, and spread His Eternal Peace.