1960-1969
United
The board of trustees of League City First Methodist Church agreed in July 1963 that “We will accept all persons who present themselves for full membership into the church.” The official ceremony instituting Methodist church union began at 8:30 a.m. on April 23, 1968 in Dallas Memorial Auditorium. The preacher at this historic event was Dr. Albert C. Outler (1908–1989), professor of Historical Theology at Perkins School of Theology. Professor Outler’s keynote sermon, “Visions and Dreams: The Unfinished Business of an Unfinished Church” called United Methodists “to be a church truly catholic, truly evangelical, and truly reformed” during an era of “profound demoralization at every level: of faith and order, life and work.”
Under Rev. Orval Strong’s tenure, LCFMC was reorganized, as the conference united with the Evangelical United Brethren Church, to form the UNITED Methodist Church.
Parsonage by the People
A new parsonage was added to the back corner of the church property. I t was built by church members and included a 'storm room' which was the large hall area in the center of the house that had no exterior walls or windows.
New Parsonage Committee photo:
1. Allen Richard 2. Arthur Kennedy 3. Russell Lawrence 4. C. B. Manley 5. Lenard Groce 6. Jim PLatzer 7. John Brizendine
8. Henry Hinte 9. Paul Hervey 10. Rev. James Jones
Building began January 20, 1962.
Staff Expansion
Until now, the pastor was the only paid staff. The church added:
Sue Mines, Church Office Secretary
Jane Scott, Music Assistant
Dottie Steele, Organist (11:00)
Patricia Birsner, Organist (8:30)
We had more than 700 in membership by 1969
Space Ties
Our church has had close ties with NASA ever since Manned Spacecraft Center opened in 1961 (later re-named JSC in 1973). The space program was running at full speed during the late 1960s and early 1970s, with Apollo 7 through 16 being flown. The first moon landing came with Apollo 11 in 1968. Many of the church members who were associated with the space program came and prayed in the chapel during flights. The church was never locked. The boom in the space industry also created the biggest boom in our church’s membership, which reached an all-time high of 700 in the late 60’s.
Ministers 1960-1969
1960-1964
Rev. James Harold Jones
1964-1968
Rev. G. Runge Nease
1968-1972
Rev. D. Orval Strong