Celebrating over 100 years of methodism in buna, texas
According to a 1904 Texas Conference Membership book, Buna Methodist documented charter membership for James J. Hancock, John A. Hancock, Ethel Hancock (married Hargrove), Minnie Hancock (married Felder), and Tex Rogers. These were verified by a Jasper Mission circuit preacher, M. W. James, on January 10, 1904.1 The next entries were made on June 10, 1904, by S. H. Allison, circuit preacher from the Jasper Mission. Taken into membership were Lee Woody, Alma Hancock (married Hargrove), Sallie Edgar (married Rylander), Prentice Landrum, S. S. Fairley, and M. Mattox. These were the first eleven charter members of the Buna Methodist Church.2
A record of marriage was written on February 19, 1905, by the same circuit preacher, S. H. Allison, for Robert Wingate and Mary Scott. On September 21, 1905, the Presiding Elder, O. T. Hotchkiss, performed the first baptism recorded: Helen Doris Fairley, daughter of the D. W. Fairleys.
In the spring of 1906, the Presiding Elder, now called the District Superintendent, assigned Rev. P. I. Milton, a circuit rider, to come once a month. Later, services were held twice a month, then weekly. Buna was part of the Silsbee Circuit at that time. The preacher would ride the train to Buna on Saturday, stay the weekend with local members, usually the J. I. Mixsons or the Jim Hancocks, then leave on Monday. Members who later recalled the worship services said they met in the old school house and sat at the desks and sang from shaped-note hymnals. The music was played on an organ.3
The Buna Methodist register of January 17, 1909 states: “Epworth League was opened by Pastor W. H. Summy by reading scriptures from Ecclesiastes 7th Chapter. J. I. Mixson was nominated and elected permanent secretary. Prof. A. D. Rawlinson made a brief talk on the constitution and by laws of Epworth League. Bro. Summy made a talk setting forth the object of the League. [The] following give their names becoming [charter] members: A. D. Rawlinson, President; Mattie Lee Justice, 4th VP; Dora Pedigo, 1st VP; Ethel Hancock, Alma Hancock, Ellen Hancock, Liela Hancock, Mrs. Ima Rawlinson, Mrs. Lori Mixson, Treasurer; Lorine Rawlinson, Kathleen Mixson, R. C. Withers, selected Junior League Supt.; J. J. Hancock, Agent for Epworth Area; Froner Hancock, 2nd VP, R. Middleton, Chas McKeiml, Rev. H. T. Sizemore, 3rd VP; Saide Puckice, and Mrs. Annie Grimes.”
During the ministry of Rev. O. W. Hooper in 1914, construction was begun on a white frame church on land donated for that purpose. One legal document in the files of the church, included the following information: “...The deed from J. R. Chapman to the Trustees of the Methodist Church of Buna, dated September 6, 1914, provided for reversion to Mr. Chapman, his heirs or assigns in event the property ceased to be used for church purposes.4 Kirby Lumber Company subsequently purchased all of J. R. Chapman’s interest, and, after the townsite of Buna was laid out by Mr. J. O. Banks, in July of 1916, our company (Kirby Lumber Corporation) was approached by the Trustees of the Church to remove the reversion clause as certain financing for church expansion was under consideration.”
“Our files contain copy of a deed, dated September 9, 1916, to W. H. Hargrove, J. I. Mixson, A. D. Rawlinson, and M. E. Richardson, Trustees of the Methodist Church of Buna, signed by Mr. John H. Kirby, President of Kirby Lumber Company, which released any interest Kirby Lumber Company may have had in this property...”5
Construction was not initially completed on this structure begun in 1914, but as tie and funds permitted, the congregation finished and occupied one portion at a time. The two-story white wood frame church, located on Main Street, was dedicated in 1922 by Bishop John M. Moore, during the pastorate of Rev. C. L. Williams. During this time, a community hall was also erected on the church property. It was a joint project of the Missionary Society of the church and the Masonic Lodge. The Methodists held Sunday School on the first floor of the building on Sunday mornings while the entire community utilized it for social functions during the week. The upper floor was used only by the Masonic Lodge. That wooden structure was moved across the street in the middle Fifties to the site of the present Masonic Lodge.6
When the church at Buna was built, Kirby built a community church at Bessmay for the sawmill workers. Methodists and Baptists held their services on alternate Sundays and some members were not sure which denomination they had joined, because almost everyone attended regularly, regardless of which Sunday it was. Bessmay was a part of the Buna Circuit and when the mill burned in 1950, the town of Bessmay began to decline as the workers moved away. All the buildings were being sold and moved, and the Methodists sold their share of the church building to the Baptists. The Baptists moved the building to a site on Highway 96, donated by Mr. and Mrs. M. E. Richardson. The congregation expanded and is now known as Central Baptist Church.
The Buna Methodist built a parsonage next to the church in 1919 for the first full-time pastor, Rev. R. R. Smith.7 His wife organized the first Woman’s Missionary Society, later named the Women’s Society of Christian Service, now the United Methodist Women. The Missionary Society’s work expanded and in a report by Rev. Laurence Murchison of Buna on October 11, 1936 to the Presiding Elder and Members of the Fourth Quarterly Conference of the Beaumont District he stated: “We have had revivals in all of the churches on the charge and the spiritual state of the church as a whole is good. We have had forty-three addition s to the church this year...have two Missionary Societies, one at Buna and one at Bessmay.” Thought was also given to quality of mission as a later report indicated...” At Bessmay we are carrying on a work with the Mexicans who reside there. Services are held twice a month at 2:30 on Sunday afternoon with preaching in Spanish. The Mexican population at Bessmay is about 24. Of these 18 were present at the services last Sunday.” Rev. Garland Reeves was pastor at the time of this later report and is known to have spoken five languages fluently.8
In a 1939 report to the First Quarterly Conference, mention was made of “two Epworth Leagues...now functioning. These are at Bessmay and at Buna. We hope to have one soon at Watson’s Chapel...[where they] have just completed the addition of four Sunday School rooms to the church and have purchased a good supply of Cokesbury Hymnals.”9 Rev. Reeves was pastor and, as in times past, the parsonage was sometimes used for Sunday School classes due to shortage of space. Being unmarried and an avid photographer, Rev. Reeves decided the kitchen would be more useful to him as a darkroom and made the necessary changes, to the chagrin of the ladies concerned with the upkeep of the parsonage. There was also a carefully maintained Victory Garden behind the parsonage and church. It was tended primarily by the youth. The church membership increased by forty-five in 1939; Buna, 19, Bessmay, 25, and Call, 1.10
With a membership of seventy-six in 1949 and the leadership of Rev. J. C. Marshall from then until 1955, the Buna Methodists increased in “wisdom and stature” and were soon building again. In the Beaumont Journal of December 7, 1955, the building program of the Methodist congregation was described as “the largest church construction program ever announced here; it calls for a $100,000 church plant to be completed in about 15 years.”11
Chimes were installed in the old church tower, a gift of Hamp Mattox, owner of Buna Auto Company and a member of the Methodist Church for thirty-five years. “If you think it will serve as a reminder to the people in the community that it’s time to stop for worship, I want to donate them to the church,” Mr. Mattox said. A resident commented at the time that “the oldest house of worship in the community should be the first to have chimes.” The chimes added to the enjoyment of the 1954 holiday season as programs of Christmas carols were presented at regular intervals during the season.
In 1956, while Rev. Jeff Campbell occupied the parsonage, a multipurpose brick structure was built to satisfy the need for additional classrooms and social events. This new Educational Building/Fellowship Hall was built adjacent to the original church on the property vacated by the old community hall. The Methodists had a homecoming to celebrate their growth that year with Rev. Campbell bringing the message. The youth choir was directed by Mrs. Fred Evans and accompanied by Mrs. M. E. Brown. Four former preachers were present: the Rev. S. A. Weimer, who was pastor in 1919-20; his son, Rev. Charles Weimer, 1943-44; Rev. Karl O. Bayer, 1933-34; and Rev. J. C. Marshall, 1949-1955.12
After the homecoming in 1956, the building program progressed steadily and during the pastorate of Rev. James Tunnell in 1962, the plans called for a new sanctuary to be built on the original site, now designated Hwy. 62 but still Main Street. The program continued with Rev. Robert Koch and came to completion during the pastorate of Rev. Robert Dean. The church building committee chairman was Robert Hargrove; members were Ward Mixson, Dr. M. E. Brown, Ralph Jenkins, Dan Lay, Glenn Roberts, Oscar DeLord, Wilfred Yeates, Crawford Bowen, Mrs. Roy Jenkins, Mrs. Verlon Walters, Mrs. Vincent Wright, Mrs. W. H. Smith, Mrs. A. C. Ratcliff, and Rev. Dean.
The old wooden church, which had served well for fifty years, was dismantled in 1964 by a group of volunteers including R. C. Laramore, Fred Evans, Jake Wheeler, and Wilfred Yeates. Construction of the present sanctuary and educational wing was begun.
The new building, completed in 1965, retained a cherished part of the past: the bell, which had graced the old church, was placed in a tower of the new church sign. The bell had been brought to Texas in 1889 from Louisiana and used on the “Shay Dinky Train” that hauled logs to Weiss Bluff near Evadale. “Uncle Billy” Richardson had obtained the bell from J. A. Carroll, manager of the Yellow Bluff Tram Co. logging camp, who first named the townsite, Carrolla, in 1892. Due to postal authority disapproval, it was soon renamed Buna, after his niece, Bunah Corley. “Uncle Billy” rang this bell on Sundays for almost half a century.
In 1967 during the pastorate of Rev. Rawleigh Hooper, a new brick parsonage was completed across town on Bond Loop. The old parsonage was sold and moved to make room for a parking area on the church property. After serving since 1919 as a home for Methodist ministers and their families, the house is now located near the intersection of Hwy. 1004 and Lewis Road where it has been renovated and still serves as a family residence.
The church grew from seventy-six members in 1949 to over two hundred in the middle ‘80s. During this period of time, pastors were: J. C. Marshall, Jeff Campbell, Mark Lewis, James Tunnell, R. W. Koch, R. O. Dean, Rawleigh Hooper, Eric Williams, George Swanson, Roy O. Biser, Roy Williamson, Don A. Story, Sr., and Byron Jarratt. The year 1984 marked the 200th anniversary of Methodism in America, and the Buna congregation observed Heritage Day on Pentecost Sunday, recognized as the birthday of the Church, as recorded in the book of Acts.
The Bicentennial celebration of Methodism during 1984 was followed by the Sesquicentennial celebration of the State of Texas, when Buna Methodist began making plans to meet the final mortgage payment on its sanctuary. The service of consecration had already been held, declaring it open for the worship of God and the service to men. Once it became free of debt, it could then be fully dedicated.
The service of dedication was held on Sunday, July 26, 1987, at the 11:00 a.m. worship service. Bishop Ben Oliphint delivered the sermon. Also dedicated on that day was the new church organ, given in memory of Mr. Perry Nix Mixson, seventy years a member of the church, by his wife, family, and friends. Rev. John Byron Jarratt, minister, Robert Webb, music director, and Beverly Saunders, Karen Wheeler, and Pat Whittaker, musicians, were in charge of the services. Mike Evans, organist, presented a dedicatory recital.
The church began a renewal in the middle ‘90s, and the Easter attendance of two hundred fifteen in 1996 was the largest Buna UMC had witnessed since 1984. The official approval to construct a family activity center was given in 1997. A ground breaking ceremony was held on a rainy November 5, 1997, with Rev. Sharon Watt, District Superintendent, and Rev. Ferel Little, Pastor, presiding. The building was soon completed and a service of consecration of the Methodist Activity Center (MAC) was held on Sunday, April 18, 1999. The building committee was composed of Norman Knight, chairman, JoNell Knight, Alden Spell, Robert and LaVee Hargrove, Pam Hudson, Carolyn Rauwerda, Tommy and Beverly Saunders, and Rev. Ferel Little.
By the year 2000, the testimony of the church’s growth was seen in the financial budget, which represented the largest ever for Buna UMC. Nearly every area had increased due to its ministry, outreach, and new services. Attendance was at an all-time high.
The celebration of the centennial anniversary began on Sunday, January 11, 2004, recognizing those first Buna Methodists whose names were documented in the Texas Conference Membership book on January 10, one hundred years before. Also honored were current members whose records show them to be the earliest of the 2004 congregation. Records certify the baptism for Doris Hargrove (Kirkpatrick) on October 15, 1925, and Robert Edwni Hargrove, March 31, 1929, and membership of Ruth Mitchael (Wright) and Jim Mattox (Cook) on July 17, 1931, and Florence Mitchael (Flowers) on April 14, 1940. A dinner was served in the MAC building for the congregation of one hundred seventy eight. Rev. David Foster, pastor, introduced past ministers, Byron Jarratt and Roy Biser, who reminisced about the times and people that explained their records of longevity here. Mrs. Eric “Pinky” Williams, widow of pastor Dr. Eric Williams, and Dr. Jim Killen, retired pastor, also spoke of their time in Buna. Julia Burton, church historian, was in charge of the celebration.13
The celebration will continue as the Buna Methodists honor the past by dedicating their presence, gifts, prayers, and service to the future.
(This history of the First United Methodist Church of Buna was compiled and edited by church members, Jo Nell Knight and Carolyn Rauwerda. Information was obtained by researching original church registers, the official membership records, and previously published accounts of the church history. The Buna Remembered Series offers additional information and pictures and is on file at the Buna Public Library.)
FOOTNOTES
1Commission on Archives and History, Texas Annual Conference, May 9, 2006.
2Church Registry.
3Buna Remembered (Jasper, Texas: Jasper Printing Company, 1997,), Vol. 1, p. 91.
4Copy of Deed: J. R. Chapman to Methodist Church of Buna.
5copy of Deed: Kirby Lumber to Trustees of Methodist Church of Buna, Jasper County, Texas.
6Buna Remembered, loc. cit.
7Church Records.
8Pastor’s Report at Quarterly Conference, October 11, 1936.
9Pastor’s Report at Quarterly Conference, 1939.
10Ibid.
11Beaumont Journal, December 7, 1955.
12Church Records.
13Church Directory, 2004.
A record of marriage was written on February 19, 1905, by the same circuit preacher, S. H. Allison, for Robert Wingate and Mary Scott. On September 21, 1905, the Presiding Elder, O. T. Hotchkiss, performed the first baptism recorded: Helen Doris Fairley, daughter of the D. W. Fairleys.
In the spring of 1906, the Presiding Elder, now called the District Superintendent, assigned Rev. P. I. Milton, a circuit rider, to come once a month. Later, services were held twice a month, then weekly. Buna was part of the Silsbee Circuit at that time. The preacher would ride the train to Buna on Saturday, stay the weekend with local members, usually the J. I. Mixsons or the Jim Hancocks, then leave on Monday. Members who later recalled the worship services said they met in the old school house and sat at the desks and sang from shaped-note hymnals. The music was played on an organ.3
The Buna Methodist register of January 17, 1909 states: “Epworth League was opened by Pastor W. H. Summy by reading scriptures from Ecclesiastes 7th Chapter. J. I. Mixson was nominated and elected permanent secretary. Prof. A. D. Rawlinson made a brief talk on the constitution and by laws of Epworth League. Bro. Summy made a talk setting forth the object of the League. [The] following give their names becoming [charter] members: A. D. Rawlinson, President; Mattie Lee Justice, 4th VP; Dora Pedigo, 1st VP; Ethel Hancock, Alma Hancock, Ellen Hancock, Liela Hancock, Mrs. Ima Rawlinson, Mrs. Lori Mixson, Treasurer; Lorine Rawlinson, Kathleen Mixson, R. C. Withers, selected Junior League Supt.; J. J. Hancock, Agent for Epworth Area; Froner Hancock, 2nd VP, R. Middleton, Chas McKeiml, Rev. H. T. Sizemore, 3rd VP; Saide Puckice, and Mrs. Annie Grimes.”
During the ministry of Rev. O. W. Hooper in 1914, construction was begun on a white frame church on land donated for that purpose. One legal document in the files of the church, included the following information: “...The deed from J. R. Chapman to the Trustees of the Methodist Church of Buna, dated September 6, 1914, provided for reversion to Mr. Chapman, his heirs or assigns in event the property ceased to be used for church purposes.4 Kirby Lumber Company subsequently purchased all of J. R. Chapman’s interest, and, after the townsite of Buna was laid out by Mr. J. O. Banks, in July of 1916, our company (Kirby Lumber Corporation) was approached by the Trustees of the Church to remove the reversion clause as certain financing for church expansion was under consideration.”
“Our files contain copy of a deed, dated September 9, 1916, to W. H. Hargrove, J. I. Mixson, A. D. Rawlinson, and M. E. Richardson, Trustees of the Methodist Church of Buna, signed by Mr. John H. Kirby, President of Kirby Lumber Company, which released any interest Kirby Lumber Company may have had in this property...”5
Construction was not initially completed on this structure begun in 1914, but as tie and funds permitted, the congregation finished and occupied one portion at a time. The two-story white wood frame church, located on Main Street, was dedicated in 1922 by Bishop John M. Moore, during the pastorate of Rev. C. L. Williams. During this time, a community hall was also erected on the church property. It was a joint project of the Missionary Society of the church and the Masonic Lodge. The Methodists held Sunday School on the first floor of the building on Sunday mornings while the entire community utilized it for social functions during the week. The upper floor was used only by the Masonic Lodge. That wooden structure was moved across the street in the middle Fifties to the site of the present Masonic Lodge.6
When the church at Buna was built, Kirby built a community church at Bessmay for the sawmill workers. Methodists and Baptists held their services on alternate Sundays and some members were not sure which denomination they had joined, because almost everyone attended regularly, regardless of which Sunday it was. Bessmay was a part of the Buna Circuit and when the mill burned in 1950, the town of Bessmay began to decline as the workers moved away. All the buildings were being sold and moved, and the Methodists sold their share of the church building to the Baptists. The Baptists moved the building to a site on Highway 96, donated by Mr. and Mrs. M. E. Richardson. The congregation expanded and is now known as Central Baptist Church.
The Buna Methodist built a parsonage next to the church in 1919 for the first full-time pastor, Rev. R. R. Smith.7 His wife organized the first Woman’s Missionary Society, later named the Women’s Society of Christian Service, now the United Methodist Women. The Missionary Society’s work expanded and in a report by Rev. Laurence Murchison of Buna on October 11, 1936 to the Presiding Elder and Members of the Fourth Quarterly Conference of the Beaumont District he stated: “We have had revivals in all of the churches on the charge and the spiritual state of the church as a whole is good. We have had forty-three addition s to the church this year...have two Missionary Societies, one at Buna and one at Bessmay.” Thought was also given to quality of mission as a later report indicated...” At Bessmay we are carrying on a work with the Mexicans who reside there. Services are held twice a month at 2:30 on Sunday afternoon with preaching in Spanish. The Mexican population at Bessmay is about 24. Of these 18 were present at the services last Sunday.” Rev. Garland Reeves was pastor at the time of this later report and is known to have spoken five languages fluently.8
In a 1939 report to the First Quarterly Conference, mention was made of “two Epworth Leagues...now functioning. These are at Bessmay and at Buna. We hope to have one soon at Watson’s Chapel...[where they] have just completed the addition of four Sunday School rooms to the church and have purchased a good supply of Cokesbury Hymnals.”9 Rev. Reeves was pastor and, as in times past, the parsonage was sometimes used for Sunday School classes due to shortage of space. Being unmarried and an avid photographer, Rev. Reeves decided the kitchen would be more useful to him as a darkroom and made the necessary changes, to the chagrin of the ladies concerned with the upkeep of the parsonage. There was also a carefully maintained Victory Garden behind the parsonage and church. It was tended primarily by the youth. The church membership increased by forty-five in 1939; Buna, 19, Bessmay, 25, and Call, 1.10
With a membership of seventy-six in 1949 and the leadership of Rev. J. C. Marshall from then until 1955, the Buna Methodists increased in “wisdom and stature” and were soon building again. In the Beaumont Journal of December 7, 1955, the building program of the Methodist congregation was described as “the largest church construction program ever announced here; it calls for a $100,000 church plant to be completed in about 15 years.”11
Chimes were installed in the old church tower, a gift of Hamp Mattox, owner of Buna Auto Company and a member of the Methodist Church for thirty-five years. “If you think it will serve as a reminder to the people in the community that it’s time to stop for worship, I want to donate them to the church,” Mr. Mattox said. A resident commented at the time that “the oldest house of worship in the community should be the first to have chimes.” The chimes added to the enjoyment of the 1954 holiday season as programs of Christmas carols were presented at regular intervals during the season.
In 1956, while Rev. Jeff Campbell occupied the parsonage, a multipurpose brick structure was built to satisfy the need for additional classrooms and social events. This new Educational Building/Fellowship Hall was built adjacent to the original church on the property vacated by the old community hall. The Methodists had a homecoming to celebrate their growth that year with Rev. Campbell bringing the message. The youth choir was directed by Mrs. Fred Evans and accompanied by Mrs. M. E. Brown. Four former preachers were present: the Rev. S. A. Weimer, who was pastor in 1919-20; his son, Rev. Charles Weimer, 1943-44; Rev. Karl O. Bayer, 1933-34; and Rev. J. C. Marshall, 1949-1955.12
After the homecoming in 1956, the building program progressed steadily and during the pastorate of Rev. James Tunnell in 1962, the plans called for a new sanctuary to be built on the original site, now designated Hwy. 62 but still Main Street. The program continued with Rev. Robert Koch and came to completion during the pastorate of Rev. Robert Dean. The church building committee chairman was Robert Hargrove; members were Ward Mixson, Dr. M. E. Brown, Ralph Jenkins, Dan Lay, Glenn Roberts, Oscar DeLord, Wilfred Yeates, Crawford Bowen, Mrs. Roy Jenkins, Mrs. Verlon Walters, Mrs. Vincent Wright, Mrs. W. H. Smith, Mrs. A. C. Ratcliff, and Rev. Dean.
The old wooden church, which had served well for fifty years, was dismantled in 1964 by a group of volunteers including R. C. Laramore, Fred Evans, Jake Wheeler, and Wilfred Yeates. Construction of the present sanctuary and educational wing was begun.
The new building, completed in 1965, retained a cherished part of the past: the bell, which had graced the old church, was placed in a tower of the new church sign. The bell had been brought to Texas in 1889 from Louisiana and used on the “Shay Dinky Train” that hauled logs to Weiss Bluff near Evadale. “Uncle Billy” Richardson had obtained the bell from J. A. Carroll, manager of the Yellow Bluff Tram Co. logging camp, who first named the townsite, Carrolla, in 1892. Due to postal authority disapproval, it was soon renamed Buna, after his niece, Bunah Corley. “Uncle Billy” rang this bell on Sundays for almost half a century.
In 1967 during the pastorate of Rev. Rawleigh Hooper, a new brick parsonage was completed across town on Bond Loop. The old parsonage was sold and moved to make room for a parking area on the church property. After serving since 1919 as a home for Methodist ministers and their families, the house is now located near the intersection of Hwy. 1004 and Lewis Road where it has been renovated and still serves as a family residence.
The church grew from seventy-six members in 1949 to over two hundred in the middle ‘80s. During this period of time, pastors were: J. C. Marshall, Jeff Campbell, Mark Lewis, James Tunnell, R. W. Koch, R. O. Dean, Rawleigh Hooper, Eric Williams, George Swanson, Roy O. Biser, Roy Williamson, Don A. Story, Sr., and Byron Jarratt. The year 1984 marked the 200th anniversary of Methodism in America, and the Buna congregation observed Heritage Day on Pentecost Sunday, recognized as the birthday of the Church, as recorded in the book of Acts.
The Bicentennial celebration of Methodism during 1984 was followed by the Sesquicentennial celebration of the State of Texas, when Buna Methodist began making plans to meet the final mortgage payment on its sanctuary. The service of consecration had already been held, declaring it open for the worship of God and the service to men. Once it became free of debt, it could then be fully dedicated.
The service of dedication was held on Sunday, July 26, 1987, at the 11:00 a.m. worship service. Bishop Ben Oliphint delivered the sermon. Also dedicated on that day was the new church organ, given in memory of Mr. Perry Nix Mixson, seventy years a member of the church, by his wife, family, and friends. Rev. John Byron Jarratt, minister, Robert Webb, music director, and Beverly Saunders, Karen Wheeler, and Pat Whittaker, musicians, were in charge of the services. Mike Evans, organist, presented a dedicatory recital.
The church began a renewal in the middle ‘90s, and the Easter attendance of two hundred fifteen in 1996 was the largest Buna UMC had witnessed since 1984. The official approval to construct a family activity center was given in 1997. A ground breaking ceremony was held on a rainy November 5, 1997, with Rev. Sharon Watt, District Superintendent, and Rev. Ferel Little, Pastor, presiding. The building was soon completed and a service of consecration of the Methodist Activity Center (MAC) was held on Sunday, April 18, 1999. The building committee was composed of Norman Knight, chairman, JoNell Knight, Alden Spell, Robert and LaVee Hargrove, Pam Hudson, Carolyn Rauwerda, Tommy and Beverly Saunders, and Rev. Ferel Little.
By the year 2000, the testimony of the church’s growth was seen in the financial budget, which represented the largest ever for Buna UMC. Nearly every area had increased due to its ministry, outreach, and new services. Attendance was at an all-time high.
The celebration of the centennial anniversary began on Sunday, January 11, 2004, recognizing those first Buna Methodists whose names were documented in the Texas Conference Membership book on January 10, one hundred years before. Also honored were current members whose records show them to be the earliest of the 2004 congregation. Records certify the baptism for Doris Hargrove (Kirkpatrick) on October 15, 1925, and Robert Edwni Hargrove, March 31, 1929, and membership of Ruth Mitchael (Wright) and Jim Mattox (Cook) on July 17, 1931, and Florence Mitchael (Flowers) on April 14, 1940. A dinner was served in the MAC building for the congregation of one hundred seventy eight. Rev. David Foster, pastor, introduced past ministers, Byron Jarratt and Roy Biser, who reminisced about the times and people that explained their records of longevity here. Mrs. Eric “Pinky” Williams, widow of pastor Dr. Eric Williams, and Dr. Jim Killen, retired pastor, also spoke of their time in Buna. Julia Burton, church historian, was in charge of the celebration.13
The celebration will continue as the Buna Methodists honor the past by dedicating their presence, gifts, prayers, and service to the future.
(This history of the First United Methodist Church of Buna was compiled and edited by church members, Jo Nell Knight and Carolyn Rauwerda. Information was obtained by researching original church registers, the official membership records, and previously published accounts of the church history. The Buna Remembered Series offers additional information and pictures and is on file at the Buna Public Library.)
FOOTNOTES
1Commission on Archives and History, Texas Annual Conference, May 9, 2006.
2Church Registry.
3Buna Remembered (Jasper, Texas: Jasper Printing Company, 1997,), Vol. 1, p. 91.
4Copy of Deed: J. R. Chapman to Methodist Church of Buna.
5copy of Deed: Kirby Lumber to Trustees of Methodist Church of Buna, Jasper County, Texas.
6Buna Remembered, loc. cit.
7Church Records.
8Pastor’s Report at Quarterly Conference, October 11, 1936.
9Pastor’s Report at Quarterly Conference, 1939.
10Ibid.
11Beaumont Journal, December 7, 1955.
12Church Records.
13Church Directory, 2004.
