EARLY YEARS:
On August 6, 1885, an outdoor revival was held in the town of Bullard, Texas just west of the railroad tracks near the northwest corner of Railroad (now Phillips) and Emma Streets. At this meeting, the Methodist Episcopal Church South at Bullard was officially organized by the Reverend Thomas Trusvan Booth with 11 members. These charter members included Mr. and Mrs. John Henry Bullard (for whom the town was named), Mr. Samuel G. and Mrs. Etta Bullard Langley, Miss Minerva I. McLeroy (later Mrs. Joe Gillespie), Grandma Snow (Elizabeth Key Snow) and Mrs. William B. (Dixie Oliphant) Urban. An article about this meeting appeared in the August 15, 1885 edition of the Texas Christian Advocate:
“Rev. C. B. Smith, Bullard, I have just closed a glorious meeting at this place. Bro. Davis and my pastor, Bro. Booth, did effective work. Results: three conversions, fourteen accessions. Bro. Booth organized a church, and these good people propose to go to work.”
Several weeks later, an update on the Bullard Methodists appeared in the same publication:
“October 3, 1885: Rev. C. B. Smith, Pleasant Hill – I said in my last that the good people of Bullard were going to work. They have organized a weekly prayer-meeting and are making preparations to build a church and to build up a permanent school. I am so proud of one thing I must say something about it: It is a common occurrence to hear of an “itinerant” being pounded, boxed, clothed, etc., but not often do we hear such of a “local.” But I have been made thankful by the present of a nice suit of clothes, one large goblet, and two dollars and fifty cents by my Bullard friends. God bless them in spiritual things.”
During the winter of 1885, Mrs. Anna Douglas (wife of Joseph P. Douglas) donated the 2-story church building located near the cemetery at Etna. It was her desire that it be utilized for worship by all denominations as no church had yet been built in the new town of Bullard. The building was moved from Etna and placed on a lot just east of where the Bullard Volunteer Fire Department is now located. That Christmas, the newly founded Methodist Church held its first Christmas service:
“BULLARD – A Quiet Christmas – A Good Pastor: At this little place we have had the most quiet Christmas I ever experienced. Everybody has seemed quiet, pleasant and happy, and trying to make each other happy. Christmas Eve night we had a beautiful Christmas tree in the new church and had the best of order. Now, let us one and all begin the New Year with resolutions to love and serve God more earnestly. We are grateful to have our dear pastor, Rev. T. T. Booth, returned to us. May God bless his labors in the future.”
In these early years, the church building also served as a community school, a Masonic lodge and both Methodists and Baptists used it for worship services. Many great union revivals were held within its walls and it was here that the foundation for all later churches in Bullard was laid. In October 1886, it is noted that Methodist meetings were being held on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Sundays along with a Sunday school for children. There was a wooden box for missions in their classroom that had been built by Bro. Charley Smith and several of the children worked odd jobs or picked cotton to earn their “missionary-money.” Mrs. Sarah Dublin (Mother Dublin) served as the first Sunday school superintendent and her earnest prayers and Godly life were an inspiration to many. She and Mrs. Dixie Urban taught the children in Sunday school for many years.
At the time it was established, the Bullard Methodist Episcopal Church South was in the Tyler District. It was briefly part of the Larissa Circuit along with Mt. Carmel but later joined Whitehouse, Chandler, Noonday, Walnut Grove, Pleasant Hill, Union Springs, Liberty Hill, Lane’s Chapel, Flint and Spring Hill in the Whitehouse Circuit. It was common practice for pastors to travel from community to community because some congregations only held one or two services a month but since Bullard was booming and its fast-growing congregation was providing regular collections to the circuit, a parsonage was acquired in the summer of 1893. This home was located on Main just southwest of Rather Street.
“White House Circuit, July 8, 1893: Our parsonage committee has bought a beautiful little cottage in the thriving little town of Bullard. Bullard is situated on the Gulf Short Line Railroad, and will be a pleasant as well as a convenient place for our preacher to live.”
One of the early pastors, Bro. William Sproule, wrote:
“February 12, 1894 – I am serving a kind, generous people, and pray that God may help me to give them faithful and efficient service. We are praying and working for a revival in the church and the conversion of sinners, and the Lord is with us in our church services. We are living in a comfortable parsonage, and we are constantly receiving from our people substantial tokens of their good will and kindness, for which we feel grateful.”
The next pastor, Bro. James M. McCarter, added:
“January 9, 1895 – We are comfortably domiciled in our new home at Bullard and have been received with cordiality by this kind people. Many tokens of appreciation have been given us, not the least of which was the generous pounding which began on the evening of our arrival and has been protracted. The pantry and culinary departments have been supplied with good things for many days for all of which we express unfeigned thanks.”
“December 6, 1895 – We have the honor to serve a kind and noble people. The hearts of the preacher and wife have been cheered by many tokens of appreciation. Special thanks are due the kind people of Bullard among whom we live. Mention should be made of a handsome quilt, together with a nice lot of other articles of special use in a preacher’s home, donated recently by the good ladies.”
Early members of the Methodist Church at Bullard included many of the oldest families of the area. Following are but a few of the blessed souls who not only helped to establish the church but also to grow and thrive: Mr. and Mrs. Hezekiah J. Wilson, Mrs. John Terrell, Mrs. Jim Hinds, Mrs. Mattie Cole Tarrant, George Roper, Valcour L. Oliphant, Dr. and Mrs. Robert H. Hunter, Mrs. C. G. Roberts, Mr. Solomon B. and Mrs. Bennie Gardner and the Sackett and Rather families. Wiley N. “Doc” Cheek and “Uncle” Johnnie (John Wesley) Phillips were known to work in their fields in the Oak Grove Community during the day and then walk the 3 miles to Bullard to conduct evening prayer meetings. Uncle Johnnie was also very active in helping to organize the church. Mrs. Etta Bullard Langley was organist for many years and directed the music of the church while Mr. Langley served as steward and trustee. Dr. Hunter taught Sunday school and when asked how a busy doctor like himself could find the time to teach Sunday school and attend worship service, he responded,
“Between 10 and 12 on Sunday morning everyone knows where I can be found.”
Bro. Benjamin C. Ansley described a meeting held at Bullard during the 1899 summer revival season,
“B. C. Ansley: We had a good meeting here, resulting in some 15 or 20 conversions and reclamations. We had help from Dr. Withers, of Arkansas; Bros. Kidd and Allen, of our own conference; also Bro. T. T. Booth, a former pastor here. The meeting lasted ten days… …the parsonage is here at Bullard. The Church here has about paid out. The people are very kind to us. May the Lord abundantly bless them and theirs.”
In 1901, a new parsonage in the Victorian style was constructed on property donated by Dr. and Mrs. Hunter. This parsonage was located on the west side of Hunter Street and would serve the church and generations of pastors and their families. Although no longer owned by the church, it is in good condition and still standing today.
The Bullard Methodist Church is greatly indebted to these early pastors who faithfully served and toiled diligently to bring the Lord to the people of Bullard. Early pastors were:
Thomas Trusvan Booth 1885-87, “Uncle” Caleb H. Smith 1888, Thomas Trusvan Booth 1889-92, William Sproule 1893-94, James “Jim” M. McCarter 1895-96, Major Isaiah Brown 1897, Arthur Downs 1898, “Uncle” Caleb H. Smith 1899, Benjamin Calhoun Ansley 1900-01, Wick Griffin 1902, E. W. Potter 1902-03.
A GROWING CHURCH:
The 1890’s and first years of the 20th century witnessed the continued growth of the town of Bullard as well as the congregation of the Bullard Methodist Episcopal Church South. It soon became apparent the old church building that had been moved from Etna and served so many for so long was no longer adequate to accommodate the growing number of worshipers. In 1903, Valcour L. Oliphant, Samuel G. Langley and Solomon B. Gardner, trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, Bullard, Texas, purchased two lots from the St. Louis Southwestern Railway Company with the intent of building a permanent church home to be,
“…used, kept and maintained and disposed of as a place of Divine worship for the use of the Ministry and Membership of the said Methodist Episcopal Church South, Bullard, Texas.”
These lots were located on Rather Street just west of Railroad (now Phillips Street) near where the current sanctuary stands. Construction began on the new church building in 1903 and was completed late that same year. Outside, the white frame building had a steep-pitched roof, a bell tower and steeple. A row of 5 tall, slender windows lined each side of the building with a larger double-window at the front near the entrance. Inside, a large sanctuary comfortably housed the growing congregation with several Sunday school rooms available for classes of all ages and coal heaters were installed throughout the building. The Methodist Church at Bullard was ready to enter the next phase of its history – that of a growing church.
As new families settled in Bullard over the next 25 years, the Methodist Church grew quickly. Numerous families joined the church and contributed greatly in its mission of spreading the word of Christ’s love, mercy and grace. A Women’s Missionary Society was established and chartered in 1906 with Maggie Kay Caswell serving as its first president. Charter members included Bernice Jones Hunter, Fannie Urban, Dixie Oliphant Urban, Melissa Tomlin Wagener, Etta Willie Bullard Langley, Laura Caldwell, Bennie Gardner, Lenora Urban Tindel and Annie Mae Hunter. A chapter of the Epworth League Methodist Youth Organization was also established in 1906 and was officially chartered in 1909. Mrs. T. A. (Elizabeth) Kirkpatrick was a long-time Sunday school teacher of this era as were Mr. James R. and Mrs. Stella McCarroll. Mrs. McCarroll was also the church pianist for many years and a dedicated Biblical scholar who was dearly loved by all her pupils. This poem was one of her philosophies and all class members were required to learn it.
“Boys flying kites at night,
Pull in their white winged birds.
But it isn’t that way when you’re flying words.
Words unspoken, sometimes fall back dead,
But God himself can’t kill them once they’re said.”
In 1923, the Reverend George C. Cravy came to serve the church which was now large enough to be on its own circuit with the churches at Mixon, Mt. Selman and Pleasant Hill. Rev. Cravy was an energetic and able leader and church membership continued to grow during his pastorate. Records for the years 1922-1925 show a membership for the Bullard Methodist Church well in excess of 100 people. The following surnames appeared on the rolls for these years:
Bailey, Bass, Bickerstaff, Blow, Braly, Brock, Bullard, Burke, Carter, Caswell, Cawthon, Chambers, Cheek, Clark, Clyburn, Crabtree, Cravy, Davis, Dickerson, Dumas, Ethridge, Finley, Gillespie, Guinn, Hall, Harris, Hinds, Horton, Hunter, Jones, Killough, Kirkpatrick, Kuykendall, Langley, Langston, Lawrence, Moss, McCarroll, McLeroy, McFarland, McMinn, Moss, Nichols, Palmer, Phillips, Pyland, Rather, Ray, Reames, Robins, Roddy, Roney, Sackett, Scritchfield, Shipp, Smith, Smyrl, Stamper, Stamps, Stanley, Tarrant, Taylor, Terrell, Tindel, Thomas, Tomlin, Turner, Vandiver, Wagener, Wilson, Wooster, Wright and Yates.
In 1926, Rev. Cravy began planning the construction of a new church building and money raising projects were started. Unfortunately, while serving as pastor for the church, George C. Cravy passed away on May 31, 1927. Mrs. Charles R. (Lenora Urban Bullard) Tindel wrote at the time,
“He was the first Pastor to be called from his labor here on earth to enter the Joy of his Lord in the history of the Bullard Methodist Church.”
Even though construction on the new church would not begin for another two years, Rev. Cravy deserves credit for his vision and tireless efforts to make the new building a reality for the members of the Bullard Methodist Church.
A new brick structure was constructed in 1930 following demolition of the frame church building. It stood at the same location where our present church now stands. One of the money raising projects that had been used to help defer construction costs of the new church was the purchase of stained-glass memorial windows that were offered for sale to members of the congregation to be installed once construction was complete. Several of these beautiful windows were commissioned and each was a memorial to a person who had been prominent in the Methodist Church. The large arched window on the north side of the church depicted Jesus as a shepherd with lambs and was dedicated to the memory of Dr. and Mrs. Robert H. Hunter. The large arched window on the south side of the church depicted Jesus knocking on a door and was dedicated to the memory of Etta Bullard Langley. Other smaller but no less beautiful windows were dedicated to the memory of Sadie McLeroy Gillespie, Louise McCarroll (only daughter of James R. and Stella McCarroll), Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Taylor, Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Moss, George C. Cravy, W. T. Wagener, Reverend and Mrs. Benjamin C. Ansley, W. B. Urban and Reverend T. P. Hendrix.
The church formally opened on Sunday, March 23, 1930. Aside from the spectacular windows, the new building was large enough to handle future growth and was modern in every sense of the word. Mrs. Charles R. (Lenora Urban Bullard) Tindel provided the following words:
“With the large auditorium, Sunday school rooms, pastor’s study, assembly room and kitchen, it is everything to be desired in a new church building. We are happy that our dream of such a church has become a reality. Through the past years, many splendid families all have worked faithfully and thereby helped to bring our church to this standard. Our present membership is loyal and true. We are indebted to them all, grateful to each member and officer of the church today, to the architect, contractor, the builders, the building committee, to all who in any way have helped to build this house of worship. May we all seek to live on a higher spiritual plane year by year, knowing that “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.”
Another generation of members at the Bullard Methodist Church was again indebted to faithful and motivated pastors who preached the Gospel and diligently served a grateful congregation. Names and dates of these servants were:
Andrew Asbury Wagnon 1904, J. W. Kelly 1905, B. W. Allen 1906-07, E. A. Rippey 1908, Mark Terrell 1909-11, Oscar W. Hooper 1912-13, C. E. W. Smith 1914-16, Charles M. Kennedy 1916, Edward Carroll Escoe 1917, Joseph William Treadwell 1918-20, Wiley F. Weeks 1921, Charles W. Hughes 1922, George Calvin Cravy 1923-27, Richard B. Moore 1927-28, Thomas Pierce Hendrick 1929-30.
DEPRESSION AND WORLD WAR:
In general, times were hard in 1929 for farmers and the small community of Bullard, yet no one could have imagined the difficulties that would be faced during the decade of the 1930’s and the Great Depression. Money was scarce as the depression worsened and members of the Bullard Methodist Church had to struggle to maintain the new church and make monthly payments on the building. Trustees had personally signed their names on a note at the Citizens State Bank of Bullard to pay the architect-contractor, Ralph Kessler of Jacksonville. In 1929 the Citizens State Bank of Bullard failed and the Texas State Bank of Jacksonville assumed all of its business. A few years after its completion, the trustees simply could not raise enough money to pay the interest and the note payment on the new church. A bank official came to see Mr. (James A.) Caswell and told him the church had to make a full interest and note payment. Mr. Caswell asked if the church might be able to pay the interest only and make a new note to which the banker replied, “No, we’ll have to foreclose.” No amount of talk would change his mind so Mr. Caswell said, “you just go ahead and crack your whip but I’ll see to it that every Methodist in this district knows what you have done.” The official left but returned in several days to inform Mr. Caswell that the bank board had changed its position and would accept the interest payment and make a new note after all.
The depression continued to worsen and the Bullard Methodist Church, although blessed with a loyal and hardworking congregation, was forced to constantly raise money in order to make payments on the new building. The Women’s Missionary Society worked ceaselessly to raise money by having bake sales, ice cream suppers, dinners and even a bonnet sale but the most successful fund raising events occurred when several young men of the church decided to have a rodeo to help pay off the church debt. Although met with considerable opposition by many in the church, the idea was accepted after much discussion and considerable prayer and planning was soon underway. A large vacant lot occupied the entire area on the west side of the church so a decision was made to hold the rodeo at that location. Men of the church built the fences and pens that would be needed and those who were farmers or ranchers rounded up their calves, steers, bulls and horses for the event. The women baked pies and cakes to sell and the young people planned to sell cold drinks and snacks. The rodeo opened and soon became such entertainment that people of all denominations from all over Bullard and the surrounding area attended. The more daring men and boys tried out their riding skills in a variety of contests but Bill Newburn and Bill Stanley brought in a big black bull that no one was ever able to ride. The rodeo was quite successful and held several times over the summer and brought in badly needed funds for the church debt.
The construction loan was finally paid off and the bank note burned at a dedication program on Sunday, May 4, 1941. The Reverend Lindsey J. Escoe was pastor and J. W. Treadwell, a former pastor, gave a prayer of thanksgiving. Reverend W. G. Fletcher preached the sermon and Mr. James Ansley Caswell who had stood up to the bank so many years before, was given the honor of burning the note. It should also be noted that Mr. Caswell was a lay leader, trustee, Sunday school superintendent and the teacher of a men’s Bible class during his 42 year tenure as Bullard Methodist Church member.
A few months following the note-burning ceremony, our country entered World War II and Bullard’s best and brightest answered the call to duty. Practically all men and many women joined the armed forces or served in some capacity for the war effort while those who remained in Bullard worked on the “home front.” Church membership was sustained during the war years but change for Bullard and its Methodist Church loomed on the horizon. Church membership during the depression and war years included these names:
Bailey, Bardwell, Barnes, Bickerstaff, Braly, Blow, Brock, Boon, Burk, Caswell, Chandler, Clark, Clyburn, Cole, Cooley, Cope, Cravy, Courtney, Davis, Dumas, Edwards, Ferrell, Gilmore, Gossett, Graves, Guinn, Horton, Harris, Hinds, Hill, House, Key, Kirkpatrick, Killough, Kuykendall, Langley, Langston, Long, Lynch, McCarroll, McMillon, Metcalf, Mitchell, McCoslin, Moody, Moss, Murphey, Newburn, O’Neal, Owens, Payne, Phillips, Pike, Pyland, Ray, Renfro, Reames, Roney, Robins, Sackett, Scritchfield, Shackelford, Shipp, Stamps, Stamper, Stanley, Smyrl, Stripling, Tarrant, Taylor, Teasdale, Tindel, Tomlin, Turner, Timberly, Tucker, Vickery, Wagener, Wheeler and Walker.
It should be noted that in April, 1939, following years of unofficial discussion and meetings, the Methodist Episcopal Church, the Methodist Protestant Church and the Methodist Episcopal Church South, united to form The Methodist Church. Pastors serving the church during this period were:
Delbert W. Moore 1931, Will M. Culwell 1932, John Franklin Everett 1933-37, James Earnest House 1938, J. Marvin Fuller 1939, Lindsey Johnson Escoe 1940, Arthur Marion Williams 1941, William Edward Mitchell 1942-43, Lindsey Johnson Escoe 1943-45.
POSTWAR BULLARD:
Following the end of hostilities, much of the country was poised to grow and prosper but Bullard, like many rural towns of similar size, entered a period of slow population decline. The town began to transform from an agricultural community to a suburb of Tyler as many of the people who had served or taken factory jobs during the war did not return to farming. Years passed and wage earning jobs in Tyler and other large towns and cities continued to draw the people of Bullard away. As the population and economy of Bullard went into decline, the Bullard Methodist Church was also affected. Church membership, which had grown to well over 200 after the war, began to drop by the late 1950’s.
In the face of these challenges, the church continued to have an energetic and dedicated membership and was able to construct a new parsonage adjacent to the church in 1956. Edwin McDaniel was pastor when the parsonage was planned and completed and he and his family were its first residents. The three bedroom brick parsonage was completely furnished and a credit to the hard work and vision of church members. The monthly payments for the parsonage were primarily made from regular collections from “church banks.” Each church family was provided a small wooden bank and once a month, Reverend McDaniel would visit the families and collect the donations. Everyone enjoyed his “collection” visits and funds were always available to make the monthly parsonage payments on time.
By the early 1960’s, members of the church who had been present through so much of its history were now older and less active and younger members of these families no longer lived in the Bullard area. With an aging membership and few newcomers to Bullard, church attendance and membership continued to decline. This trend would unfortunately continue throughout much of the 1960’s and 70’s. Pastors serving from the end of World War II through 1981 were:
Asbury Lenox 1945-46, Clyde Cecil Shoemaker 1946-47, Daniel Edward Sneller 1947-48, Charles Ray Woodard Sr. 1948-49, Bill Eugene Leediker 1949-51, Kenneth Darwin Summy 1951-53, William C. Jones 1953-54, James Vernon Fincher 1954-55, Paul Ilif Moon 1955-56, William Edwin McDaniel 1956-58, John Bailey Rozell 1958, G. L. Glasgow 1958-59, Jackson Lorrimor Crow 1959-60, Lawrence W. Spradley 1960, H. Gene Smith 1960-61, Joe McLeod 1961-62, H. Lee McGinnis 1962-64, Earl Paul Cantrelle 1964-65, Charles Edward Shine 1965-67, Ivy Milton Johnson 1967-68, John McAulsy Anderson 1968-69, Murray Robertson 1969-72, Ulysses Stanley Goad 1972, David Albert Russell 1972-73, Richard Allen Burnham 1973-74, Gary Richard Curry 1974-77, Larry Gilbert 1977-78, Thomas Hanson Chamness 1978-81.
An item of interest that occurred during this era happened in 1968. The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church consolidated to form the United Methodist Church and at that time, The Bullard Methodist Church became The Bullard First United Methodist Church.
A LEAP OF FAITH:
In June, 1981, with only 97 members, a new era in the history of the Methodist Church in Bullard began when the Reverend Cecil D. Harper, Jr. became pastor. Faced with problems resulting from years of declining membership, Reverend Harper began implementing an ambitious plan of evangelism, service and growth. The congregation realized that one way to die rapidly was to keep talking to anyone who would listen about “the good old days.” So in unanimous agreement, members took upon themselves the responsibility to set reachable goals and to work toward their fulfillment. With the assumption of this attitude and through faith and individual commitment, a new era in the church was begun and almost immediately noticeable changes began to appear in and around the church.
The Sunday morning worship service was revised to include the wearing of ministerial robes and stoles, acolytes began to participate in the service and in late 1981, a choir was formed with members wearing robes and stoles. The change from a more or less informal worship service to a slightly formal yet warm and reverent one was appreciated by loyal, long-time members and new members alike. Also, with oversight from Reverend Harper and excellent lay leadership, Sunday school classes were added, the United Methodist Youth Fellowship began to grow, the administrative board became much more active and the United Methodist Women continued to spearhead some of the many outreach programs of the church. Monthly suppers with entertainment were scheduled which stimulated fellowship and provided new and prospective members an opportunity to get to know the church family and within two years, church attendance tripled. Greeters warmly met worshipers at the door during Sunday morning service and visitation teams diligently worked to make contact with guests, potential new members and old members who may not have been regularly attending. The arrival of Reverend Harper brought about a new focus on evangelism and outreach and that, coupled with his years of training in administration and management, was just what the church needed at this pivotal point in its history.
In 1982, the Bullard First United Methodist Church was awarded the Copeland Evangelism Award by the Texas Annual Conference. This honor is awarded for outstanding leadership in evangelism and is certainly a testament to the dedication of both the staff and congregation. Reverend Harper served as pastor until 1988. His tenure as pastor witnessed sustained growth and by the time of his retirement, congregational membership was at almost 300, church facilities had been expanded to include a new fellowship hall and classrooms, and The Bullard First United Methodist Church was a leader in evangelism and community outreach in southern Smith County.
In 1988, Morris Matthis was appointed pastor at Bullard and continued the trend of evangelism, growth and outreach begun by Reverend Harper. In 1990, Reverend Matthis received the Eric Anderson Award from the Texas Annual Conference. This award is given to a young pastor demonstrating outstanding leadership and dedication in the area of evangelism. From 1991 until the present, Bullard First United Methodist Church has seen many changes. During this time, the town of Bullard has experienced tremendous growth and almost tripled in size. The surrounding area has also seen dramatic growth resulting in an expanding congregation and the construction of a new sanctuary and Family Life Center. A number of able pastors have served during this time including the Reverends Martin S. Vershel, Fredda Minick , Michael Mayhugh, Paul E. Quiggins, Gary Fitzgerald and Randy Fitzgerald. Under the guidance of these dedicated servants, total church membership is now over 400.
Today, The Bullard First United Methodist Church is a fulfilling and dynamic place to worship. Through the participation and hard work of many, there are now very active Woman’s Day and Night Circles, a growing Methodist Men’s group, a talented choir and music department, an exciting Methodist Youth Fellowship program, an expanding Sunday School and education department and many more committees and groups working together to grow the church and make it a better place. Finally, with sermons rooted in Biblical truths, Pastor Randy Fitzgerald bring a much needed and timeless message of salvation, responsibility and accountability to the Sunday morning worship service. The invitation is always extended to anyone, regardless of position or circumstance in life, to be included in our church family and to come and worship Him.
In reading through our church history, it is my hope that one can recognize the deep and abiding love of Jesus Christ that both the congregation and ministers serving this church have exhibited throughout the years. From the very earliest days of a fledgling church, through growth and difficult times and now to the present, their reverent faith and selfless actions are apparent. Yes, there will always be larger churches and grander buildings, but those in The Bullard First United Methodist Church have ceaselessly worked in answering the call to save souls for the Lord, to pursue Christian fellowship, knowledge and growth and have never lost sight of reaching out and ministering to those in need. The trappings of success may or may not come but the goals, actions and ultimate purpose of our church can never be questioned. Our history really is one of:
“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. – Philippians 4:13”