First United Methodist Church

First United Methodist Church. . In the 1850s, Methodism spread across south Texas and into New Braunfels. Many German-speaking immigrants in communities like New Braunfels would be converted to Methodism. In 1853 a circuit rider, Rev. Henry P. Young, established the New Braunfels congregation as part of a circuit which included other German-speaking congregations in the area. This action was followed by the appointment of Rev. J.W. DeVilbiss as the presiding elder of the German district which covered all of Texas. Living in New Braunfels, DeVilbiss trained ministers and gathered German-speaking converts to Methodism. In 1858, a church building was constructed in the Comaltown area of New Braunfels on Union Street. Among the converts was the Karbach family who strongly supported the growing church community by hosting Sunday School, preaching and hosting camp meetings on their ranch. By 1913, the Methodist community had grown and a new church building named Karbach Memorial Methodist Church was constructed on west San Antonio Street. In 1916 the church was no longer on a circuit. Over the next decades, the church moved from German-speaking to bilingual to English-speaking. , By 1952 membership passed 500. That year a new sanctuary was built on the San Antonio Street site and renamed First Methodist Church. By 1980 membership surpassed 1000. In 2005, to continue its mission of outreach, the congregation sponsored a daughter church, Gruene United Methodist Church. Today both congregations are thriving and continuing to serve god and the people of the area.