PUMC History

On the first day of 1900, a Methodist Church was established at Rockhill in honor of C.L. Smith, who had donated money for the building.   When the Frisco railway was built through west Collin County in 1902, the town of Prosper was established and the Smith Chapel frame building was relocated and renamed Prosper Methodist Church.  Thus, the first church in Prosper was dedicated on March 21st, with Reverend L.L. Naugle as pastor.

 

The frame church burned beyond repair in 1924, and the current church building was erected.  John W. Westbrook designed the church and Sam Goodrum acted as contractor.  Materials from the old church building were used in the concrete for the new structure.  The new brick church, presided over by Reverend C.W. Thomas, was completed and furnished for $22,000.  Prosper United Methodist Church continued to be served by many part-time student pastors until 1987 when the congregation asked the Bishop to appoint a full-time pastor.  This step of faith, combined with dedicated leadership, continues to empower a vital congregation, dedicated to Christ and moving into the twenty-first century.

 

We give thanks for  our leaders both past and present, but most of all we give thanks to God for guiding, teaching, and sustaining us as we seek His will for our church faimly while reaching out with the Good News of the Gospel in Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

This history project is located in the front of western "gathering room" of the Family Fellowship Building.  It is by the elevator and southwest staircase.

 

The goal of this project is to chronicle and archive the history of the Prosper United Methodist Church.  The fast - changing events of the 20th century's last ten decades have been all too quickly vanishing into a disheartening blur.  We have not been able to pass on the rich heritage and legacy of the Prosper Methodist Episcopal Church South (1902) - Prosper United Methodist Church (2009).  It is important for us to remember and understand how the church use to be and how those past events and members have influenced what we have become today. 

The preservation and display of all our Archives and History is a work in progress: Records, pictures, letters, and objects have been collected from the first members of the church to the present day.  The work is very rewarding but tedious because of the age of some of the material.

 

You are invited to view this display at your convenience.  If you want to actually examine the archived books and records you may call Judy Rucker* at 972-347-2562.  The records are very fragile and require "gloved" inspection.   Or if you have records, letters, pictures, or objects to add to our collection, we would love to have them. 

 

*Judy rucker serves on the North Texas Conference Commision on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church.