History of the Queen City Methodist Church

Citizens Journal-Sun

Editor’s note: The following is from Cathie Maley’s research on the history of the Queen City Congregational Methodist Church as a program she presented for the Cass County Genealogical Society.

In 1870, a group of Methodists led by the Rev. Joe Stephenson organized a Methodist Church one mile east of the present Queen City near the old Dodd place. Lovic P Clements Sr. gave the land, and a church was built in 1871.

This church today is known as a community-

Mrs. Eliza Patillo was honored to give the name of the church. She chose “Concord,” the name of the old church in Georgia in which she had been converted. When Mrs. Patillo rose to pronounce the name with a shout of praise, it was the beginning of a revival that stirred the country for miles around. Two years later, the Texas and Pacific Railroad surveyed a right-of-way near the Concord and laid out a town plot. The railroad company changed the right-of-way to the present line and the railroad was built in 1874.

The Methodist congregation deemed it wise to move the church into town. In 1878, the Concord Church building was abandoned. The congregation held services in the new school building of the new town until construction of the Presbyterian church was completed, and the Methodists were invited to worship there.

The Methodist Church was built in 1879. Wesley Patillo transferred the Concord Church membership to the Queen City Church register.

This large worn old book is treasured today, for upon its pages are inscribed the names of the church’s founding members.

The erection of the current building was begun July 7, 1952 and the first service was held on January 25, 1953. The church was dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Ella Griffin Knowles, charter member of the Concord-

Queen City Church who had died in

1948 at the age of 87 years.

The Queen City Methodist Church freed itself of debt it incurred by the construction of its new building within two years and four months after its first worship service in the new building.

The Queen City Methodist Church was dedicated on May 15, 1955. The Church added three rooms to the educational wing and two rooms to the parsonage. Then, there was the installation of central air conditioning and heating, the purchase of an organ and a new piano, carpeting in the sanctuary and reroofing. This indebtedness was retired on July 17, 1960.

The First United Methodist Church of Queen City, Texas celebrated its 100th anniversary

in 1970.

In 1980, a remodeling project installed new windows, carpet, kitchen cabinets and lights. In the late 1990s, property was willed to the church by James O and James A Clements. Proceeds from the sale of this property provided the congregation with the ability to add on to the church through the construction of a new fellowship hall with loft, kitchen, office for the pastor, additional bathrooms, storage and three Sunday School rooms.

Although the Queen City Methodist church was part of the United Methodist Church for many years, it disaffiliated and became affiliated with the Congregational Methodist Church effective January 1, 2022.

The church provides outreach to the community. It conducts a “Beans & Cornbread” dinner on the first Monday of the month, October through May. An annual “Singing” is held in July. The Cass County Genealogical Society and East Texas Retired Teachers organizations hold their monthly meetings here. The local fire district holds its annual Christmas party here in December. Numerous birthday parties, baby showers and family reunions are held here.

Although small in size, the congregation is giving of its talents. It assists the Queen City school children and others throughout several counties in Northeast Texas. This past year, the church supported CASA during Christmas. The 2024 season of Advent, which started on December 1, 2024, saw two performances of the Chime Choir led by Kendra Bates, on December 15 and 24. The Christmas Eve Service was well attended.