Home 		First United Methodist Church of DeSoto
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Our History

 

The original sanctuary built by the First United Methodist Church in DeSoto was on Belt Line Road and  was expanded in 1954.

In 1966, this new sanctuary     was dedicated on Roaring Springs Road. It is now the church's Education Building

 The Sanctuary,burned to  the ground while under construction in 1982,  It was  rebuilt and  opened on Easter Sunday 1983. The Church Life Center was built     by First UMC DeSoto in 1995 and provides classrooms, a gymnasium and kitchen for the congregation.
The history of the Methodist Church in DeSoto and the City of DeSoto share many common threads. Both the city and church trace their roots to the 1800’s. Several churches preceded First United Methodist Church in DeSoto and ended in failure. The first church in DeSoto was the Union church built around 1891. After the church closed, the building was torn down and  a portion of the land was bought by the City of DeSoto. 
The Southwest Methodist Episcopal Church was built in 1902 on a site east of Lyndalyn Street.  About 1923 it became inactive and was also torn down.  The money from the sale of the lumber was given to the Lancaster Methodist Church, Lancaster. There had not been a Methodist Church in DeSoto from 1923 until 1948.  During July 1948,  a census was taken to find Methodist families in the area,  The census found Methodist families in the DeSoto area, and that led to an organizational meeting was held in the Belt Line School cafeteria in August 1948. The first service was held at the Belt Line School in September 1948. Soon there were plans to buy land and launch a building program. The new church family made plans to construct a Methodist Church on Belt Line Road. The Lancaster Methodist Church, which benefited from the lumber sale of the church in 1923, returned the money (about $100) to the fledgling DeSoto congregation.
1902-23 Building

 

 

 This church began with eight families, a student minister and a budget of $900, with the love of loyal men and women serving our Lord. We now worship in a beautiful sanctuary and have a Church Life Center and an educational building. Read the full history written by Lucile Shockley, FUMC historian, published in 1999 as part of the church's 50th Anniversary Celebration