First United Methodist Church

First United Methodist Church of Gladewater develop as a railroad town in the 1870s Gladewater grew slowly but steadily in the first decades of its existence. In 1922 12 adults and 2 children led by the Reverend Parris of Longview met in mister and missus JA Godfreys home to organize a congregation of the Methodist Episcopal Church South Bay soon built a sample one room sanctuary the church and the town experience dramatic growth beginning in the 1930s when a local oil boom brought more residents since that time members have formed women's and men's groups to support the church and its many services and programs