This Week in Texas Methodist History January 21

Ground Breaking for New Sanctuary in Galveston--January 22, 1962

Members of First Methodist Galveston met to break ground for a new sanctuary on January 22, 1962. The church had decided to move to a new location and build a new building rather than remodelling their old building which had been built after the Galveston Storm of 1900 by the newly-combined congregations of St. James and St. Johns.

The new site and building cost about $2,500,000. Much of that sum was provided by the philanthropy of the estate of Libbie Shearn Moody. In appreciation, the congregation changed the name of the church to Moody Memorial Methodist Church. The Rev. Weldon Morton led the ground breaking in 1962, but the congregation continued worshipping in their old facilities until February 1964.