This Week in Texas Methodist History July 31 Houston District Board of Missions and Evangelism Reports Numerous Projects July 1939 The conventional historical narrative emphasizes the tremendous industrial growth of Texas during World War II. Almost all regions of the state shared in the growth. The coastal plains concentrated on petroleum resources such as aviation fuel, lubricants, and gasoline. The Dallas-Fort Worth area became known for aircraft industries. East Texas developed steel and munitions. I could go on. Because the post-Pearl Harbor industrial expansion was so dramatic, we often overlook the fact that the boom actually started before Pearl Harbor. For example it was the census of 1940 that reported that a majority of Texans lived in urban rather than rural areas. In other words, the 1930s had seen a significant rural-urban migration. Methodists responded to this migration by planting churches to accommodate the new urbanites. Houston Methodism was very much in the center of the action, and the main body to accomplish the task was the District Board of Missions and Evangelism. In 1939 that Board consisted of fifteen men (all men) who were among the business elite of Houston. Among the members were Fred Heyne who managed the Jesse Jones interests in Houston. Jones had been appointed to the Reconstruction Finance Corporation by President Hoover. When Roosevelt was elected, he named Jones Chair of the RFC and also Secretary of the Department of Commerce. He had to live in Wasington most of the time so Heyne was hugely important in managing the real estate, newspaper, banking, and broadcasting interests. John Scott of First National Bank but also with interests in insurance, textiles, lumber, and the stockyards. Judge Ewing Werlein, a preachr’s son, served on the Board. E. L. Crain was an investment broker and real estate investor. Marcus Greer was a banker. Another banker was Albert Dee Simpson, formerly of Southwestern University. Hines Baker was an officer of Humble Oil (later Exxon) who would later become CEO of the corporation. Wesley West, a rancher and oil man and the son of James M. West, was also on the Board. Roy Bear was presidentof Star Engraving Company. You get the idea. The interests of expanding Methodism in Houston on the eve of World War II were in the hands of the business elite. They accomplished a great deal. They supported new congregations in Riverside, Alief, Little York, New Caney, Old River, and Spring. The Board helped secure low interest loans for Pasadena, St. Mark’s and Katy. They provided consultation for the refurbishing of Grace, Ludtke, and McAshan church buildings. For some churches the need was for educational space so they assisted Bering, Beneke, Higlands, Pearland, and Larkin with those projects. A whopping 8 new buildings were erected in 1938/9. Genoa, Almeda, Wesley, Epworth, West University, Pasadena, and Katy all received som help, but St. Mark’s received the most ---$130,000. They were not resting on their laurels. In July 1939 Park Place, Central, Galena Park, and Golden Acres were all drawing up plans in anticipation of financial aid from the Board of Missions and Evangelism. As one read the report of the Board, one sees that in addition to the grants and loans made to churches, a very important function of the Board was to use its contacts with bankers to press for lower interest rates for churches wishing to borrow money for building projects. The actual budget of the Board was about $6000 with First Methodist supplying $2400, St. Paul’s $1250, and Bering $600. It may surprise you to learn that none of the members of the Board were delegates to General Conference (the Uniting Conference) and only John Scott was delegate to the Jurisdictional Confenence (the first). Only Scott (First) and Elledge (Berting) were their church’s lay delegate to annual conference. The best way to look at these dedicated, philanthropic men is that they would Houston boosters ---muchy in the mold of the man who wasn’t there---Jesse Jones. Serving on the Board was a way to serve their church and also aid in the progess of their city—Houston.