About Us

About Us

We are a traditional, scriputurally based, rural church located in Gause, Texas. .

We have 30-40 members actively worshiping our Lord.  We invite you to worship with us.  

Our Story...

The area now known as Gause, Texas was initially populated by individual frontiersmen and a few families in the early to mid-1800’s. Nashville-on-the-Brazos was established in 1834 only six miles east of what is now Gause and not long afterwards, Port Sullivan was established a few miles north. For many years the people coming to the area were settlers as part of the Robertson Colony . This area was a hard and harsh frontier with plenty of action from the Indians. In these early times there were few people in the Nashville area and, thus, not many roads.  There were trails, such as the El Camino Real and a few paths, but little more. This area was a frontier! The Methodist Church denomination took an active interest in the increasing number of settlers arriving by forming a church at Nashville at least by 1840, and later at Port Sullivan. 

Until about 1860 the Methodists were the largest religious component on this frontier. While there were a couple of churches in the immediate area, most of the preaching was done by circuit riders and preachers holding camp meetings or revivals. For those in the future Gause area, their primary pastoral care was by circuit preachers although some probably attended services in Port Sullivan or Nashville-on-the Brazos. But, as the area population slowly grew, the Methodist Church began sending additional pastors to the area. The area was blessed with many widely known and excellent preachers such as Reverends Sneed, deVilbiss, Crawford; and others. By the late 1870’s with churches established in other Milam County towns, those preachers would have also preached in Gause on a “second charge” basis (a pastor was assigned to a primary church, but would serve other churches or areas as a second assignment). At first, this would have occurred in homes, barns, schools, etc. until churches could be established and buildings constructed, typical for a frontier situation.

Little has been written about the specific history of this church, or Gause, which was established by William J. Gause who donated land for the town on June 30, 1873. That donation included the lots on which the Gause Methodist Church would later be built. Rev. Thomas J. Hutson was the appointed pastor for the Cameron/Port Sullivan area for pastoral support in Cameron, Port Sullivan, and in Gause area homes. 

By about 1875, the church would have been meeting in the home of William J. Gause, who was a staunch Methodist and community minded citizen, as well as in other like-minded members’ homes as needed. This continued until they met in the newly constructed schoolhouse. Church growth is sporadic and there are fits and starts in beginning one. It is entirely conceivable it would take years before a physical church building would be constructed, so temporary facilities would be utilized until such time. In approximately 1876, the original schoolhouse was built in Gause and served the community until around 1900 when a building was constructed on Block 5, Lot 10 (lot donated for school use on November 1, 1878 by the railroad). Both the earlier schoolhouse and the later one would serve as a home for Methodist and Baptist services until permanent churches were constructed. One church would meet in the morning and the other in the afternoon. This continued until 1896.

 Following are a series of facts supporting the 1875 date:

1. Baptists and Methodists were using the schoolhouse as early as 1877 as mentioned above.

2. William J. Gause donated a lot for use as a parsonage on February 24, 1880

3. Surviving early church records are sparse, but an old, well worn, Church Register record book has “1882-1925” on the cover page. Unfortunately, some of the early pages of history are missing.

4. Apparently plans for a permanent pastor had fallen apart, because on October 25, 1883, William J.  Gause purchased the parsonage lot from the church for $200. 

5. By 1884, Gause had grown to 300 residents, steam cotton gins, grist and sawmills, plus Methodist and Baptist churches. 

6. The first church wedding in Gause was conducted on Dec 21, 1884 uniting Miss Dudley Cox and Mr. Allen Varner. It took place in the old schoolhouse. The Varner’s were very staunch and highly active Methodists their entire lives. 

7. In 1885 William J. Gause, who was extremely active in the Methodist church, donated an armchair to the Gause Methodist Church. 

8. Also, in the above-mentioned Church Register there is an entry for member Madison Walker, Senior showing he was a member since 1886.

9. In 1887 the first baptism was conducted in the Gause Methodist Church when Eddie Varner, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Allen Varner. 

10. In 1893 an 883-page book of biographies was published which, given its immense size, probably took years to write. The author recounts how William J. Gause and his family “are” members of the Methodist Church, “of which he was a Steward for a number of years.” This reference likely referred to years prior to 1887 when the church joined the Methodist Episcopal, South denomination.

In 1887 The Gause Methodist Episcopal Church, South was established and the church officially became affiliated with the Texas Conference, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South which was the larger Methodist governing body.

By the late 1880’s the church flourished and by 1892 it boasted 85 members. The Methodists continued meeting in the schoolhouse until they could construct a church building on the lot donated by the railroad in late 1895. In 1896 they built the first actual church building in Gause.  R. E. Watts was selected as the contractor and financier to build the church. Charter members were Dan Fowler, R. E. Watts, Fayette Watts, Jim Dixon, W. J. Gause, C. C. Moore, J. C. Gidley, Mrs. William Grigsby, Mrs. Willis Covington, Mrs. John Needham, Mrs. Tom Peel, and Mr. and Mrs. Allen Varner. All gave liberally of their wealth and time to make this project possible . A few of the original pews are still in use by the Gause United Methodist Church in 2024 in the choir loft. In October 1896 the church received $300 from the Board of Church Extension, Methodist Episcopal Church, South to help defray the final expenses of constructing the building.

After the turn of the century, Gause experienced a growth spurt and the Gause Methodist Episcopal Church, South grew along with the community. Gause reached its pinnacle in the 1910’s to early 1920’s. In 1932 the church entered into a contract with R. W. Hauptfleisch and W. B. Priddy to construct a new sanctuary , which is the same one still in use today. The exterior has not been changed and the interior has only been modified to add electronics, air conditioning, new pews, better lighting, and painting. The beautiful individually handcrafted  stained glass windows (36) were included in the 1932 construction and were all donated by members and local friends of the church. They are wonderful memorials dedicated to or in hnor of those who gave the churh its sound begnning in the early years. In 2014 the windows were disassembled and each piece of glass cleaned and reinstalled to ensure the windows would endure for many years to come. Again, individuals donated the cost in memory or in honor of those who had kept the church viable and active in the latter years.It was a fantastic building for its time and is still admired by all who see it today. It has become a landmark in Gause.

The J. C. Gidley family donated a new Hammond organ to the church in 1953 in honor of their parents, Rev. J. C. and Mrs. Martha Gidley In 1957 while Rev. Richard Spinn, Jr. was pastor, a building committee was established to construct what was to be called the Annex . It served as additional office space, Sunday school rooms, and fellowship hall and was officially opened in 1958. It was named for and dedicated to Mr.s Dudley Varner, a descendant of one of the church founding families. While there have been many maintenance and improvement projects, the 1930's era sanctuary remains architecturally just as it did originally. The church bell was first rung from a steeple of the original Methodist Church in 1896. In 1932, when the present church building was erected, a wooden tower was built at the northeast corner of the church, where it served until the tower deteriorated and dropped the bell. The bell was stored at the Bill Gause home until about 1991 when It was refurbished and mounted on a brick and concrete foundation with a plaque attesting to the memory of those who have gone on before – a fitting tribute to the old bell that had stirred the spirit of early Christians, calling them to worship or softly tolling its message as the body of a loved one was arriving at the church for friends and relatives to pay their final respects.” 

The church had several names throughout its history. In 1882 it was known as the Gause Methodist Church. In 1887 The Gause Methodist Church became officially affiliated with the Methodist Denomination in 1887 and was named the Gause Methodist Episcopal Church, South. This name remained in place until 1968 when it became the Gause United Methodist Church. It remained that name for 55 years until Jan 1, 2023, when the church disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church and became affiliated with the Global Methodist Church. On that date it chose to go back to its roots and be named, “The Gause Methodist Church.”

The Gause Methodist Church was fortunate to have many multi-generational families as members and who contributed much to the sucess and longevity of the church. The Gause, Varner, Covington, Gaston, Hauptleisch, Wilson, Walker, Dibble, Harris, Criitchfield, Todd, Thomas, Bonorden, Goode, Cochran,  and many other families have been the backbone of this church throught its history. Many of these families have descendants still attending.

The Gause Methodist Church experienced ups and downs through its 149 years of existence, but it has always been a stalwart in the community. Gause was a rough and tumble town in the early days and the church offered moral support and religious direction. It helped steer the citizens toward a more civil pattern of functionality and in some small way is responsible for helping to create a citizenry known to be “good people.” Throughout its history, many of the area leaders either attended or were members of the church. William J. Gause, who founded Gause, was one of the founding members and members of his family are still church members. Many of the business owners and area farmers and ranchers were members. 

Sometimes odd things happen in the life of a church. In 1914 Mr. J. F. Hickman owned a pool hall but began to feel like it was not a good example for Gause youth, so he gave the keys to Rev. J. W. Cole at the church and told him to dispose of the building and contents as he saw fit. So, the church sold off part of the furnishings and held a community bonfire to celebrate the closing of the business !

Gause celebrates Mother’s Day as a homecoming event each year, alternately hosted by the Gause Methodist Church and the Gause Baptist Church. The event was started by member Fritz Hauptfleisch in the early 1920’s . Descendants of the Hauptfleisch family still attend church services at the Gause Methodist Church and also the Mother’s Day activities each year.

As the town began to wither after WWII, the church was there to help lead the people spiritually and emotionally through the changes Gause would encounter along with the rest of the world. In 1946 the church was sponsoring a Boy Scout Troop.The church building itself stood as a mighty reminder to all that God had a plan for them and that they should keep God in their lives. 

Another example of community support was in 1956 when the church conducted a series of “Dinners on the Lawn” for members and area residents. In 1958 the church completed construction of its Annex, which allowed the church to do more for the community. The first event held there was a 50th wedding anniversary celebration given for Clyde and Ola Wilson . Through the years the annex has been used for many community activities such as parties, bereavement meals, classes, Vacation Bible Schools, luncheons, Valentine’s dinners, teacher retirement parties, and many other activities. 

Gause Founder’s Day originally began in 1981 to honor one of founding members of Gause and the Gause Methodist Church, Willam J. Gause. The church still participates in this community celebration each year. 

Membership and attendance waned from the 1960’s until the late 1990’s when only handful of people were participating,, but the church persevered. Henry Bonorden became the lay leader in 1971 and, serving until 2020, became the longest serving lay leader in church history. He was primarliy responsible for encouraging the few remaining members to continue with the church and then in the late 1990’s under the pastorship of Rev. Kenneth Byrd rejuvenated the church back to its former self. Rev. Kyle McNeely began pastoring the church in 2018 and continued the process by making the church more active and in the communnity and maintaining the membership at around 60 people. He also kept the church on a sound financial footing.

Edrie Browder, the author of “Gause Texas, A Legacy in Pieces”, 1997, is a seminal work on the history and personal stories of people and events in and around Gause. Mrs. Browder was an active member of the Gause Methodist Church and her pages provide numerous stories about church events and those of people in this area. Her book is a vivid example of the historical and cultural significance of this little church.

In 2000 the church began a highly effective program that touched the lives of many around the United States and some outside the country. Through this Prayer Blanket Ministry, members gather in the aisle during worship services and lay hands-on hand made two-foot square blankets that were lovingly crafted by the ladies in the church. With hands on the blankets, the congregation prays for the recipient and all previous recipients. The blankets are then sent to the individuals who are usually quite moved by the them and their deep meaning. Many reported being at peace immediately after getting them. Hundreds of lives have been impacted through the years of this ministry that demonstrates the power of prayer in a very personal way.

In August 2001 Pastor Kenneth Byrd led the church to host an annual luncheon to honor Gause school teachers and school employees and it continues each year. In 2017 Pastor Kyle McNeely led the church to offer an annual  Halloween Trunk or Treat function for community children. In some years the Gause Baptist Church participates as well . Also, that year, Franklin, Texas experienced horrendous tornado damage, and in one Sunday morning worship service the congregation’s Lay Leader spoke and raised $10,000 during the service to contribute to Franklin families in need. A team of workers helped clean up the damage and to deliver the check. Later in 2017 Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas coast and the church was involved in helping support those clean-up activities too .

In 2018 former pastor Kenneth Byrd donated a sign which was installed on church property. Its purpose is to get people’s attention, remind them of spiritual issues, advertise church and community events, and to provide timely guidance on such issues as time changes, voting locations, etc. In 2019 the church began helping the community clean up the major highway that goes through town by officially adopting a 2-mile stretch. Members, along with the community, clean trash from that section four times a year. In 2020 the COVID-19 pandemic showed up in Gause and the church had to close in accordance with the state’s shelter in place order. So, the church began streaming its service, at first without the congregation, and later with the congregation present. This opened the worship services to anyone who wished to view, and the church continues to produce a semi-professional Internet broadcast live of each worship service. Also, as an outgrowth of the pandemic, the church invited the Milam County Health Department to use the annex to provide free vaccinations to area residents. This resulted in the Gause zip code having the highest percentage in the county of its population being vaccinated. Flu shots were also given and the church pays the cost for any Gause area resident who could not afford them. The church also partners with the Gulf Coast Blood Bank to offer blood drives in the annex several times a year. 

Recently, in 2021, during the severe winter freezing weather, the church established an official state warming center in the annex. In 2023 the Church Council voted to install a stationary propane fired generator to provide electricity in times when the grid is down, thus allowing continual support to residents and travelers needing warmth. The Sunday school classes partner with the Gause Independent School District to meet the needs of children in the community for items such as coats, glasses, school supplies, medical needs, Christmas gifts, etc. For several years the church has conducted community Easter egg hunts, and it provides annual support to the Methodist Children’s Home in Waco. Additionally, the church provides emergency support to numerous people and families in the area who have no place to turn.

The Gause Methodist Church has been led by more than 69 pastors during its history plus many others who filled in at times, but were not recorded as pastors in charge (see attached list). The church truly is the people, both clergy and lay. Today the church is a beacon of spirituality and compassionate living. It continues, as it has for 149 years, to be active in the community, helping where help is needed, offering guidance to those wanting it, and serving as a leading institution in the town. The activities listed above provide a glimpse into how much the church has done and continues to do for the community. From the perspective of the church members, it is just what we do and why our motto is “A Small Town Church With a Worldwide Reach.”

The Gause Methodist Church was born in Gause, TX in 1875, only 137 years after Methodism was created and only 91 years after Methodism began in the United States.   

We will be 150 years old in 2025.