On April 18, Greens Creek Methodist Church will celebrate their 150th anniversary. Greens Creek Methodist was organized on February 18, 1876, when a Sunday School was organized at the one room cabin of Civil War Captain Eli Roberson Kiker, on what is now known as the Mayfield Farm and Ranch.
Among those at the first meeting were Mr. and Mrs. Eli Roberson Kiker and their children Charley and Jimmy Kiker and stepdaughter Era B. Phillips; Mr. and Mrs. John Michael Kiker (who gave the land for the present day Greens Creek Methodist Church) and their children Alonzo, Walter and Henry; Mr. and Mrs. N.P. Kiker and their children Milton, Viola, Willie and Mary; and Polly Kiker Cannon and her children Russell and Dora.
Following the long pattern of the frontier, Sunday school meetings were often held in the homes of members. In 1877, members of the church constructed a brush arbor east of Lower Greens Creek Cemetery, followed in 1882 by a log schoolhouse which became the home of the Greens Creek Sunday school. This building was constructed by Rev. R.L. Roberson on the Old Greens Creek Campground about a mile south of highway 67 on the east sideofGreensCreek. It was during this time that when the church was built, the congregation would often have members of the church stand guard to keep a lookout for Indians, who were known to cause trouble even at that late date. During the pastorate of Rev. W.J. Lemmons in 1895, when the Tabernacle was built, tents were often set up and people went there to camp, with many later building camp houses. This Tabernacle, still in use, was used by Methodists for revivals and camp meetings held in conjunction with the Harbin Methodist Church.
It was during this time between cultivating and harvesting that men, women and children, pretty much everyone in the community, loaded into wagons and moved into the camp bringing with them chickens, cows and other necessary items, where they lived for two weeks each year. Formany,thecamp meeting served also as a vacation from the life of work that awaited them at home. It was during this time that many families began moving to Greens Creek and building houses. Some of those names included R.C. Cannon, John Harbin, H.M. Courtney, as well as H.A. Smith, one of Dublin’s most prominent citizens, and Rufus Higgenbotham’s father-in-law.
In March of 1907, under the pastorate of Rev. E.J. Maxwell, the Greens Creek Methodist Church was moved to its current location following a land gift of 1.3 acres from John Michael Kiker, great grandfather of Linda Mayfield, who had always been a deeply religious man. Kiker was the brother of Eli Roberson Kiker who had hosted the first Greens Creek Sunday school in his home.
In 1934, after the church’s permanent location, the tabernacle was divided into two parts with one part moved from the campground to its current location at Greens Creek Methodist Church, with the second part being moved to the Harbin community. The tabernacle has long been used for revivals along with Greens Creek Baptist Church, reminding members of the original function at the old Greens Creek campground.
An integral part of the history of Greens Creek Methodist church, is the church bell which has been in the Greens Creek family for over 100 years. This bell, which was used to announce the beginning of services each Sunday, was moved here in 1934 when the tabernacle was divided with the Harbin church.
The bell was made in Northmill, Michigan by the American Bell Foundry which opened in 1895 and was sold in 1920, later closing in 1924. American Bell Foundry made a variety of bells in different sizes, including up to the size of the Liberty Bell. The bell at Greens Creek Methodist is marked with a serial number cast on the surface and weighs approximately 40 pounds.
Greens Creek Methodist became a member of the Global Methodist Church in 2023, of which there are only two in Erath County, and continues to be a vital part of the Greens Creek community. The church has supported the Dublin Methodist food pantry, flood relief for Central Texas, the March of Dimes, Samaritan’s Purse, Texas fire relief, and Good Friday Fish Fry. The church believes that our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ who worship passionately, love extravagantly and witness boldly.