From Church of the Year to Seizure and Sale In 4 Years: The Sad Story of a Methodist Church

From Church of the Year to Seizure and Sale In 4 Years: 

The Sad Story of a Methodist Church

In 2020, the Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church selected the Joaquin United Methodist as the Best Small Membership Church in their District for its exemplary community activity and service to children, youth and the elderly.  That same year, the District named Bro. Robert Ortigo, the Pastor of the Joaquin United Methodist Church as Best Pastor of the Year.  Four short years later, Bro. Ortigo is with his Lord Jesus, and the Bishop of the Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church has announced the imminent seizure and sale of the historic church.  The story behind this change demonstrates how large organizations, even when they are dedicated to Christian principles, can become vehicles of blind destruction.

The town of Joaquin is located as far East as you can go in Texas.  It sits just two miles from where the Sabine River makes a hook, turns west, and ceases to be the boundary between Texas and Louisiana.  Joaquin traces its origins to the period following the opening of Texas to Anglo settlement.  The earliest buildings were constructed on the high slope above the deep, narrow channel of the Sabine River.  This spot marks a natural ford where a ferry was built to bring settlers across.  It is located at the Sabine’s northern most navigable point, where Riverboats from the Gulf could dock.  When the first Railroad was built, connecting Shreveport and Arkansas with Houston and Galveston, a railroad bridge spanned the Sabine near the spot where the original settlement stood; but the town followed the railroad and moved a couple of miles west to the location of the Railhead and station.  

The history of the Methodist Faith in that part of East Texas parallels that of the community.  As early as 1825, Circuit Riding Methodist Ministers risked capture by Spanish-Mexican authorities, and held camp meetings and Methodist services in a Brush Arbor built where the Brookland Cemetery now stands just west of the Sabine.  The little Methodist church building constructed there was first named the Harmony Methodist Church.  When the town moved west to establish the town of Joaquin, the Methodist Congregation followed.  

The documented history of the Joaquin Methodist congregation dates to 1876 when the first building was opened and the church chartered.  Between 1894 and 1895, a church was built on the Joaquin lot across from the site of the present church.  In 1904-1905, the first church located on the present site was completed.  In 1951, the members of the Joaquin Methodist Church, assisted by friends in the community, tore down the old building and erected the little brick chapel that the United Methodist Conference plans to seize, close, and sell. 

Thus, the little brick church by the railroad in Joaquin is 199 years old (from inception); 148 years old (from charter); 119 years old (in the same site), and 73 years old (in the present building).  The important fact is that if the Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church follows its current course, the historic church will never be 200 years old; 150 years old, 120 years old, or even 75 years old.  Instead, their Church will be sold or demolished and the congregation will cease to exist.

Why would a Church Conference take such action, and how would such a seizure be legal?  As readers of the Dallas Morning News know, the United Methodist Church Conference (founded in 1968) has recently adopted controversial polices regarding LGBTQ pastors.  These controversies led to many United Methodist Congregations disaffiliating with the Conference.  The Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church claims that all of the properties owned by local United Methodist Churches are actually the property of the Conference, and that the local churches are only allowed to hold these properties “in trust” for the Conference.  

However, rather than test their “Trust” ownership theory in the courts, the Conference allowed local congregations to disaffiliate with the Conference during 2023 without losing their properties.  Unfortunately, the pastor of the Joaquin United Methodist Church was desperately ill from cancer during this period and throughout most of 2024. The Texas Conference did not communicate with the Board of the Joaquin United Methodist Church or with its officers.  After the passing of their Pastor, the congregation of the little church voted to disaffiliate with the Conference and change their name from United Methodist Church to Joaquin Community Methodist Church.

The officers of the little church were then informed that they had missed the “window of opportunity” for withdrawing from the Conference, and that their church would be seized and sold by the Conference.  The little church does not have the resources to fight the powerful Conference.  They have deeds to the properties where the church stands, dating back to 1904 and 1905.  Most of the additional properties were donated to the church by members before it joined the newly formed United Methodist Conference in 1968.  Six property deeds are held by the church and filed in the Shelby County Courthouse.  The United Methodist Church Conference has failed to produce any deeds or titles, or agreements signed by the local church assigning their real property to the Conference.  However, without resources or legal representation, the congregation of the historic church has little hope of prevailing against the Conference.

On Nov. 5, 2024, the citizens of Joaquin voted, possibly for the last time, in the Fellowship Hall of the Joaquin Methodist Church. Local voting has taken place there for as long as most can remember.  In a normal Nov., the Hall would now be stacked high with cans and boxes of food waiting for the ladies of Joaquin to pack Thanksgiving Baskets for those in need of help during the holidays. The men and the youth of the Church and town would be beginning their deliveries.  After Thanksgiving, the tradition has been for toys to replace the food, as members worked to bring Christmas to children of the Community, whose families are having “hard times.”  A school bus sits forlornly in the parking lot, no longer being used to transport local children to Sunday School or Vacation Bible School.

During the area Fall festivals, the pork rind frying machine belonging to the Youth of the church would normally be in demand. almost every weekend.  The little Church sells pork rinds at area gatherings to fund projects, including their scholarship program.  For at least 40 years, Joaquin Methodist Church has given higher education scholarships to graduates of Joaquin High School These are based on Christian leadership, potential, and need, not membership in any specific church.  In recent years, the little church has annually funded $6,000 to $18,000 in such scholarships, with less than 1/3 going to Methodist youth.  Most scholarships are used at local colleges, but some help students in career training programs.  This spring, the 2025 Joaquin High School graduates will be the first class in almost 50 years not to be honored by a graduation luncheon hosted in the Fellowship Hall by the Methodist Women.

Other programs that were initiated by the little church are now broadly supported and hosted by other churches and the community.  These include the Senior Citizens Center and the Food Bank.  Imagining the community without its oldest, and one of its most giving Churches, is difficult.  The sadness of church members is shared by many, who, while not members, feel a connection to the congregation.  Many have expressed hopes for saving the Church, and prayer services have been organized.  The little congregation has asked for prayers that their church may be saved.

In the meantime, preparations are being made to move services from the 73 year old Sanctuary to the Brush Arbor in the Memorial Garden beside the Church building.  There the congregation plans to worship as their forbearers did 200 years ago (at least until the Conference banishes them from the grounds).