Roughly 100 dedicated Christians decided that the time had come to leave the United Methodist Church.

In the early '70s, First United Methodist Church of Denton senior pastor Bill Holmes preached a more liberal message from the pulpit, which intimidated many of the conservative church members while encouraging the liberals in the congregation. The division worsened, and several families left First Methodist Church-- many of which dispersed to other local churches. In the late '70s, hearing reports that the Southern Methodist Church was interested in forming a church in Denton, 100 members disatisfied with the liberal bias of the intenerant pastor left their longtime church on friendly terms.

Under the teaching of Southern Methodist pastor Phillip Bashaw, those one hundred saints met at the Jack Schmitz funeral home chapel for worship services and Bible Study. Rapid growth, associated with hours of prayer and evangelistic fervor, soon followed. Soon they required a larger facility to handle the large crowd, preferably a building of their own to meet in.

Cumberland Presbyterian Church, whose membership exceeded 150 at the time, had vacated their old facility at the corner of Maple and Welch streets near what was then called North Texas State University (Now UNT). (The cornerstone plaque was taken from the building and placed in their new building on Stuart Dr.)

Pastor Bashaw, Mr. Bob Cole, and future pastor Charles Rodolico made an offer to acquire their former place of worship. The building was acquired and moderate growth continued into the following year. Alas, the honeymoon of a new church rarely lasts much longer than that. The attitude of independence and divisivness would lead to the decline of what could have been a much larger congregation in Denton.

The Southern Methodist Church at Denton split almost in half. The reason is uncertain, but it led Bob Cole to start a new church organization under the name of First Southern Methodist Church. They kept control of the property and the building. Charles Rodolico became interim pastor of John Wesley Southern Methodist (supposedly the original organization, although they were not known as "first") and they proceeded to meet back at the Schmitz funeral home where they started.

Since a non-profit organization (such as a church) cannot "sell" a building per se, John Wesley SMC moved back into the vacated Welch Street building with permission of First SMC.

The two factions were on good terms and Charles Rodolico of John Wesley SMC later served as interim pastor of First SMC when Bob Cole left. First Church began to feel "too comfortable", Rodolico said. He noted that many members of First SMC re-joined John Wesley SMC as membership and activities declined.

Around 1981, John Wesley Southern Methodist Church under the leadership of Lloyd Vance decided to re-direct its focus. The Southern Methodist denomination, being congregational, refused to help sending trained ministers to help either of its churches at Denton. John Wesley SMC proceeded to join the Evangelical Methodist Church denomination, realizing that cooperation is necessary within the body of Christ and that each church does not stand alone.

A new church title was on the agenda at a subsequent board meeting. John Vardy, whom Rodolico said was a man of faith who loved the Lord, motioned to call the church "University Methodist Church". Not only was this name fitting to the Maple street location, but it also was an olive branch to a rapidly decaying college spiritual environment across the street. They were somewhat successful in attracting more students from nearby North Texas State University under this title. University EMC started a chapter of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship on the university campus, which continues today at the re-named University of North Texas.

As apathy grew in the 1980’s toward matters Godly and spiritual, University EMC experienced a drop in membership. Financial troubles followed. Differences in strategy insued. Marion Smith, one of the original members who left First UMC, was chairman of the board of stewards at the time and disagreed with pastor Vance on several issues. The most notable division was over the decision to move. Pastor Vance thought it would be beneficial to move to the rapidly growing south eastern section of Denton where no churches met. A service or two was held at Lake Forest Good Samaritan Village's chapel on Ryan Road, to the anger of Mr. Smith. Eventually, Smith prevailed and Vance thus felt his time with the church had come to and end.

Rodolico soon became the new pastor of University EMC. He noted that in order to grow, a new location had to be secured. The parking was terrible and the building was in bad repair. The church boards met to discuss a meeting place more suitable for growth. A church building on Bolivar Street, which formerly housed many successful churches in town during their infancies, became available as the current tennants, New Creation Fellowship, wished to be closer to campus. It was decided that the church should acquire that facility and meet there. New Creation church moved into the Welch Street building as University EMC was moving out.

Pastor Rodolico was very efficient in reorganizing University EMC and setting up camp in their new North Denton Location. The title was kept due to the building’s proximity to University Drive and to Texas Woman's University.

The church had some identity problems during the following years. Some members were opposed to the evangelical ferver of the church, while others were concerned about the reclusiveness of other members. One woman, when asked to help out with Vacation Bible School is reported to have said at a meeting, "I would rather burn in hell than help with VBS". Such sentiments cannot possibly be healthy for any church focused on serving Christ. Details of the problems surrounding this crisis are best left out of this publication and all sins committed should be forgiven. It is necessary, however, to record that Rodolico wanted to retire and stay on as pastor emeritus. Opposing factions and harsh feelings lead to a heated and argumentative board meeting that caused many of the members to leave. Rodolico was accused of misappropriating funds. A meeting was held to decide if pastor Rodolico should remain. It was decided that he should not stay. From a motion made by Gerald Ferris (the man whom our fellowship hall is named), it was decided that the EMC Discipline would be followed in regard to congregational authority. Rodolico left voluntarily after this decision.

Dr. Charles Mulholland came in 1991 with a bold new vision for the church: Relying purely on the Word of God. Though he was yet to be fully credentialed with the EMC and had a Baptist seminary degree, the church liked him well enough to keep him on honorarium as a recurring guest speaker. During some reorganization of the church’s priorities, many of the older members left. The order of services were changed from a traditional methodist liturgy to a looser, more spontaneous format. Hand-shaking and the singing of ‘The Doxology’ were returned to the Worship service thanks to pastor Mulholland, although the reading of the Apostles' Creed and other recitations were ommitted. But truer to early methodism, an emphasis was placed on prayer and Bible Study.

By the next church conference, the administrative board elected Mulholland as full-time pastor. In February 1992, Mrs. Betty Clampitt motioned that both boards continue to meet together at the same time as the Administrative Board. The motion was passed, but the Trustees could still meet and elect their own chairman.

Although the church didn’t grow as quickly as anticipated in the 1990’s (membership averaging at around 20), God has blessed University EMC with many answered prayers, new members, and dynamic preaching. Mulholland, with his Irish accent, attracted many eurpoeans to the church. At one point over half the congregation were immigrants.

In June of 2001, a few months shy of the church's 20th anniversarry, a move was made to close the church and re-start as a "mission" of the Mid-States Conference of the EMC. While the vote was unanimous to disband, the decision was far from unilateral.

At the Called Church Conference in March, intended solely to elect brother David O. Troupe as pastor, district superintendant Jack Conner announced the Church Extension Board of the Mid-States Conference of the EMC wished to take on the property rights and operation of University EMC in Denton. The Conference (all voting University EMC members who were present) took no action on this, and verbally expressed a desire to meet on this issue later.

An Administrative Board meeting was called soon after the Conference which addressed the issue of surrendering property rights. It was decided that since the church had recently hired a new pastor, that the board should first settle other issues such as the pastor's salary, parsonage improvments and financing increased evangelism efforts in the community. The board unanimously decided not to call a church conference for the purpose of surrendering property.

In June, pastor Troupe called a special Called Church Conference for June 13th, 2001 to decide whether to disband the church and surrender the property and assets of University EMC to the District. The Conference was held without any prior discussion and was a surprise to many in attendance.

The Conference, after a heated two-hour debate, voted to dissolve University EMC and surrender remaining property and monies to the District. The vote was ultimately unamimous, with two dissenting members abstaining.

Superintendant Conner expressed that the District will now move to establish a mission in Denton, to be headed by pastor Troupe. The mission will have the possibillty after some growth in attendance, to become an "official church," so that Denton may have an official EMC church once again.

"This is a new beginning for the EMC of Denton," supt. Conner said. "By deciding to start over fresh, you have buried the past and stepped out on faith."

All voting members present, besides former Administrative Board chairman Andrew Hogue, signed the new mission charter.

Many church members felt confused by the proceedings of the Called Conference, especially amidst talk of moving to a new location, possibly Wellspring Christian Academy, where Asbury United Methodist Church once met. Some came to the Conference to vote "Yes" to moving to a new location, unaware of the property rights and disbandment aspects. Board secretary Barbara Smartt, the last remaining original member from the split from First UMC, was sick in bed the day of the conference.

The district traded the church building on Bolivar Street for rent in Wellspring Christian Academy's basement, where they share worship facilities with Christ Fellowship. "Living Water Fellowship," the name of Troupe's mission, retained 5 members from the former University EMC. Average attendance is at 7. The mission has no local board control and is under the watch of the district superintendant.

It is clea from surveying the rise and fall of this local church that the path has been rocky. This may be why information is so hard to come by regarding the history of it-- many sources and former members refuse to comment due to hurt feelings.

Many unanswered questions remain: Was the successful Trinity Methodist Church of Denton part of the same conservative exodus from First UMC? Was a short-lived Congregational Methodist Church on Collins Street of any relation? Why was "Living Water Methodist Fellowship" on the church checks before a meeting was held to vote on the name of the new mission?

And its tracks have been covered. The building on Bolivar Street is now inhabited by Church on the Go, and they have totally restored the interior. The old building on Maple and Welch was purchased by UNT to make room for a fraternity house! Despite the obscurity, this author felt that the time had come to chronicle the rise and fall of University EMC.

The forces of darkness will attempt to dis-assemble and confuse any genuine move of God’s people. Everyone in my memory who has left this church over the years has come out a stronger, more Spirit-filled believer than they were when they first came to worship with the church. The term "University" may signify a different meaning than originally intended: In many ways, we are indeed a ‘university’ for educating and equipping God’s people!

May we, as the Church of Jesus Christ, remain obedient to His Word at all costs and keep in constant prayer. If we slip even in the slightest degree, Satan will use that sliver of sin to send us into disarray and try to split our church again. Learn from history: Remain strong in the Word, stay humble and avoid territorialism, while being watchful for the devil’s pitfalls that lie ahead. The congregation of the righteous will be protected by God Himself wherever they meet and under any other name.

Perhaps the church that God raised up will once again be a powerful assembly of His royal priesthood, ready and willing to serve from Denton and to the ends the earth! Then again, maybe the Lord is satisfied with the work that has been done and is being done through the other churches spun off from University EMC.

--Andrew Hogue
universityemc@hotmail.com

special thanks to those who helped me gather information:
Pastor Charles Rodolico of Asbury UMC, Denton
Gene Leonard formerly of First UMC, Denton
Mrs. Corrine Smith, of First UMC, Denton
and Lloyd Vance of New Heights Free Methodist Church in Plano