150th Anniversary
CELEBRATING 150 YEARS IN 2025
Rose Hill Methodist will be celebrating its 150th Anniversary in 2025!! The Historic Sanctuary Committee has developed a list of celebration events for the anniversary in 2025. Many of these events are ones we already celebrate but which will get a special twist as part of our year-long celebration.
EVENTS
Mark your calendar for a special Sunday! On March 2nd, in celebration of our 150th anniversary, we will have one combined worship service at 10:30 a.m. in the Faith Center.
We will then have a fellowship pot-luck dinner at 4:00 p.m., in the Faith Center.
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JANUARY 5 – Sweet Hymn Sing
FEBRUARY 8 – Chili Supper & Cook-Off
MARCH 2 – Re-dedication/Heritage Service (one service at 10:30 AM) followed by Fellowship Luncheon
APRIL 18 – Good Friday Fish Fry
MAY 11 (rain date May 18) – Honoring women of Rose Hill at church services. Picnic with band following at 12:00.
JUNE 15 – Honoring men of Rose Hill at church services. Time Capsule and Hamburger meal to follow
JULY – Ice Cream Social and school supply drive
AUGUST 24 – Family Games & Sno-Cones
FIRST WEEKEND OF OCTOBER – 150 Years of Transportation & Car Show
3rd WEEKEND OF OCTOBER – Missions Sunday: Blood Drive, Food Pantry Drive, Baby Supplies Drive
NOVEMBER – Artisans Day: demos of old skills and activities from church founding
DECEMBER 21 – Tree Lighting and Caroling with hot chocolate and Wassail
HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS
Rose Hill was a German settlement, and in 1875 the Spring Creek area was accepted as a mission by the southern German Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Three men, Friederick Oeft, August Beckendorff (ancestor of our own Arlie Beckendorf), and William Schulze became the first members in 1875. In 1876, a small framed church and parsonage was built. It was combined into one 22′ x 42′ building and also contained the living quarters of the preacher.
By 1879 there were 30 members with Camp meetings held for fellowship and to attract new members. Weekly prayer meetings were started at that time also. The church grew, and many volunteered materials and labor to build a new sanctuary in April of 1888 at a cost of $788.45.
Friederick Oeft
August Beckendorff
The first church building which included the parsonage burned, and a new parsonage was built in 1894. The name of the church was changed from Spring Creek Methodist Church to Rose Hill Methodist Church, and it was no longer a mission church. Services were held every other week since the church was too small to have a full-time pastor. For many years, the pastors were ministerial students from Blinn College in Brenham, Texas.
Our first church building. 22′ x 42′, contained the church and parsonage.
By Around 1888, folks donated money for a bell, a cost of $53.30 and the rope was $.75. It was picked up in Cypress at the railroad station, and the children rang the bell all the way back to Rose Hill. This bell still rings today in our Historical church. One gentleman, Victor Scholl, rang the bell for over fifty years.
The bell has been rung in the Historical Church since 1888
Victor Scholl (right) rang the bell for over 50 years
The 1888 Rose Hill Methodist Church Sanctuary
The 1888 Rose Hill Methodist Church Pulpit
The Ladies Aid Society was organized in 1932. They looked to the needs of those in the church and surrounding community of Rose Hill. Donations were taken and quilts were made for those families who had hardships. The name has changed throughout the years to Women’s Society of Christian Service in 1968 and then to United Methodist Women in 1974. When Rose Hill became part of the Global Methodist Church in 2023, the ladies chose the name Methodist Women.
Methodist Women
The German language was used in the early services. It was voted in 1932 to conduct the evening services in English and in 1938 to have the Sunday morning services in the English language. The “Older Adult” class continued to be in German until the late 50s.
Jesus spricht zu ihm: Ich bin der Weg und die
Wahrheit und das Leben; neimand kommt Vater
denn durch mich.
Wahrheit und das Leben; neimand kommt Vater
denn durch mich.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the
truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father,
but my me.
Several years later, another German custom was removed. It was customary in German churches for the men to sit on one side of the sanctuary during church services and the women and children to sit on the other. By 1947, young married couples were refusing to follow this tradition, and the practice came to an end.
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As membership grew, there was a need for classrooms, a kitchen, and a place for fellowship. They decided to build a Fellowship Hall. The building was connected to the main sanctuary on the southeast corner of the church. It was divided into a fellowship hall, classroom, restroom, and kitchen. Covered dish luncheons after church became popular. It eventually became an office for the pastor and his secretary as well as a classroom.
Original Fellowship Hall
By 1956, with the increase in young people and children, plans were made to build five additional classrooms, each 16′ x 16′. The building, currently behind the historic church, was used for classrooms for the children of the church. The building is currently used for storage.
Original Classroom Building
The church obtained his first full-time minister in 1958, Rev. Jerry Mercer, so provisions had to be made to attain a parsonage. Members were then on a lookout for a two or three-bedroom house. The members made pledges and also made donations of furniture. They decided to purchase a six-year-old home for $3,900 in July of 1958. For $400 they moved the house from Humble to Rose Hill.
Rev. Jerry Mercer
In addition to having a parsonage to be proud of, the congregation felt compelled to replace the steeple on the sanctuary belfry so the church would have a more religious appearance. In 1962, the steeple, which had been damaged by woodpeckers and finally destroyed in a storm, was replaced. Mr. R.A. Smothers fabricated the new steeple out of heavy metal. T and T Construction donated their crane and labor for this cause. After the work was done the congregation ate a covered dish meal prepared by the women of the church.
In the 1960s the area of Rose Hill began changing. Industry began to develop nearby. People were becoming more mobile; roads were improving and people were moving away while others moved in. The German heritage was becoming diluted. The church remained stable throughout all this. Subdivisions continued to attract new people and the church grew by 46 families between 1960 and 1968.
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On Sunday March 2nd, 2025, during our 150th celebration service, you will have a little experience with our German heritage. Member Alan Kendall not only speaks German and will be participating but can claim two ancestors who were pastors at our church. Herman Bohmfalk served during the years 1896-1900 and Christian Bohmfalk served from 1907-1910.
The eldest son of Christian and his wife Johanna was Alan’s grandfather Ben. Ben and his brother Milton also became Methodist pastors. Christian helped several churches through the growing pains of changing from German to English, including churches in Chicago, Charles City, Iowa, Fredericksburg, and near San Antonio.
Rev. Christian Bohmfalk
Rev. Herman Bohmfalk
Musings of our first full-time pastor, Jerry Mercer:
“I was so excited to be appointed to a single charge so close to the University of Houston where I was enrolled as a student. I was a little disappointed when the District Superintendent told me that it looked like this church would be closed in the near future. I do not remember the reason for the statement. My first Sunday in the old church was memorable. The service started at 10:45 a.m. I jokingly said to the congregation that such a beginning time meant I had more time to preach — until twelve. Then one of the older men in the congregation, it turned out to be the treasurer, said out loud, ‘We start at 10:45 so we can get out at 11:45!’ I forgot what I said next but was glad to get the service underway.”
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In 1965, a study was made to determine the needs of the congregation and eliminate the overcrowded situation. It was determined that a new sanctuary was needed. A building committee was elected, and the committee visited many churches in deciding the type of church that was needed. The Methodists Development Fund authorized an issue of $51,750 worth of bonds to the church. A substantial amount was purchased by members of the church with the remainder sold to the community.
HUB Construction
HUB
In honor of Rose Hill’s 150 years, we want to highlight people and events – past & present – that have made us the church we are. We are asking for contributions from the congregation – a short blurb on a person or event that you think is significant. Please send your blurb to Judith Hackney or Chris Kanewske.
T-SHIRTS
150th Anniversary T-Shirts – We will be selling T-Shirts throughout the year, but if you want one now, you can order from Special-T, 1522 FM 2920, Suite 1, Tomball (behind Walter’s on the corner of Park Road). They have the logos on file and you can choose any style Tee you might want.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
WE NEED YOUR HELP!! Volunteer forms are available below or paper copies in Church gathering areas with a list of the events and volunteer needs. We want everyone to participate to make this a successful, fun-filled year. Please consider areas where you can volunteer. Thank you!