Argyle UMC 'Moving with Vision' into the future

BY DR. JOAN GRAY LABARR
Editor

It was an icy day in January when bad weather forced delay of the plans for Argyle UMC to break ground for its new church facilities. Fortunately, everything was bright and beautiful on the rescheduled day of April 15. Pastor Rev. Kory Knott and Dallas-Denton District Superintendent Rev. Larry George led the church in breaking ground on its new 19.6-acre property.

The new site will have more than 1200 feet of frontage along highly traveled Hwy. 377. As the 104-year old church prepares to relocate in this highly visible location, the theme is appropriately, "Moving with Vision...to seek, grow, and serve."

For more than a century the Methodist people of Argyle have served Christ and community. From 1894 when the first 27 members established a Methodist Church in the tiny hamlet of Argyle, the congregation has been an important presence in the community.

Argyle was still a small town west of Denton in 1969, when 60 committed members decided to build a new sanctuary. An education wing was added in 1972. By 1981 average attendance had climbed to 77. The sanctuary was expanded in 1986 and a fellowship hall and foyer were added.

Community and church continued to grow. In 1992, after gaining 47 new members, the church averaged 125 in Sunday worship and was bursting at the seams. With no room to grow, the congregation committed to relocation in 2001.

Argyle UMC now averages more than 400 in worship each Sunday. The sanctuary seats 190, which is tight even with multiple services. On Easter 2007 the congregation worshiped at Argyle High School auditorium. Some 1,000 people participated in the services. By next Easter church members plan to be worshipping in their new 530-seat sanctuary. The worship space is part of an 18,000 sq. ft. first phase building that will also include classrooms, a state of the art nursery, kitchen, restrooms, and offices. Cost of the first phase is estimated at $3.2 million.

Rev. Knott explains that the first phase includes some nonrecurring costs, such as master plan design fees, a turn lane off 377, utilities, parking and landscaping.

"In order to be good stewards, our leaders have been working with the architectural firm of Brown, Brown and Associates. Their first task has been to come up with a 'master plan' for the 20 acres that will give continuity to the future phases and best utilization for the property. This will be a work in progress as we members to raise as much sacrificial goal, placing Argyle continue to take significant money as possible to enable the UMC in an excellent position to steps in developing our cam-church to have less debt to carry move into future building and pus," Rev. Knott said in a report to the membership.

The Capital Campaign Steering committee challenged members to raise as much money as possible to enable the church to have less debt to carry and speed the ability to move into Phase II. The congregation pledged more than $1.5 million, close to the committee’s top sacrificial goal, placing Argyle UMC in an excellent position to move into future building and future ministry.

For more information, please call 940-464-1333 or visit www.argyleumc.org.