A 1857 Congregation on South Main
First Methodist Church of Weatherford has stood at 301 South Main Street since 1857, when the congregation was first chartered. The sanctuary that worshipers step into today is the same one begun in 1889 and finished in 1893, an old stone and brick building that still wears a historic marker on its face. Across Main Street and around the corner on College Park Drive, the Family Life Center rises from 2000 and ties the original structure together with classrooms, a fellowship hall, and the family-friendly gathering spaces the church uses every Sunday and Wednesday.
The church's mission is plain: to love God and to love and serve others. Senior Pastor Joseph Nader preaches most Sunday mornings, leading a team of pastors, musicians and ministry directors who together shape worship, formation and outreach for every age in Parker County.
Sunday Mornings in the Sanctuary
Three Sunday services fill the sanctuary each week, with the middle hour livestreamed on Facebook so members at home can join in real time.
- 8:00 AM - Traditional worship
- 9:00 AM - Contemporary worship, led by a praise band
- 11:00 AM - Traditional worship, also livestreamed
Music is led by one of the choirs or the contemporary team depending on the hour, and each service centers on engaging, relevant, biblical teaching. Nader's preaching aims to bring Scripture to life in fresh, applicable ways. Visitors who arrive at any of the three hours will find people dressed in everything from jeans to suits; the church's only request is that guests come comfortable.
Children are welcome in all three services. A nursery for birth through 4-year-olds runs from 9:00 AM to noon, and Children's Church for kindergarten through fifth grade is released from the 11:00 service and gathers in the Chapel next to the nursery. Children's Church follows the same sermon topic Pastor Joseph preached on, paired with songs, prayer and a weekly offering.
Restoring the Bell Tower
The most visible landmark of the campus is the historic bell tower that has risen over Main Street for well over 130 years. A multi-year restoration project is now underway to repair the sheet metal exterior, the plywood underneath, the window frames, the domed roof and the weather vane. A new weatherproof membrane will protect the interior, and a fresh sheet of tin-coated stainless steel siding will be painted in the original three colors that complement the Parker County Courthouse down the block. The work is expected to keep the tower standing for another 130 years.
The project carries a $1.7 million budget, including contractor, architect and a contingency fund. Roughly $800,000 had been raised at the time the project was announced, leaving $900,000 still to go. The tower rises as what the church calls a beacon to the city that the light of Christ is offered here; its ringing, the church says, sings praises over the neighborhood.
Wednesday Nights Around the Table
Wednesday is the second rhythm of the week, organized around a shared family meal in the Family Life Center. The schedule brings children, students and adults together in the same building before they split off into their own groups.
- 9:30 AM - Pray and Play Littles, for parents and babies through preschoolers
- 4:30 to 5:15 PM - Pray and Play, an open fellowship time with playground and craft time
- 5:15 to 6:00 PM - Jubilee Kids rhythm and chimes for kindergarten through fifth grade, led by the handbell director and director of music
- 5:15 PM - Middle School youth group
- 6:00 PM - Family meal in the Family Life Center
- 6:45 to 7:45 PM - FIRST KIDS Group for third through fifth grade, and High School youth group
- 7:01 to 8:10 PM - Chancel Choir rehearsal
On most Wednesdays the senior pastor also hosts a Bible study that is livestreamed on YouTube and remains available to watch later.
Children: FIRST KIDS
Children's ministry at First Methodist Weatherford is built around Sunday school at 10:00 AM, the Children's Church hour during the 11:00 service, and a full slate of Wednesday activities. Sunday school classrooms for kindergarten through fifth grade meet on the third floor, while preschool Sunday school is held in the nursery. Each week children learn a Bible lesson through hands-on activities, and a monthly memory verse ties the weeks together. Kids are encouraged to bring their Bibles.
Ginger Morrison, the Children's Director, leads the FIRST KIDS program with a team of volunteers. She is the main point of contact for families wanting to know more.
Youth: Red House
Middle and high school students meet in the Family Life Center on Wednesday nights, eat the church meal together, and split into their own age groups. The youth program, also called Red House, runs summer mission trips for both middle school and high school, with separate trips for each age group, and serves the local community through projects throughout the year. Updates go out through a monthly email newsletter and a text channel at 81010 with the code @rooted301.
Abby Hamessley and Jason Roberts serve as co-directors of youth ministries. Hamessley also serves as the church's Director of Connections, walking newcomers into the life of the congregation.
College and Young Adults
Bo Smith serves as Pastor of College and Care, working with students connected to Weatherford College and the wider campus community. The church supports the local Wesley Foundation and offers scholarships at Weatherford College as part of its community giving. Each summer the college group takes a mission trip, most recently a work and rafting trip tied to N-X Ranch and the Arkansas River.
For young adults not yet in the college years, a College and Career Sunday school class meets in the Family Life Center.
Adult Sunday School
Sunday school at 10:00 AM serves the full span of adult life, with classes organized by lifestage and meeting in classrooms across the Family Life Center and the main building.
- Connections (S-114) for Empty Nesters and Nearly or Newly Retired
- Fellowship (N-311) for Established Families and Empty Nesters
- Heart of Lydia (S-115) for women in the Empty Nester and Nearly or Newly Retired stages
- New Journeys (N-315) for Empty Nesters and Nearly or Newly Retired
- R.O.C. (N-313) for Young Families and Established Families
- Trinity (Akard Hall) for Nearly or Newly Retired and Seasoned Adults
- Questors (S-106) for Nearly or Newly Retired and Seasoned Adults
- College and Career (S-121) for Young Adults
Music: Choir, Bells and a Children's Ensemble
Music is woven through the life of the church. The Chancel Choir rehearses each Wednesday evening and sings for the 11:00 service. A handbell ensemble meets Monday evenings from 6:00 to 7:00 PM, under the direction of Jonna Young, and performs in worship, special services and local festivals. The contemporary team leads the 9:00 service and is open to new auditioners. The Jubilee Kids rhythm and chimes group introduces kindergarten through fifth graders to handbells and rhythm instruments, and the children play in worship at least twice each school year.
Karen Hogue directs the music and worship arts ministry, Robin and Jill Lyle lead contemporary worship, Cole McLeod plays piano, and Jorene Lawson plays organ.
Missions: Local, National and Global
First Methodist Weatherford organizes its outreach around four directions: Love FMCW, Love Our Nation, Love Weatherford, and Love Our World. The church supports a battered women's shelter, a crisis response team, Meals on Wheels, emergency aid for children, the local Wesley Foundation, scholarships at Weatherford College, and direct aid to transients in need. The church describes its mission foundation with the words of John 13:34-35: a new command to love one another as Christ has loved.
What the Church Believes
First Methodist Weatherford is rooted in the United Methodist tradition. Its statement of belief, adapted from the Methodist heritage and the United Methodist Book of Discipline, confesses faith in the triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - and in salvation through Jesus Christ. The church affirms Scripture as the authority for matters of faith, justification by grace through faith, the need for continual reformation, the priesthood of all believers, and the unity of the church across denominations. Baptism initiates believers into the community, and Holy Communion nourishes them for discipleship. The church also embraces a Wesleyan practice of the means of grace, including prayer, fasting, the sacraments and inward searching, lived out in the communal life of worship, mission, evangelism and service.
Leadership and Campus
The pastoral team is led by Rev. Joseph Nader as Senior Pastor. A Leadership Team chaired by Jon Green oversees the work of the body alongside committees of finance, trustees and personnel representatives. The historic sanctuary built in the early 1890s, the Education Building from 1930 and its 1954 south addition, and the Family Life Center from 2000 together form the campus. The main office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM, and the office phone is (817) 599-4231. Giving is available online, and ACH withdrawals can be arranged by emailing the finance manager.