Organized in 1849, the First United Methodist Church of Rusk was first served by the Rev. Henderson D. Palmer, a circuit-riding minister who received his license to preach in 1838 in Nacogdoches County. The first deed for Methodist church property in Rusk was recorded on May 22, 1850, and the first church building was erected the following year. A second sanctuary was built in 1896 during the pastorate of the Rev. V.A. Godbey, with E.L. Gregg, J.W. Summers, and J.F. Mallard serving on the building committee. The present building was completed in 1920 under the leadership of the Rev. J.W. Goodwin and was dedicated in 1935 after the building debt was retired. All three Methodist sanctuaries have stood on this site. There have also been three parsonages, with the first built in 1879 and replaced by a second home in 1947, followed by later additions to the property including an educational building in 1961 and a parsonage in 1981. For over a century, the church has been a vital part of the community, and many descendants of early members continue to be active in its life.