First United Methodist Church of Dallas, Dallas

The First United Methodist Church is situated in a very old part of the downtown section; in fact, it has been part of that overall landscape since the 1840s, when Dallas was just a village where Methodist preachers would stop for worship while riding the circuit. The congregation used to met at three previous locations before the Trinity Methodist and First Methodist congregations eventually combined in 1916, remaining relevant and inviting ever since.

The current church at Ross and Harwood opened its doors in 1926. Done in a Gothic style of architecture, it has been added to and renovated numerous times, but most recently in 2013, when the structure saw a massive 16,000-square-feet renovation and a 12,800-square-feet addition connected by a sky bridge. The renovation features a two-story glass entry (referred to as "Portals of Inspiration") and a multipurpose room (referred to as "Crossroads Center"), which functions as the primary hospitality area.

Curiously enough, the new addition encloses the existing structure built in the 1920s, making the aged exterior the new space's interior. Exposing aged brick and original stained glass presented a unique challenge, but you are now free to convince yourself of the results. The church is open pretty much any day of the week, with worship services held Sundays.