Lifewell Church Downtown Garland Masonic Building History

Double Emblems, Single Hope: LifeWell Church in Garland

Wandering downtown Garland, my eyes catch on LifeWell Church at 115 N 6th Street, a building that feels like a page torn from time. Its flaking facade, with bold, crisp letters paint it on spelling “LifeWell” around a cross in a single drop, speaks of faith enduring decay. But it’s the twin emblems from 1897 that pull me in: one, a Masonic square with “AF & AM” and a square-and-compass, its center a faded mystery—not dots, not quite a letter. The other, three linked chains of the Odd Fellows, marked “100F,” a cryptic nod to Friendship, Love, and Truth.

The irony is thick, like summer air with the stench of the fresh natural fertilizer of the square. A church of open salvation dwells in a place once shared by two fraternal orders, their secrets etched in stone. In 1897, Garland was a young railroad town, its square alive with promise. This building, one of its oldest, might’ve hosted Masons and Odd Fellows, brothers of ritual and charity. The “100F” puzzles me—maybe a lodge number, maybe a weathered “IOOF”—but it deepens the enigma of a sacred space built on secular vows.

A Heartbeat in the Ruins

The building’s plain, dilapidated exterior feels heavy, almost dreary but historical, its chipped paint a testament to time’s neglect. Yet inside, LifeWell thrums with life. Kids practice karate, their shouts piercing the stillness. Daddy-daughter dances spin joy, and community lunches, like last Cinco de Mayo’s feast, warm the soul. Founded in 1999 to reach the next generation, LifeWell preaches hope every Sunday at 11 a.m., in person or streamed online, a light burning through the cracks of history.

The Grit and Grace of Downtown

Downtown Garland is a mirror to this place—gritty, yet glowing with effort. Markets and food trucks animate the square, with August 2025 bringing Kpop dance shows and library crafts for kids. New spots like the 5th Street Crossing signal revival, but faded signs and cracked sidewalks whisper of harder days. LifeWell’s cross-and-drop emblem, stark against its crumbling wall, feels like a poem of resilience, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the twin logos of 1897.

Those emblems intrigue me. The Masonic symbol, its center blurred, and the Odd Fellows’ chains, tied to an unclear “100F,” speak of a past both open and hidden. As I snap a photo, kids’ laughter spills from the church, clashing with the somber brick. This is my Garland, a corner of my life where faith and fraternity collide, where decay cradles hope. It’s not polished, but it’s mine—a story of symbols, children, and a town that endures.

Join LifeWell Sundays at 11 a.m., in person or on YouTube. Or linger by the building, and let its double emblems tell their tale.