Faith Lutheran Church traces its history back over 125 years of life through four congregations which have been united through the process of merger.
Our Savior's Lutheran Church - Normanna, TX
Our Savior's Lutheran Church unofficially organized in 1896, as Norwegian Lutherans in Normanna began to be served by the same pastors who served all Lutherans in Bee County. It was organized in February 1898 as the United Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church. The church started with 21 members, with 10 ladies in the women's group. It wasn't until 1912 that the congregation formally organized as Our Savior's. Our Savior's Lutheran Church existed in Normanna until vandals destroyed the sanctuary by fire in 1968.
Pastors who served Our Savior's Lutheran Church
J.C. Damstrom, 1896
J. Sether, 1896-1897
Hans Petter Duborg, 1897-1900
L.L. Nervig, 1902-1906
P.E. Thorsen, 1908-1914
Einer Orting, 1910-1914
M. Bugneberg, 1912
G. Smedal, 1913
M.B. Quill, 1915
I. Polson, 1916
Teodor Lernd, May 1917
J.B. Bienerson, March 24, 1918-February 21, 1921
Johan Olson, January 13, 1920
H.C. Holm, November 18, 1925
J.A. Bernard, February 1926-1930
L.L. Ullensvang, 1931-1937
S.F. Veldey, 1937
W.J. Maakestad, 1937-1938
Jacob Askeland, September 5, 1937-July 1941
Bergman, 1941
O.G. Salveson, 1942
N. Astrup Larsen, 1935-1950 (various)
O.A. Hofstad, 1942-1945
N.C. Renslo, 1948-1951
H. William Sorenson, 1950
Earl C. Moehring, 1951-1955
V.T. Jordahl, 1955
Walter Gigstad
L.R. Otterstad
J.E. Nelson
Einer Jorgenson
A.W. Almquist, 1955-1959
Dr. Erno Dahl, 1959-?
Any other information about pastors of this church would be heavily appreciated.
Peace Lutheran Church - Beeville, TX
Peace Lutheran Church was organized in 1920 with eight charter members: Mr. & Mrs. J.J. Range, Fred Heinsohn, John Bremer, Fritz Hartzendorf, F.W. Frels, Fritz Fallermann, and F.W. Koether. Worship services of the newly organized congregation were held in the hall above the Rex Theater; later the congregation moved into the Sons of Hermann Hall. In 1930 the congregation erected its first church building on the corner of East Clare and North Jefferson Streets. In 1948 that building was replaced by the sanctuary constructed on the same location and which served the congregation up until 1978.
Pastors who served Peace Lutheran Church
F.A. Neumeister
E.A. Kahle
D.E. Anderson
M. Keller
O. Schmidt
Otto Fangmeyer
P.C. Schroeder
R.C. Albert
F.C. Scholz
Earl C. Moehring
H.A. Heineke
M.H. Obst
L.J. Koehn
H.T. Flackmeier
H.L. Anderson
St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church - Berclair, TX
St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church of Berclair was organized under the leadership of Pastor D.E. Anderson in 1925. In February of 1941, this congregation dissolved in order to merge with Peace Lutheran in Beeville.
Pastors who served St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church
D.E. Anderson
M. Keller
O. Schmidt
Otto Fangmeyer
Trinity Lutheran Church - Beeville, TX
Trinity Lutheran Church was organized on March 30, 1945 as a LCMS congregation with the following charter members: Mr. & Mrs. W.W. Niederhaus, Mr. & Mrs. R.J. Knocke, Mr. & Mrs. B.A. Geisler, Mr. & Mrs. W.J. Dittfurth, A.P. Geisler, and Mr. & Mrs. E.C. . The congregation's first place of worship was the Walker Funeral Home followed by: the Junior High School, the United Club Building, the Youth Center and in 1955 the congregation erected the sanctuary which is located at Bowie and Filmore Streets.
Pastors who served Trinity Lutheran Church
F.B. Growcock
F.H. Pralle
E.A. Wolf
R.E. Stoll
L.P. Rohers
E.E. Mather
R.J. Dinda
E.T. Bauman
V.H. Lehenbauer
F.W. Reutz
D.L. Zimbrick
H.R. Rische
Beginnings of Faith
In March of 1973, a merger Planning Committee was appointed consisting of: Clifton Trlica, Jr., Ernest Boemer, Frieda Hartzendorf, Jim Scotten, Ellene Valenta, Harold Galloway, John Shaw, and Pastor H.L. Anderson. Their duty was to "study carefully the past growth and development and to project possible future growth and to present specific proposals for future action."
Faith Lutheran Church came into existence on February 22, 1976 when the congregation's of Peace Lutheran Church, affiliated with the American Lutheran Church, and Trinity Lutheran Church, affiliated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, voted unanimously to merge and become a congregation of the American Lutheran Church.
On the same day, February 22, 1976, the members of the newly formed Faith Lutheran Church unanimously approved a recommendation to engage Travis Broesche and Associates of Houston and Jim Lachlan of Corpus Christi as the architects to plan the new facilities for the congregation on a new site located on FM 351 and the Highway 181 Bypass. This site of three acres was a gift to the congregation from eleven members of the former Peace Lutheran Church.
In May of 1977 a contract for construction of the new facility by the Toland Construction Company of Taft, Texas was signed. Groundbreaking services were held at the site on Sunday, May 22, 1977. In a congregational meeting on Sunday, July 24, 1977, the congregation voted to contract with the John Forte Organ Company of Dallas for a seven rank pipe organ.
The facilities of Faith Lutheran Church were dedicated on April 2, 1978, with a congregation of 308 baptized members and 229 confirmed members.
Pastors of Faith and Faith Today
As for a pastor for the new congregation, the Faith Lutheran Church called the pastor of the former Peace Lutheran Church, H.L. Anderson, to be the first pastor of Faith Lutheran.
In 1979, Pastor Anderson left Beeville and accepted a call to a different church, and in 1980, Faith Lutheran called Richard Bremer as the new pastor.
In 2000, Pastor Bremer accepted a call to a different church and Faith was served by Pastor Arnold Mohde in a supply capacity until 2001, when Faith Lutheran called Pastor Don Taylor.
In September 2011, Pastor Taylor retired from active ministry and elected to remain a member of Faith Lutheran. Faith Lutheran was then served by TEEM Candidate Gary Conklin starting October 1, 2011 until his ordination on June 24, 2012, at which time Faith Lutheran voted to call Pastor Conklin officially to the pulpit.
In 2012, the congregation of Faith Lutheran elected to bestow upon Pastor Taylor the unique title of Pastor Emeritus. It is a celebratory title with no official duties or responsibilities.
