St. Paul Lutheran Church and School
ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH AND SCHOOL
IN DECEMBER 1911, ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH WAS ORGANIZED BY A SMALL GROUP OF WENDISH LUTHERAN MEN UNDER THE DIRECTION OF REV. E.J. MOEBUS IN THE RURAL COMMUNITY OF CONCORDIA, ABOUT SEVEN MILES NORTHEAST OF BISHOP. JOHANN MICHALK OF THORNDALE (MILAM CO.) DONATED A FIVE ACRE SITE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A CHURCH BUILDING, AND THE STRUCTURE WAS ERECTED BY EARLY 1912. AMONG THE FIRST CONCERNS OF THE NEW CONGREGATION WAS THE RELIGIOUS AND SECULAR EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN. THEREFORE, THE NEW BUILDING WAS USED AS A SCHOOLHOUSE DURING THE WEEK. JOHN G. DUBE DONATED A TWO ACRE SITE NEAR THE CHURCH FOR THE CREATION OF A CEMETERY THAT CONTINUES TO BE USED BY THOSE AFFILIATED WITH THE ST. PAUL CONGREGATION.
ALTHOUGH A FULL-TIME PASTOR (REV. ARTHUR E. MOEBUS, SON OF THE ORGANIZING PASTOR) WAS HIRED IN 1913, THE CHURCH’S PAROCHIAL SCHOOL DID NOT ACQUIRE A FULL-TIME TEACHER UNTIL 1931. ALFRED GEIHSLER SERVED THE SCHOOL FOR OVER FORTY YEARS AS A TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL. A NEW, LARGER CHURCH BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1928, FOLLOWED BY A DEDICATED SCHOOL BUILDING IN 1934.
IN 1960, THE CONGREGATION VOTED TO RELOCATE TO BISHOP; THE NEW CHURCH AND FOUR-ROOM SCHOOL WERE DEDICATED ON SEPTEMBER 20, 1964. THE PARISH HALL, PASTORAGE AND TEACHERAGE WERE MOVED IN FROM THE FORMER CHURCH SITE. SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN FOUNDED WITHIN THE CONGREGATION, INCLUDING THE LUTHERAN WOMEN’S MISSIONARY LEAGUE, THE LUTHERAN LAYMEN’S LEAGUE AND THE WALTHER LEAGUE. TODAY, ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH AND SCHOOL CONTINUES TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF THE BISHOP AREA.
175 YEARS OF TEXAS INDEPENDENCE * 1836-2011.