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EARLY HISTORY of Lutherans in the area |
At Palestine, near Oakwood, where the Rev G.W. Fischer had conducted services as early as 1906,
and where the Rev. A.J. Niemann had made an attempt to found a congregation in the early 1920's.
No lasting development came until 1942.From "Pause to Ponder"
by the Texas District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod | |
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THE BEGINNING of Bethlehem: Mission in Palestine |
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While serving the mission of Henderson, Texas, the Reverend Edward Marohn explored the mission possibilities of Palestine, Texas. | |
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Anderson County Courthouse Built in 1914 |
For several months, services were held in the courtroom of the Anderson County Courthouse. On January 10, 1942, the first service was held in the Jewish Synagogue located on the corner of South Magnolia and Dallas Streets. On the first anniversary in 1943, the congregation numbered 30 communicants and approximately 50 souls! Bethlehem in Palestine may be the only congregation in the synod to have ever used a synagogue as a house of worship, but that is where the congregation worshiped until 1947, when a surplus Army Chapel was obtained by the congregation.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHARTER: Bethlehem LCMS |
On September 15, 1943, Pastor Marohn accepted a call to the military chaplaincy. On December 12, 1943, the Reverend Hugo Hannusch was ordained and commissioned as Missionary-at-large to the Palestine area. The congregation received its Charter of incorporation as Bethlehem Lutheran Church on December 4, 1945. The Congregation was accepted into membership of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod on April 23, 1946. The Charter members included Mr. Henry Dupont, President; Mr. J.W. Gruetzner, Vice-President; Mr. Edwin Schwegler, Secretary/Treasurer; Mr. Charles Brenner; Mr. O.F. Meeck; Mr. E.A. Pursch; Mr. Erwin Schwegler; Mr. Luke Wagner; Mr. Frank Gerken; Mr. Walter Kaudelka; Mr. August Koehne; and Pastor Hugo Hannusch. | | BETHLEHEM'S 1st SANCTUARY: 1947 |
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Army Chapel
Camp Fannin circa 1947 | In 1947, the Missouri Synod purchased an Army Chapel from the former Camp Fannin near Tyler, Texas and moved it from Tyler to Palestine. This building is located at 600 East Neches at Bowie Street. It was dedicated to the Glory of God on April 27, 1947.
The first organ was dedicated in 1952. | 
600 East Neches @ Bowie
Palestine, circa 1947 |
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BETHLEHEM'S MINISTRY: 1954 - 1967 |
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Pastor Hannusch accepted a call to Dallas in 1953.
The Rev. Robert T. Kunz served from 1954 to 1958, accepting a call to West Knoxville, Tennessee.
The Rev. James M. Gruetzner was installed in 1959 and served until 1964, going to Washington, Michigan.
The Rev. Lenhart E. Etzel was installed in 1965.
On January 9, 1966, a new Baldwin organ was dedicated.
In 1967, Pastor Etzel took a call to Illinois.
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OUR PRESENT LOCATION: Ministry moves in 1971 |
Bethlehem's Current Santuary
Circa 1971 |
The Rev. Keith E. DuBois was called to serve the congregation in September 1968. In 1969, three acres were purchased on Loop 256, where the present church facility was built and dedicated on August 15, 1971.
Former Pastor Hugo Hannusch of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas delivered the dedicatory sermon.
The Rev. Keith E. DuBois served the congregation until 1973, accepting a call to Copperas Cove.
At that time the congregation numbered 132 communicant members and 178 baptized! | |
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THE FIRST EXPANSION: Fellowship Hall & Classrooms |
The Rev. Kenneth Baisden was ordained and installed on March 23, 1975. Expanding ministries required 2000 square feet of space added in 1978 for Sunday School classes, new kitchen and bathrooms, and a larger fellowship hall. In 1979 the Bethlehem Pre-School and Day-Care Center was opened. The congregation also mothered three more congregations:
Christ in Jacksonville
Our Savior in Centerville
Grace in Crockett Pastor Baisden accepted a call in 1980 to become Missionary-at-Large to the Round Rock area.
Bethlehem had become 200 communicants and 275 baptized strong! |
Bethlehem circa 1978
Fellowship Hall, Classrooms & Kitchen added | |
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MINISTRY EXPANDS: Pre-School/Day-Care Center |
Pastor I. Melvin Newman, Jr. accepted a Divine Call and was installed August 3, 1980, and served the congrgation for nine years, as well as serving as Circut Counselor. The Pre-School and Day-Care Center continued to flourish, rated as one of the finest child care facilities in the area. It met the needs of many young working people for 17 years.
Pastor Mel, as he was known to the congregation, accepted a call to Katy, Texas in July, 1989.
A Hammond Organ was installed in 1989.
In June of 1989, the congregation numbered 228 communicants and 329 baptized souls!Pastor Paul Donald Neumann was installed February 4, 1990. He served both Bethlehem, in Palestine, and Christ Lutheran in Jacksonville, until November 15, 1993, when he moved to Allen, Texas. Pastor Paul E. Johnson of Irving, Texas, served as vacancy Pastor for almost three years, from November 21, 1993, until July of 1996. The Pre-School/Day-Care Center was closed in August of 1996. | |
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50th ANNIVERSARY |
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In July, 1995, Bethlehem Lutheran celebrated 50 years of God's Blessings, with a special service and BBQ supper.
The Rev. Mel Newman was the special speaker, and The Rev. Hugo Hannusch, the first full-time Pastor of Bethlehem, was the honored guest.
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CONTINUED EXPANSION: Parking & Mortgage Burning |
Bethlehem Circa 1999
After Parking Expansion |
Pastor Robert J. Pase accepted a Divine Call as Pastor of Bethlehem and was installed on August 18, 1996. As parking became a growing issue during Pastor Pase's tenure the parking lot was expanded. The main parking lot was effectively doubled in capacity. | | During 1997 a revised constitution was approved, preliminary plans for church expansion begun, and on December 7, 1997 the church mortgage was burned, signifing the mortgage being paid in full. |
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A NEW MILLINEUM: A New Expansion |
A Building Committee was appointed to draw up plans to expand Bethlehem’s ministry facility. In January 2000, a Capital Campaign Committee was formed to oversee fundraising efforts to raise $350,000 for the building addition and renovations to the existing building with the theme "Rooted in God's Word...We Grow!" from Matthew 6:33.
Pastor Pase served until August 2000, when he accepted a call to serve Grace Lutheran Church in Midland and departed on August 31, 2000. During the vacancy that followed Pastor Lewis Wunderlich of Bruceville, Texas, served as interim pastor. | |
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PHASE I: Laboring for Christ |
In July 2001, a Divine Call was issued to Pastor David R. Bergman of Trinity Lutheran Church, Alamogordo, New Mexico. He accepted this Call and was installed as Bethlehem’s tenth resident pastor by Texas District Area B Vice-president Pastor Robert Preece on September 30, 2001. Under Pastor Bergman’s guidance the Building Committee continued to formulate plans for the proposed building expansion and it was decided to ask Synod’s Laborers for Christ program to assist with construction.
Hookups for travel trailers were installed on the church parking lot in anticipation of the arrival of the six Laborers for Christ couples assigned to our Bethlehem project. On January 26, 2003, following other site preparation, groundbreaking was held for the construction of the building addition. Then on Reformation Day, October 31, 2003, the 9600 sqaure foot concrete slab foundation for the new building was poured. A slab party celebration was held on Sunday, November 16, 2003. | |
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The Laborers for Christ work crew was led by foreman Bill Terrell. The crew included Earl & Marlys Fischer of Marlette, Michigan; Walt & Winnie Kois of Broomfield, Colorado; Donald & Jean Mahnke of Bryan, Texas; Cliff & Pat Olson of Clayton, Delaware; Bill & Nancy Terrill of Acworth, Georgia; and Don & Doris Verseman of Perryville, Missouri. The Commissioning of the Laborers for Christ team took place on Sunday, December 14, 2003.
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Bethlehem Lutheran Church & RV Park circa 2004 | | The major exterior work of constructing the new building was finished by February 15, 2004, and was celebrated with a “Stud Signing Party.” Having completed this first phase of the new construction the Laborers for Christ crew departed. Since that time members have continued to work on various aspects of the building in anticipation of the completion of the interior. |
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PHASE II - The New Roof |
In 2005 Bethlehem moved forward with Phase II of the construction project, the re-roofing of the flat portion over the old parish hall and classrooms and tying it in with the new building. New air conditioning and heating units would also be installed. A special offering campaign was initiated, which gathered the needed money to fund the construction of the pitched roof. The project began on April 30th.
God blessed us with rains, often inside the fellowship hall and kitchen, but the roof was complete, including new shingles on the sanctuary roof, by the middle of May. | |
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MUSIC MINISTRY ENRICHED: A Liturgical Organ |
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| | In August 2005, a used Rogers 750E electronic organ was donated to Bethlehem by Robert & Barbara Helmkamp, members of St. Mark Lutheran Church in Houston. It is a full size church organ with 2 manuals and 36 stops. Although it is 20 years old, it will provide appropriate musical support for the Divine Service for many years to come. Installation of the Rodgers was completed in time for Palm Sunday 2006, and dedication recital concerts were given on October 1st by Benjamin Kolodziej; and Pamela Tamburello on November 12th. The old Hammond previously in use was donated to Trinity Lutheran Church in Tyler for use in the satellite mission they have initiated in the Hawkins/Holly Lake Ranch area north of Tyler. | 
The Rodgers 750E Organ |
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CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF THE TEXAS DISTRICT |
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In February 2006, Bethlehem joined the 345 congregations of the Texas District in celebrating the centennial of the district’s creation in 1906, while also marking 60 years of ministry in Palestine. We confidently look to the future, praying for God’s guidance and blessing so that, faithful in worship, study and service, we may complete the task of providing improved facilities for the work of proclaiming the Good News about Jesus Christ and His Kingdom in this place. Our vision for ministry is summed up by the Bethlehem Mission Statement:
“Steadfast in the Word, Bethlehem Lutheran Church shares Christ and serves people with friendship in His love in all of God’s world.” | |
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PHASE III- The Vote to finish the New Building |
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After almost two years of slow, but continual tasks being finished, including major drywall work being completed, electrical rough in, plumbing rough in, and texturing and priming of walls, the next area was the air conditioning of the
expanded facilites.
In the fall of 2007 Bethlehem's Church Council voted unamiously to finish the new building NOW! The proposial was taken to the church's voters meeting, and passed to take a loan of up to $200,000 with the Church Extension Fund. | |
L to R: Pastor David Bergman, President Devin Jackson, Secretary Donna Hughes & MaryLou Daughtrey Treasurer |
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PHASE IV- The Push to the Finish |
After months of bids, calculations, and some re-bidding due to a volitile economy, we finally received the OK from CEF to proceed.
Loan paperwork was signed, and the push to the end began in ernest in September, 2008.Painting contractors have painted outside of the building & the large fellowship hall. Congregational painters have painted everything else. Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) is complete. Electrical work is finished. Kitchen Vent a Hood with Fire Suppression system is completed. A new digital phone system, and Flooring are completed.
Ceramic tile is being installed in the restrooms.
The City of Palestine was gracious to grant Bethlehem a temporary certificate of occupancy July 2, 2009.
As Luther asked "what does this mean?"
Vacation Bible School is being held in the new building!
Thanks be to God for this accomplishment as we work to the
building being completely finished! Stay tuned for updates as "Rooted in God's Word, we GROW!" | | | |
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