St. Paul Lutheran Church and School
Bishop, Nueces County, Texas
Marker Inscription
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
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In December 1911 a small band of Wendish Lutheran families — descendants of a Slavic minority from central Europe — organized St. Paul Lutheran Church in the rural community of Concordia, on land donated by one of their own. From the start their new building doubled as a schoolhouse, reflecting a deep commitment to both faith and learning, and one teacher would serve the parochial school for over forty years. The congregation grew, built larger churches, and eventually relocated to Bishop in the 1960s.
Why it matters
The church preserves the story of Wendish immigrants who carried their language, faith, and schools to the Texas coastal plain, one thread in the rich tapestry of European settlement in America.
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Related people
- · Rev. E.J. Moebus
- · Johann Michalk
- · Alfred Geihsler
Themes & tags
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