Zion Lutheran Church
Kerrville, Kerr County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Zion Lutheran Church This congregation has roots in worship services conducted in family homes as early as 1898 and was organized in 1901 with seven charter families. The Rev. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Hans Ernst Ermisch, who also assisted Lutheran parishes in neighboring communities, was pastor for the first two years. The congregation worshiped in Kerrville's Union Church until a sanctuary was built in 1916 on this site. Through its programs of outreach and community assistance, Zion Lutheran Church remains a significant part of Kerrville's social and religious heritage. (2001)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
This Lutheran congregation grew from worship services held in family homes as early as 1898 and was formally organized in 1901 with seven charter families. Its first pastor, the Rev. Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Hans Ernst Ermisch, also ministered to Lutheran parishes in neighboring communities. The members worshiped in Kerrville's shared Union Church until they built their own sanctuary on this site in 1916.
Why it matters
Zion Lutheran reflects the German Lutheran heritage that immigrants carried into the Texas Hill Country, where shared "union" churches often sheltered young congregations until they could build their own.
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Related people
- · Karl Wilhelm Friedrich Hans Ernst Ermisch
Themes & tags
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