THE HISTORY OF BETHLEHEM LUTHERAN CHURCH

The Oldest Continuously Operating Lutheran Church in Texas



A Christian Heritage


Bethlehem Lutheran Church was built in 1866 by German immigrants who brought with them a strong faith and a love for music. The Sanctuary and its grounds are marked by the Texas Historical Commission and the National Registry of Historic Sites of the National Park Service at the Department of the Interior. Our building is the work of German stonemason Carl S. Bauer and sons and the organ is a hand-made cedar organ by Johann Wandke. It is holds a citation by the Organ Historical Society.

BOOKS - HISTORIC SITE - PASTORS









Books about Bethlehem Lutheran Church
and Round Top, Texas




"Our God is Marching On"

 Obst, Martin & John Banik. Edited by Susan Watkins Grasty. Von-Boeckmann-Jones Printers, Austin, TX, 1966.

"The Life and Work of Johann Traugott Wandke"

Frank, Gerald D. The Boston Organ Club, Harrisville, NH 1990.

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A NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

Bethlehem Lutheran Church is located at the south end of White street in the unique "smallest incorporated town in Texas", Round Top. The congregation was formally organized under the guidance of Pastor J. Adam Neuthard who had been sent to serve in the Round Top area by the First German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Texas and installed by neighboring pastor J. G. Lieb, but a Lutheran presence in the area goes back as early as 1853 with the arrival of the Reverend Otto Haun.

The cornerstone of the present sanctuary was laid on May 6, 1866 on property bought by Bethlehem Lutheran congregation next to Adam Neuthard's home and boarding school. Members of the congregation were skilled stone masons and built this structure of stone in a style typical of their German homeland. The walls are of limestone quarried on site, and are several feet thick. Carl Siegismund Bauer was the planner and chief stonemason and was assisted by his two sons and son-in-law Carl Ehrgott Bauer, Carl Traugott Bauer, civil war veterans and Conrad Schuddemagen who also sold the land for the church and cemetery around it. The total cost of the building was $2400. Wilhelmine Bauer Schuddemagen, daughter of builder Carl S. Bauer served as congregational treasurer from its organization in 1867 until her death in 1897. This building and grounds have been surveyed and marked as a state historical site, and are on the National Register of Historical Sites of the National Park Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The sanctuary was dedicated on October 28, 1866 The inside furnishing such as heater, altar covering, big pulpit Bible, the crucifix, big bell and small bell were donated. The Wandke pipe organ was hand built into the balcony by Traugott Wantke was donate to the church by him. It was dedicated on the day of the congregation's formal organization, January 13, 1867 when the first constitution was ratified and signed. Signatures include many family names familiar to Round Top residents today.
The pipe organ is Wantke's magnum opus and holds a citation by the Organ Historical Society. The pipes of this organ are of native cedar, hand carved and voiced. One bears the date 1864. Wandke may have been the organist of the congregation, and has left choir books and other notes. He, however, evidently could not read music, but rather played what he had worked on and learned. In tuning the organ, local lore has it that he walked the several blocks from workshop to church humming the note from a pipe in his own organ and then tuned the church organ to that pitch. Even a spill off a small foot bridge did not deter the process. Of the seven known instruments Wandke made, three are in existence and only this organ is in regular use. In 1966, for the centennial of the congregation, the organ was refurbished by Rubin S. Frels of Victoria. Miss Ima Hogg, legendary Texan, who has preserved nearby Winedale and other Texas historic sites, assisted in the reburbishing with a gift.

Improvements were made throughout the years. During the years 1867 - 1874 the stone wall around the three tiered cemetery was built. Then in 1873 the iron reinforcements of the church walls were screwed into place. Buttresses were added for support in 1881-1882, for the church is built on a fault line and is slipping down into the cemetery. Walkways for the cemetery were built 1889 and a cedar floor for the sanctuary was installed in 1894 which covered the rock aisle. This floor was repaired several times and replaced in the 1991 restoration with another cedar floor.

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OUR PASTORS

Two Lutheran Pastors of the First Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Texas served the Round Top area before the arrival of the founder of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Pastor Otto Hahn served Round Top from 1853 - `1890. In Fayette County records he is listed as pastor in LaGrange and Round Top on marriage records. Pastor Lieb is listed as serving in Round Top from 1856-1860 when he also served St. John's Lutheran near Round Top. From 1867 to 1900 Jakob Graul, Sr. Organized and served "Die Ev. Luth. Dreifaltigskeit Gemeinde bei Round Top, Fayette County, Texas" (Winedale).

Pastor Adam Neuthard came from Lauterbach, Baden, Germany, landed in Galveston and arrived at Round Top on December 18, 1860. He was installed as pastor of Round Top by Pastor Lieb in January 1861. Pastor Neuthard established a theological seminary on a small scale. Carl Edward Wiederaenders and his brother Carl Emil Wiederaenders were his first two students. Emil also taught in schools and Carl Ed. Helped in Round Top and the four small congregations established by Neuthard. Carl Ed. was organist for a mission festival in Round Top when the Confederate army recruiter came to escort him to duty. His brother, as a teacher, was exempt from the "head hunters" while he was not. He persuaded them to wait until the second service was over, and then he left to fight for the Confederate States of America.

J. A. Neuthard purchased block 27 in Round Top for a home and school and continued 2 churches, 1 station, and 2 schools. He also organized other small church groups in the surrounding communities whose records were combined with Bethlehem's until his death in 1902. He preached the Word of God to everyone who would listen, regardless of church affiliation. This policy required that the church withdraw from the First Evangelical Synod of Texas. Pastor Neuthard supplied the spiritual and educational needs of the Round Top community for 41 years until his death on February 6, 1902. Near his death he made sure that the congregations would rejoin the Synod and be under their spiritual care. Neuthard is buried in the first row of the cemetery directly behind the altar with his wife Emma Rummel of the Bauer-Rummel settlement at Spring Branch, Texas and two of the children.

Pastors to follow in serving Bethlehem were F.A. Bracher 1902 -1907 whom Neuthard chose and asked President Falkenberg of the Synod to bring him to Round Top as the next pastor. The congregation built its first parsonage for Pastor Bracher's family. John W. Harder served during the years 1907-1916 in Round Top and Carmine which had been a preaching post for Neuthard and organized as a separate congregation in 1902 by Harder.

During the pastorate of A H Falkenberg, Jr. (1916-1926) the Ladies Aid was started in 1924. They paid the organist and janitor, bought altar ware and paraments, Sunday School hymnbooks and built the first Parish House for Sunday School and social gathers. It stood on the East side of White street next to the old parsonage on the site of the present parsonage. The Parish House was replaced 1954 by present Ed building across the street. Falkenberg was the first Pastor of Bethlehem to be born in the United States. He was educated at Texas Lutheran College, then at Brenham, TX and like many subsequent pastors of BLC was trained for the ministry at Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque, IA.

The fifth pastor was August Dziewas (1926-1928). During this time the first renovation of the church building took place. The pulpit which has until this time been over the top of the altar in the middle of the chancel was moved to a freestanding position along side. At this time there were 130 voting members (men) head of households. John Wendt was installed by Pastor Dziewas in 1928 but died of appendicitis the following year. Pastor Emil A F Hannemann served the interim from 1929 to 1930.

English services in an informal style were instituted by the Rev. Walter Kralik, pastor 1930-1948. All other worship services, meetings, and classes were held in German. A second redecorating was undertaken for the 75th anniversary celebration. The records up to 1941 show a total of 3306 baptisms, 2307 confirmations, 864 weddings and 1362 funerals these firgures included Neuthard's records. (now missing)

Ollie Gebhard told Pastor Paula Hepola-Anderson at the time of his mother's death that during these years he and she cleaned the church. One day he and Pastor Kralik determined that the Santa Anna jacket was too tattered to be used again by a bridegroom, as was the local custom. They burned the jacket in the cemetery behind the altar and buried the ashes there. This jacket had been taken as a souvenir by the local men who held Santa Anna at the last battle for Texas independence at San Jacinto.

A B Weiss 1948-1957 was the second pastor to be born in America, in Brenham, TX. Weiss introduced English in Adult Bible Class, Ladies Aid and worship using the American Lutheran Hymnal and regular Lutheran liturgy. Finally, as Pastor Neuthard had requested, the congregation became a member of the larger church organization in 1949. By now after several mergers of synods the application was sent to and accepted by the Texas District of the American Lutheran Church, a church formed in 1930 by the merger of the old First German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Texas, the Iowa Synod and two other Lutheran synods. The first Vacation Bible School boasted 24 students and 4 teachers. In 1949 baptized membership increased from 324 to 442, confirmed membership increased from 268 to 328. The Brotherhood was chartered in August 1950. New construction was underway. In 1954 the Neuthard tract on the west side of White street next to the church became available through tax default and the school tract next to it was bought by the church. A building committee was established and the Educational building was dedicated in June 56 at the 90th anniversary celebrations. After a busy pastorate Rev. Weiss and his family moved to British Columbia, Canada.

Only four German communion services remained each year during the time of Pastor Otto Fehler (1957-1962). The current parsonage was built which also housed the church office until 1995. An electronic Allen organ was purchase and placed in the balcony next to the Wandke. The American Lutheran Church merged with two other Lutheran synods in 1960 and Bethlehem became a member of The American Lutheran Church, so a new constitution was accepted.

The ninth pastor, Martin H Obst served Bethlehem from1963 to 1967. During this time he introduced the Service Book and Hymnal and second setting church exterior repaired and painted, support beams for tower were installed and an historic medallion and plaque were awarded Bethlehem on July 4, 1964. Grounds improvements were accomplisheed by the Brotherhood including curbs and gutters, and the city street was paved. On July 4, 1966 at the centennial celebration of the parish the total number of baptisms were 3617, confirmations totalled 2630, and 995 weddings and 1603 funerals had been performed. These include Kralik's calculations plus entries since that time.

Ronald Haseley (1967-1975) saw the building added to the National Register of Historic Sites. The town and church had just been visited by First Lady Lady Bird Johnson and the potential of tourist interest was beginning to be realized. People from cities, including Austin and Houston began buying country homes. This was the beginning of a dramatic change and new challenges. The International Festival Hill Institute and James Dick filled the area each summer with music and musicians from around the world. One of his students Janice Wenger became a regular guest organist. Voice of America broadcast about the life in Round Top and the historic Wandke organ. Dr. James Ayres and the University of Texas Shakespeare summer term brought to the annual August (homemade) Ice Cream Social a preview of the plays. The church building was re-roofed using cedar shingles and square nails as had been originally used in its construction. Loads of dirt were added in the cemetery along the south church wall and buttresses to keep it from sliding down the hill. The cemetery paths were made into flagstone walks with stone quarried on site as had the stone for the orginial construction. Interest in becoming part of the church at large grew and mission benevolence giving increased to 22 percent of all offerings. Because of the excellent records of the parish and the growth in searches for geneologies and personal historical information Haseley developed a card system indexing every entry in congregations records.

During the 13 years (1975-1988) of the pastorate of Milroy Gregor, the church acquired a wood carving of the Last Supper, wall hangings made by the ladies of the congregation, stained glass windows and a Rodgers organ for the sanctuary. Record books of the congregation were microfilmed by the ALC national archives. In 1996, they were added to the Fayette County Library Archives in La Grange. The Ancient grove of Live Oak trees began to become an outdoor chapel with the building of a stone altar. After his retirement from Bethlehem, Pastor Gregor remains a member of the congregation and preaches in neighboring congregations at Cat Spring and Fayetteville.

Craig Storlie (1989-1993) brought a bring change to the congregation. Although previous pastors' wives may have worked outside the home, Pastor Storlie was married to another pastor of the ELCA, Jill Knuepple, pastor at sister congregation Emmanuel at Greenvine. A Healing Prayer service and Caring Ministers were begun and many events were shared with Emmanuel, Greenvine due to the pastors' relationship. Bethlehem prepared to celebrated its 125th anniversary with a restoration of the sanctuary. The altar and other chancel furnishings were returned to the white and gilt finish rather than the natural wood stain added at the previous remodeling. The old creeky floor was removed, the interior dirt foundation removed and a new cedar floor was laid. Celebration activities included organ recitals on the historic 125 year old Wandke organ and German language services. Talk of a United Rural ministry parish began in the area with people from the congregations at Carmine, Greenvine, Shelby, Rutersville, Warrenton, and Ellinger. Many of these are daughter congregations or otherwise linked historically to Bethlehem at Round Top. In 1988 the congregation became a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America with the merger of the American Lutheran Church (of which Bethlehem was a member) and the Lutheran Church in America and the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches. Now there are over 5.5 million sisters and brothers in Christ in this Lutheran Church.

Paula Hepola-Anderson is the current pastor of the parish. She began serving here on May 1, 1995. Women have been ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America or its predecessor bodies since 1970, but often the calling of a woman is an historic event and great change for a parish. Pastor Paula is a consecrated deacon trained by the Lutheran Deaconess Program at Valparaiso University. Born in Minnesota she is the second non-Texan and second Minnesotan to serve Bethlehem (Craig Storlie was the first). She was baptized in the National (Finnish) Evangelical Lutheran Church confirmed in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, has served parishes of the Lutheran Church in America and Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches and was a staff member of Christ Seminary/Seminex and became a member of the American Lutheran Church when she married John T. H. Anderson, also a pastor in nearby LaGrange, TX. They have a daughter, Joanna.

Pastor and parish minister to the ever changing community of Round Top. Since the arrival of the University of Texas at Winedale, and the Festival Hill Institute as well as antique weekends and tourists at the many local Bed and Breakfast establishments, we have made many friends of the strangers that pass our way. Our tour guides share not only the history of the building, but of the faithful witness of the saints of the community who loved the Lord Jesus Christ. We are striving to better serve our children, youth, families of pre-schoolers and young adults through fellowship and study opportunties. We have welcomed into the community other Christian ministries, the Round Top Retreat and the Round Top (Southern) Baptist Church. Our community is growing, and our opportunities are increasing.

In 1966 Pastor Obst wrote in the centennial history Our God is Marching On, "Bethlehem Lutheran Church is part of the culture of our area. The building may be the only visible part of that culture, but the people of the congregation will always be the real culture, They and they alone, bring about changes in some areas and hold onto old practice in others,. As membership declines ways must be readjusted. Perhaps the day will come when Bethlehem Lutheran Church will need to merge with a larger parish. This is the transition period."




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