July 28, 2024
This morning St. Paul Fayetteville celebrated their 130th anniversary with worship, music, and a festive lunch. Their new Pastor Jen Kindsvatter led with wisdom and creativity. They are fortunate to have some fine musicians.
St. Paul is part of a four-congregation shared ministry where they do confirmation, youth ministry and other things together: Shared Lutheran Ministries of Fayette County (SLMFC).
- St. John Warrenton
- St. John Ellinger
- St. John Rutersville
- St. Paul Fayetteville
Today I learned something new: St. Paul was at one time was also called St. John, like the other three congregations of SLMFC.
St. Paul Fayetteville History
The first Lutheran worship services in the Fayetteville area were held as early as 1851 when Pastor J. C. Roehm of Basel, Switzerland organized the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of
Texas and began holding worship services in Ross Prairie. Other pastors who served the
area in the early years were Pastor Rudolph Jaeggli, Pastor Frank Wohlschlegel, Pastor
John Doerfler and Pastor J. Frehner. The Ross Prairie group officially organized as St. John
Lutheran Church on December 26, 1859. Years later, the church building was moved to
Ellinger at which time the Lutherans in Fayetteville decided to organize their own
congregation.
On July 24, 1894, the small group purchased land from Hugo Zapp Sr. on Rusk Street in Fayetteville for $275.00 to the German Evangelical Lutheran Church Community. A church building was built and a pastor called, Rev. Vaclav Pazdral. Pastor Pazdral served the congregation until 1911 and organized a union Sunday School. During the pastorate of Hans Krause, the congregation joined The Texas Synod in 1913 and The American Lutheran Church in 1930.
By 1938, the congregation opted to change its name from St. John to St. Paul to avoid confusion between their ministry and the St. John Catholic Church down the street. Services were held in English and German until 1947.
Sacred music has long been an important part of this congregation’s ministry. In September 1962, St. Paul purchased the Lutheran Church building and annex from Sealy’s Trinity Lutheran Church which serves as our current church building and fellowship hall.
Early September 1974, Pastor Vlasek presented an opportunity for St. Paul to acquire a pipe organ. At that time, Waldeck Lutheran Church decided not to purchase the 1880 Pfeffer Tracker Pipe Organ offered to them by Joseph Arch Park, organ builder. September 10, 1974, Pastor Vlasak, who was assisting Waldeck locate a new church organ, suggested to St. Paul Council for us to purchase the Pfeffer Organ. The church council called a congregational meeting for approval. October 13, 1974, the congregation voted by a 2 to 1 majority to purchase the 1880 Pfeffer Pipe Organ. Voters in attendance immediately pledged $1060 toward the organ fund.
Mid-January 1975, Mr. Park and two helpers drove to Chicago to pick up the antique Pfeffer and found its tracker action and case work
badly broken by those who had disassembled it for storage. February 12, 1975, Mr. Park met with the Church Council and explained his proposal for an alternate pipe organ. The church council voted to move forward with the alternate organ and appointed an Organ Committee to manage the project.
March 28, 1975, Mr. Park sent sketches of the organ enclosure and the contract. The Organ Committee recommended the width of the
organ chamber be reduced by 10 inches and the chamber constructed to match the interior of the church with no outside display of pipes. April 10, 1975, the council passed the recommendation of the pipe organ committee, and the contract was signed. May 12, 1975, construction began on the Organ Chamber. Early August of 1975, Mr. Park began installation and finished the major portion September 27 with several changes and adjustments made in early October. The dedication day was set for October 26, 1975, at the 10:30 am service with Dedicatory Recital by Mr. Joseph Park at 3 pm.
St. Paul had the first pipe organ in the tri-county area. A renovation project was completed in the year of 2000 by Shawn Sanders, Pipe Organ Technicians, Inc. with the addition of chimes. St. Paul is the birth church of all SLM staff musicians and several other musicians who share their musical gifts to the glory of God. Many faithful servants have shepherded this congregation throughout the years.
Pastor Pazdral (1894-1911)
Pastor Hans Krause (1911-1921)
Pastor E. O. Lindenberg (1922-1927)
Pastor J. E. Scheffel (1927-1929)
Pastor J. Bosshardt (1929-1947)
Pastor Paul S. Fisher (1947-1949)
Pastor Walter Wolf (1950)
Pastor H. F. Wolber (1950-1955)
Pastor Milroy Gregor (1955-1960)
Pastor Waldemar Wendel (1960-1965)
Bishop Schulte (1965-1969)
Pastor Don Vlasak (1969-1976)
Pastor James Snyder (1976-1986)
Pastor Robert Braun (1986-1993)
St. Paul worked alongside St. Paul Lutheran Church in Shelby until 1993. From September
of 1993 to 2000, the congregation was served by two supply pastors, Milroy Gregor and
Clarence Ehler. In May of 2000, a new cooperative ministry was formed. January 1, 2001, The Shared Lutheran Ministry of Fayette County (SLM) was officially established consisting of 4 churches: St. John Ellinger, St. Johns Warrenton, St. John Ruterville and St. Paul Fayetteville. Several pastors, interims, and interns served SLM collaboratively since the
cooperative ministry began:
2001 – Pastor Karl Johnson
2001 – Associate Pastor Laura Olsen
2003 – Associate Pastor Suzanne Guin
2005 – Pastor Linda Mosley, Interim
2007 – Pastor Glen Holt called
2009 – Pastor Karen Buck, Interim
2010 – Pastor Marcia Kifer
2017 – Intern Birgitte Simpson
2018 – Intern Rachel Seija
2019 – Intern Jonathan Mollenkopf
2020 – Intern Cole McGlynn
2022 – Pastor Candis O-Meara, Interim
2023 – Pastor Jill Vivroux, Interim
2024 – Pastor Jen Kindsvatter, called
Long standing supply pastors include Pastor Lawrence Bade and Paul Bohot.
Art and service have long been central to the ministry of St. Paul. The quilting ministry began during the era of Pastor Clarence Ehler when his wife Faye encouraged the ladies of the church to use their quilting talent to benefit others.
As Fayetteville’s art scene has grown, many talented quilters have found their way into the quilting group. Now, the group has grown beyond the members of St. Paul to include women from all over Fayette County. These faithful, creative women have provided hundreds of quilts to various charities both locally and globally including Lutheran World Relief, Fayette County Sheriff department, St. Mark’s hospital, Fayetteville Fire Department, the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce Lickskillet feast, unique quilts for our graduating high school seniors along with other charities.
Beyond the art of quilting, members of this congregation share their love of art and immense artistic talents within the church and in the community. Paintings, photographs, weavings celebrate the beauty of God’s creation and the creative spirit of God’s people.
We are united in the body of Christ within this congregation and beyond. Through SLM, we share pastors, administrative staff and musicians. We work together to bring the love of God to Fayette County. Together, we serve Second Chance Emporium, AMEN Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels, Fayetteville Mobile Food Trucks. Through the pastoral internship program, we welcome seminarians into our community and help them prepare for future ministry. We are the body of Christ, and individually members of it.
As we celebrate 130 years of faithful ministry in this place, we look forward to what God has in store for us next. St. Paul’s Lutheran heritage has broadened into a community fellowship with a variety of denominational backgrounds represented in the pews each Sunday – Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian and Episcopalian worshiping
together. St. Paul continues in the traditions of its founders, rooted in Lutheran theology, open to all.
