Texas District (LCMS)

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The Texas District is one of the 35 districts of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod (LCMS), and comprises the state of Texas with the exception of El Paso County, which is in the Rocky Mountain District. The Texas District includes approximately 329 congregations and missions (second to only the Michigan District), subdivided into 39 circuits, as well as 84 preschools, 45 elementary schools and 6 high schools. Baptized membership in district congregations is approximately 137,000.

The Texas District was formed in 1906 out of the Southern District, and at one time included congregations in southern New Mexico, but these were transferred to the Colorado District (since renamed the Rocky Mountain District) in 1941-42. District offices are located in Austin, Texas; the Rev. Kenneth Hennings has been the district president since September 2006 [1]. Delegates from each congregation meet in convention every three years to elect the district president, vice presidents, circuit counselors, a board of directors, and other officers; the last convention was held on June 22-25, 2006, and the next will be held in 2009.

Concordia University at Austin, part of the LCMS' Concordia University System, is located within the district.

[edit] Presidents

• Rev. Adolf W. Kramer, 1906–09
• Rev. Charles A. Waech, 1909–12
• Rev. Gotthilf Heinrich Wilhelm Birkmann, 1912–20
• Rev. Henry Peter Studtmann, 1920–26
• Rev. John W. Behnken, 1926–29
• Rev. Constantin Martin Beyer, 1929–42
• Rev. Edwin A. Heckmann, 1942–48
• Rev. Oliver R. Harms, 1948–50
• Rev. Roland P. Wiederaenders, 1950–59
• Rev. Albert F. Jesse, 1959–63
• Rev. Carl A. Heckmann, 1963–78
• Rev. Glenn R. O'Shoney, 1978-89
• Rev. Louis L. Pabor, 1989-91
• Rev. Gerald B. Kieschnick, 1991-2001
• Rev. James R. Linderman, 2001-06
• Rev. Kenneth M. Hennings, 2006-present

[edit] Oldest congregations

• 1852 - Salem Lutheran Church, Tomball, Texas
• 1853 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Cypress, Texas
• 1854 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Serbin, Texas
• 1860 - Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Brenham/William Penn, Texas
• 1870 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Lexington, Texas
• 1873 - Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Warda, Texas
• 1874 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Spring, Texas
• 1874 - Zion Lutheran Church, Ridgewood Park, Dallas, Texas
• 1876 - Ebenezer Lutheran Church, Manheim, Texas
• 1876 - Saint Michael Lutheran Church, Winchester, Texas
• 1879 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Washington Avenue - Old Sixth Ward, Houston, Texas
• 1882 - Bethlehem Lutheran Church, North Zulch, Texas
• 1882 - Zion Lutheran Church, Anderson, Texas
• 1882 - Zion Lutheran Church, Walburg, Texas
• 1883 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Giddings, Texas
• 1883 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, The Grove, Texas
• 1883 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Riesel, Texas
• 1883 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Sealy, Texas
• 1884 - Saint James Lutheran Church, Honey Grove, Texas
• 1886 - Faith Lutheran Church, Corsicana, Texas
• 1886 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Clifton, Texas
• 1886 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Lincoln, Texas
• 1886 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Hamilton, Texas
• 1887 - Evangelists Lutheran Church, Kingsbury, Texas
• 1887 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Lyons, Texas

[edit] Largest congregations

Membership totals are c. 2006.

• 5620 - Concordia Lutheran Church, San Antonio, Texas
• 3604 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Spring, Texas
• 3489 - Redeemer Lutheran Church, Austin, Texas
• 3268 - Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Nassau Bay, Texas
• 2318 - Salem Lutheran Church, Tomball, Texas
• 2204 - Bethany Lutheran Church, Austin, Texas
• 2192 - Peace Lutheran Church, Hurst, Texas
• 2132 - Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Carrollton, Texas
• 1958 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Fort Worth, Texas
• 1745 - Messiah Lutheran Church, Plano, Texas
• 1721 - Trinity Lutheran Church, Washington Avenue - Old Sixth Ward, Houston, Texas
• 1581 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Giddings, Texas
• 1548 - Saint John Lutheran Church, Cypress, Texas
• 1526 - Our Savior Lutheran Church, Oak Forest, Houston, Texas
• 1514 - Saint Mark Lutheran Church, Spring Branch East, Houston, Texas
• 1493 - Christ the King Lutheran Church, Kingwood, Houston, Texas
• 1430 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, Bellmead, Texas
• 1423 - Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Cedar Park, Texas
• 1384 - Lamb of God Lutheran Church, Flower Mound, Texas
• 1311 - Zion Lutheran Church, Ridgewood Park, Dallas, Texas
• 1230 - Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, San Antonio, Texas
• 1185 - Epiphany Lutheran Church, Pearland, Texas
• 1125 - Resurrection Lutheran Church, Spring, Texas
• 1121 - Immanuel Lutheran Church, Temple, Texas
• 1115 - Memorial Lutheran Church, Katy, Texas
• 1060 - Saint Paul Lutheran Church, McAllen, Texas
• 1057 - Zion Lutheran Church, Walburg, Texas
• 1054 - Grace Lutheran Church, Arlington, Texas
• 1037 - Faith Lutheran Church, Plano, Texas

[edit] External links

• Texas District web site
• LCMS: Texas District
• Verhandlungen der ersten Jahresversammlung des Texas-Distrikts der Deutschen Ev.-Lutherischen Synode von Missouri, Ohio und Andern Staaten (1906-1919)