H.R. No. 19
R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, St. Peter Lutheran Church of Bowie observed a
1-2 significant milestone in its rich history on February 13, 1994, as
1-3 it celebrated the dedication of an official Texas historical marker
1-4 commemorating the church's 100 years of outstanding service to the
1-5 spiritual well-being of the citizens of its community; and
1-6 WHEREAS, The origins of the church date back to the
1-7 nineteenth century, when a group of immigrants with a Lutheran
1-8 background came to Texas and settled east of Bowie near communities
1-9 that would one day be known as Salona and Lindale; and
1-10 WHEREAS, In 1893 the Reverend John C. Schulenburg, a
1-11 missionary pastor with Zion Lutheran Church in Fort Worth, was sent
1-12 by the mission board of the Southern District of the Lutheran
1-13 Church-Missouri Synod to the area with the purpose of forming a
1-14 church; the following year, the church was organized as St. Peter
1-15 Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and a one-room, wooden-frame
1-16 building was erected to serve its congregation on land donated by
1-17 Henry Husfeld; and
1-18 WHEREAS, Among the first worshipers at the newly formed
1-19 church were the families of Gottlieb Conrad, Gustav Schultz, George
1-20 F. Hoeldtke, Paul Mueller, John Egenbacher, George Roth, Michael
1-21 Roth, George Huth, William Bubendorf, Carl Schwartz, Michael
1-22 Kleinhans, Frederick Kranow, Herman Husfeld, Henry Husfeld, Louis
1-23 Kaizer, and William Preuninger, a number of whom have descendants
1-24 that continue to worship in the church today; and
2-1 WHEREAS, At the turn of the century, the congregation was
2-2 blessed by the arrival of the Reverend H. B. Wurthmann, who played
2-3 a leading role in the expansion of the church and the construction
2-4 of a parsonage on land donated for that purpose by the Hachtel
2-5 family; this outstanding clergyman also was responsible for
2-6 starting the church's first day school; and
2-7 WHEREAS, In 1944 the Reverend Ralph N. Danelson began holding
2-8 evening services at the Lions Hall in Bowie to determine if there
2-9 was any interest in moving the church to the community; four years
2-10 later, the congregation began to make plans to relocate, and on
2-11 September 11, 1949, the remodeled church building was dedicated at
2-12 its new location on Lindsey Street; and
2-13 WHEREAS, Another pastor of the church, the Reverend Carl
2-14 Juergensen, led the congregation through the dedication of an
2-15 addition in 1954 that provided the church with more Sunday school
2-16 space, a kitchen, and an office; the church's physical plant was
2-17 further enhanced under the stewardship of the Reverend Ronald
2-18 Jenkins with the completion of a new Sunday school building in
2-19 1967; and
2-20 WHEREAS, Throughout the years, the congregation of St. Peter
2-21 Lutheran Church has continued to attract many new members from the
2-22 surrounding area; to keep pace with its burgeoning membership, the
2-23 church is currently adding a new parish hall under the direction of
2-24 the Reverend Bruce Donley; and
2-25 WHEREAS, From humble beginnings, St. Peter Lutheran Church
2-26 has grown steadily through the years and stands today as a tribute
2-27 to the dedication and hard work of its members, who have always
3-1 devoted their time, energy, and resources to ensure its continued
3-2 existence as a house of God; now, therefore, be it
3-3 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
3-4 Legislature hereby honor St. Peter Lutheran Church on its 100 years
3-5 of service as a house of worship and commend the Reverend Bruce
3-6 Donley and the members of his congregation on the many significant
3-7 contributions they have made to the betterment of their community;
3-8 and, be it further
3-9 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
3-10 prepared for St. Peter Lutheran Church as an expression of high
3-11 regard by the Texas House of Representatives.