By Gray                                                H.R. No. 894
         76R15011 MDM-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, The Reverend Ronald R. Walter will join with the
 1-2     members of the congregation of First Evangelical Lutheran Church in
 1-3     Galveston as they prepare to celebrate the church's 150th
 1-4     anniversary; and
 1-5           WHEREAS, Founded by Lutheran outreach missionaries from
 1-6     Switzerland in the fall of 1850, the church quickly became an
 1-7     established place of worship in the Galveston community, especially
 1-8     for the German Lutheran families in that fast-growing area;
 1-9     originally named First German Evangelical Lutheran Church, it
1-10     received its charter from the State of Texas in the fall of 1851;
1-11     and
1-12           WHEREAS, There was no public school in the area until 1871,
1-13     and a school established by the church offered a quality education
1-14     to children throughout the community for many years; and
1-15           WHEREAS, First Evangelical Lutheran Church traces its
1-16     architectural history to a building called Lyceum Hall, which it
1-17     purchased in 1852; originally located on the corner of 25th and
1-18     Winnie, the structure has been moved, enclosed, and remodeled
1-19     through the decades, and it still serves as a reminder of earlier
1-20     times; in 1915, a more traditional house of worship added to Lyceum
1-21     Hall afforded more space and multipurpose facilities, and in the
1-22     1950s the church erected a new building in which services are
1-23     currently held; and
1-24           WHEREAS, In 1984, First Evangelical Lutheran Church was
 2-1     entered into the National Registry of Historical Places, and it was
 2-2     recognized as the oldest Lutheran parish of German origin with a
 2-3     continuous ministry in the state; and
 2-4           WHEREAS, Plans for a 50th anniversary celebration in the fall
 2-5     of 1900 were abandoned with the advent of the devastating Galveston
 2-6     hurricane that destroyed much of the island's population and
 2-7     buildings; although the church sustained severe interior damage to
 2-8     its furnishings, the Lyceum Hall provided a haven for the homeless
 2-9     and disheartened; and
2-10           WHEREAS, Innovative response to the needs of local citizens
2-11     led the congregation to organize a mission parish on the west end
2-12     of the island in 1929; known as St.  Paul's Lutheran Church, it
2-13     continues to meet the spiritual needs of area residents; and
2-14           WHEREAS, More than 3,000 people attended the first outdoor
2-15     Easter sunrise service hosted by First Evangelical Lutheran Church
2-16     in 1950 on a municipal pier overlooking the Gulf of Mexico; and
2-17           WHEREAS, For a century and a half, First Evangelical Lutheran
2-18     Church members have demonstrated a steadfast commitment to
2-19     bettering their community, and their efforts in this regard are
2-20     truly worthy of special recognition; now, therefore, be it
2-21           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
2-22     Legislature hereby congratulate the Reverend Ronald R. Walter and
2-23     the members of First Evangelical Lutheran Church on the occasion of
2-24     the church's 150th anniversary and commend them for contributing to
2-25     the church's dynamic history of providing support and inspiration
2-26     to generations of Texans; and, be it further
2-27           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
 3-1     prepared for First  Evangelical Lutheran Church as an expression of
 3-2     high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.