ABOUT US

This information was compiled from several sources found in our records by previous pastors, members, newspaper articles and records in county and state records.

Prior to St. Paul organizing December 7, 1919, beginning in 1839, four attempts to establish a Lutheran worshiping community took place. During this eighty year period, there was evidence that people here is Columbus wanted a Lutheran worshipping community.

The Rev. Edward A. Sagebiel served as the first called pastor of St. Paul. They met in the Columbus Theatre on Milam street, which is the building behind First State Bank. The congregation met in the theatre and held Sunday school for several years. As they grew they realized that they needed a different space and voted on July 19, 1922 to build their first
church building. The women of St. Paul played a significant role in the growth of St. Paul. The women of St. Paul organized the Lutheran Ladies Aid Society. This group paid for the
land and first church building on the corner of Bowie and Spring, where the Baumgart Insurance Agency is now located. The cost of the property was $600. The ladies came up
with half of the money, $300, and took out a promissory note to the Lutheran Ladies Aid Society for the additional $300 at 6% interest. They held worship services in the church and
Sunday school across the street in the Fire Department building. The Ladies Aid also purchased the piano for the church services.

In 1944 a lot was purchased at the corner of Bowie and Houston, and a parsonage was built. The next year 1945, a parish hall was built on the lot, and in 1946 the original church
building was moved to the site. During the last part of 1950 and first part of 1951, the entire building was renovated and enlarged. In 1935 another women’s group organized, the Mary- Martha Society. They were responsible for the new Reuter Pipe organ for the church. The congregation continued to grow and were out of space for Sunday school and it was
determined a new facility needed to be built. A search committee was formed and two properties were found as a potential site for new facilities. One was south of town and the
other on what was called Glidden Hill. On December 8, 1957 the congregation voted to purchase the 17.89 acres on Glidden Hill at a cost of $35,000. A payment of $3,000 was
made, and the remaining $32,000 was a loan at 4% interest, to be paid off in five years.

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On September 19, 1965 the congregation voted to build a new church up on this hill. The estimated cost was $308,669. The facility would include a sanctuary to seat around 400,
30 classrooms for religious instruction, a fellowship hall and Youth Center. The congregation came up with 10% of money needed and had to take out a twenty-year note and
sell lots to come up with the $275,000, which was paid off on January 22, 1989. The conclusion of moving permanently to the hill was in 1971, when the congregation built the
parsonage on St. Paul Drive for $28,828.

 

 In 1978 the congregation began the Child Care Center, and to-date employs twenty-two staff serving upwards of 125 children in day care, preschool and after school programs.

In January of 2015 the congregation voted to establish a group of people to study and present to the congregation the current and future needs of expanding our present facility. On July 31, 2016 the congregation took the next step in approving the hiring of an architect to work with the Building Team in developing plans for expansion. We began a three-year campaign to raise funds towards expansion which will conclude in February 2020. The process, although slow as it seems at times, is moving forward, and the congregation will have opportunity to vote on the expansion.

St. Paul is a resilient group of people who over 100 years has continued to seek God’s direction and being led by the Holy Spirit, come together to worship, learn and serve. We
owe our thanks to God, former clergy, staff, members and this community for the heritage we have been given. We, in our time now and in this place, continue in the same spirit, to leave to the next generations, a place of worship and outpost to be sent into the world to serve.