OUR HISTORY
"Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel"
Philippians 1:27
OUR HISTORY
Established in 1892
The first church building was built in 1891 and dedicated on October 4, 1891 as Evangelical Lutheran St. Matthew Church at Sandy Hill. The church was renamed, St. Matthew Lutheran Congregation of Sandy Hill and officially adopted its first constitution under the new name on May 26,1892.
Charter members were Pastor Schaaf, A. Randermann, Christian Goeking, W. Wieghat, A. Seeker, H. Blumberg, C. Kettler, F. Fathauer, F. Goeking, Henirich Seeker, Fritz Haarmier, William Stegemueller, H. Wiehorn, C. H. Kettler, H. Dierking, W. Rosenbaum, H. Bohne, F. Lindemann, F. Grage, H. Lohmeyer, Sr., W. Peter, O. Geissler, H. Lohmeyer, W. Meier, W. Ellermann, H. Hackstedt, W. Polhmeier, John Prahl, and Alex Kohler.
Destroyed By Storm
In August 1915, St. Matthew suffered a tragic loss. The severe inland coastal storm of that year completely demolished the St. Matthew Church building with only the baptismal font and the bell being salvaged.
New Church,Parish Hall & Middle Section
In only 3 months, after the original church was destroyed by storm, the church that exists today was built. In 1939, the parish hall was added and it was the first in Washington County. Later in 1959, the center section or "middle" was built and included Sunday school rooms and a hallway joining the parish hall with the Church.
Sandy Hill School
The church built a school in 1894 and the pastors also served as teachers. The first school stood between the site of the original church and the current one. Later, during the pastorate of Renutus Fiedler, three acres of land across the road to the east from the church property was purchased by the community and the school building was moved to that site. The school served many generations until 1952 when the children were assigned to the Brenham Independent School District.
Our Journey
In January 2011, the congregation voted to leave the ELCA and to join with the Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC). Immanuel Lutheran chose to remain in the ELCA, and Pr. Jim Abbott chose to stay with the ELCA as well. St. Matthew issued a call for their own pastor. After a comprehensive call process, Pr. Kris Brower was called by the congregation. He came to us from All Saints Lutheran Church in Arlington, TX, and began full time ministry at St. Matthew on February 15, 2012. In April 2012, the congregation voted to also join the North American Lutheran Church (NALC). in 2019, St. Matthew chose to be affiliated with only the North American Lutheran Church.
The Book of Concord
Human Traditions in the Church
...The Fathers celebrated human rites for the body's benefit. For example, by such rites the people would know what time they should gather so that, for the sake of example, all things might be done in order and properly in churches [1 Corinthians 14:40] and that the common people might receive a sort of training. Distinctions of time and the variety of rites help in reminding the common people. The Fathers maintained the rites for these reasons. We also conclude it is proper for these reasons to keep traditions <good customs>. (Apology XV:20-21)