St. John's Lutheran Church

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker says about St. John's Lutheran Church in Runnels County. Now, every good Texas story starts with somebody making a long drive, and this one is no different.

Back in the 1880s, a man named Fritz Armrecht — reportedly the very first Lutheran to set foot in this part of the country — came up from Comal County. He didn't make that trip alone. His friend August Spill, Sr. rode along with him, and the two of them bought property out here in what would become Runnels County.

A few years pass, plans solidify, and in 1890 both men brought their families to join them. Now here's where it gets interesting. Armrecht's land — the acreage he'd bought and settled — happened to include the present site of the city of Winters.

In 1892, he sold one hundred acres for the city center. And then, just to make sure the community had what it needed, he later donated two acres to be used as a cemetery. The man wasn't just a settler.

He was laying the bones of a town, literally and otherwise. More Lutheran families followed, as they tend to do, and before long there was a congregation taking shape even before there was a building to hold it. The mission board of the Texas Synod of the Lutheran church sent missionaries out to lead services — held in homes and schools, wherever folks could gather.

Then in October 1904, those families dedicated a sanctuary right there in the downtown Winters area. And on November 6 of that same year, they made it official: St. John's Lutheran Church was formally organized.

They'd barely settled in when word came that a railroad line would be running right adjacent to their property when it arrived in 1909. So the congregation did what practical Texans do — they built a new sanctuary on the west side of town to account for it. The facilities kept growing from there, right up through 1930, when the present sanctuary was constructed.

The congregation grew alongside the town. Members ran local businesses. Others entertained the community with their musical talents — which, if you've ever been to a good Lutheran service, is not a small thing.

St. John's was woven into Winters from the start. But then came the first World War, and here the story gets heavy.

The services at St. John's were held in German — as they had been since the beginning — and local anti-German sentiment during that war led the congregation to minimize those services. Think about that for a moment.

A community of people, deep-rooted in Texas soil, pulling back on their own worship out of fear of how their neighbors might see them. Relations, the marker says, slowly mended following the war. Slowly.

By the time the Second World War arrived, St. John's met the moment differently. Congregation members maintained a visible and patriotic role in support of U.S. involvement overseas.

They had come through something, and they showed it. Today, St. John's Lutheran Church remains a spiritual home for many in the Winters area — and its members, the marker tells us, continue to serve both their local and global communities.

From two men riding up from Comal County in the 1880s to a church still standing well over a century later, that's a story worth pulling over for.

What the marker says

Fritz Armrecht, accompanied by his friend August Spill, Sr., was reportedly the first Lutheran to arrive in this area. The men came from Comal County in the 1880s and bought property, bringing their families here in 1890. Armbrecht's land included the present site of the city of Winters; in 1892, he sold 100 acres for the city center and later donated two acres for use as a cemetery. As more Lutheran families arrived, the time was right to organize a church. The mission board of the Texas Synod of the Lutheran church sent missionaries to lead services held in homes and schools. Families dedicated a sanctuary in the downtown Winters area in October 1904 and formally organized on November 6 of that year as St. John's Lutheran Church. Members learned the railroad line would run adjacent to their property when it arrived in 1909, so they built a new sanctuary on the west side of town. Facilities have expanded over the years and include the present sanctuary, constructed in 1930. The congregation grew, and its members participated actively in Winters' development and social activities. Many parishioners operated local businesses, and others entertained the community with their musical talents. Although church members served in the U.S. armed forces, local anti-German sentiment during the first World War led to the congregation minimizing its services, which were held in German; relations slowly mended following the war. During the Second World War, congregation members maintained their visible and patriotic role in supprt of U.S. involvement overseas. St. John's members continue to serve their local and global communities. The church remains a spiritual home for many in the Winters area. (2005)