Mount Pleasant Daily Tribune, Mount Pleasant, Texas
Wednesday, January 17, 1979, Page 14
Lutheran Church dedicated
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of Mount Pleasant is pleased to announce the completion of its new worship facility on Hwy. 271 Bypass, north of Interstate 30.
The Dedication Service of the new building was held Sunday, January 14 at 4 p.m. with the Rev. Paul Knittel leading the congregation in the ribbon-cutting ceremony into the sanctuary to officially dedicate the church and furnishings.
Representatives of several Lutheran churches in the northeast Texas area were present, as were many Mount Pleasant residents.
Larry Keil, Lay Minister at Concordia Lutheran Church in Kirkwood, Mo., and son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Keil of Mount Pleasant was guest speaker for the occasion. Special music was provided by Mary Joe Whitaker, Doris Strong and Hoyliss Beck of the Euterpean Club, accompanied by Adeline Keil at the piano.
After the service a reception was held in the parish hall where refreshments were served and guests were invited to inspect the new facility.
Good Shepherd had its beginning nearly four years ago when Mr. and Mrs. Ed Keil held an organizational meeting on February 18, 1975 at Hotel Stephens. The Keils, longtime residents and leading citizens of Mount Pleasant were instrumental in organizing Our Savior Lutheran Church in Sulphur Springs over 20 years ago. Seeing the need for a Lutheran Church in Titus County, the Keils again went to work to organize a Lutheran congregation in Mount Pleasant.
Their labors were rewarded with the organization of approximately eight families at the meeting at the Hotel. This group decided, with the help of the Texas District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, to begjn holding worship services in Mount Pleasant. At this time, the group elected its first set of congregational officers: Ed Keil, president; Sherman Nobles, Sunday School Superintendent; David Beyer, secretary; and Jerry Starr, treasurer. The first service was held on April 6, 1975 with the Rev. Thomas Krause of Our Saviour Lutheran Church, Sulphur Springs, serving as the first pastor of the congregation. Worship services were held at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, then located at 909 West Ninth Street.
Articles of Incorporation for the congregation were filed with the State of Texas in December of 1975. Application was made to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod so that Good Shepherd Lutheran Church could officially become a member congregation of that body. The congregation was accepted into membership in the Synod in June of 1976 at the Texas convention of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
The present pastor, the Rev. Paul Knittel, arrived in July of 1976 to serve the two congregations - Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Sulphur Springs and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Mount Pleasant.
By spring of 1977, the Lutherans of Mount Pleasant were ready to consider building their own worship facility. And so plans were begun. Land was purchased and funds for building a church were procured. Ed Entrop, a member of the congregation, served as architect. Bids were let, and the building project for Good Shepherd Lutheran Church was entrusted to Ray Bolken, a Mount Pleasant contractor. Ground was broken for the new building on April 30, 1978 and construction of the building was completed in November of 1978.
During the time Good Shepherd Lutheran Church was planning its building, members were fortunate to be able to use the facilities of the Seventh-day Adventist Church of Mount Pleasant for worship services. Its members are deeply grateful to the Seventh-day Adventists for their help and cooperation. St. Michael Catholic Church also graciously extended the use of their facilities to the congregation. For this the members of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church are also very grateful.
The first worship service was held in the new church building on November 19, 1978.
Charter members of the congregation included: Mr. and Mrs. Ed Keil, Mr. and Mrs. Larry Ribecek, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Starr, Mr. and Mrs. David Heriot, Frieda Vercell, Mr. and Mrs. David Beyer, Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Nobles, Mr. and Mrs. Lynn Cranston, Ruby Coffman and Frances King.
