The Concordia Story: A Fifty-Year History of Concordia Lutheran Church 1951-2001

Perhaps the innovation in which Merkens
took the most pride was the way in which
annual financial pledges were handled at
Concordia. Merkens’ plan for encouraging regular
and generous giving revolved around
Loyalty Sunday.
On Loyalty Sunday, usually held the second
Sunday in December, each family was given the
opportunity, during the service, to fill out their
giving pledge for the coming year. At the
appointed time members were invited to come
in how the property looked, was the nursery
clean, how was I received in the church, was the
temperature comfortable, was the lighting good.
And they would look around and ask, ‘Are there
other people here like me? I’m forty years old.
Are there some other forty-year-olds here?’ All
these things played into a decision to come
back, so we tried everything we could to make
their visit a positive experience.”
✦
Above, left: Scholarships were given to
nine Concordians studying for ministry
in August 1965. In October, Bill Knippa’s
decision to study for the pastoral
ministry brought the year’s total to 10.
Above, right: A Living Lutheran
Leadership seminar at the Terrace
Motel in Austin in 1966 broke records
for attendance. Some 2,100 packed
the motel ballroom for the presentation
by Merkens and Art Samuel.
Left: Dr. Oswald Hoffman, legendary
speaker for The Lutheran Hour dons
a Stetson hat presented to him by
Concordia, as he attends the
dedication of Concordia Lutheran
School’s newly constructed classroom
complex, April 19, 1964.
Chapter II ✦ 23