The Concordia Story: A Fifty-Year History of Concordia Lutheran Church 1951-2001
An illustrated history of Concordia Lutheran Church of San Antonio, Texas.
An illustrated history of Concordia Lutheran Church of San Antonio, Texas.
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
✦<br />
Left: “<strong>The</strong>y come to play and they<br />
stay to pray.” Dr. Merkens’ slogan<br />
accurately described the<br />
neighborhood’s youth who took<br />
advantage <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Concordia</strong><br />
Gymnasium open door policy.<br />
Below: Sports teams like <strong>Concordia</strong>'s<br />
“Mites” basketball team, coached by<br />
B. Smith in the 1970’s, have<br />
represented the church in city youth<br />
leagues throughout five decades.<br />
record that three young men from a <strong>Lutheran</strong> congregation<br />
joined the pastoral ministry on a single<br />
day. Throughout <strong>Concordia</strong>’s history eleven sons<br />
<strong>of</strong> the congregation have been ordained as<br />
<strong>Lutheran</strong> pastors. Another 39 men and women<br />
have been trained in synodical colleges and<br />
worked in full time ministry. See the lists at the<br />
end <strong>of</strong> this book for names <strong>of</strong> these individuals.<br />
To keep up with the membership growth,<br />
<strong>Concordia</strong>’s staff had to grow, as well. Melvin<br />
Spenn was the first associate pastor called by<br />
<strong>Concordia</strong>. He served through 1961 and<br />
1962. In 1965 E.A. Wolf was called. He died<br />
in 1969 while serving as the congregation’s<br />
visitation pastor.<br />
Steve McClintic served from 1968 to 1972<br />
and <strong>The</strong>odore Graalman from 1972 to 1977.<br />
Two associate pastors still affiliated with<br />
<strong>Concordia</strong> were also called during the 1970’s.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are Norman Abbott and David Ebs. Abbott<br />
was called in 1976 and Ebs in 1978.<br />
In the mid-1970’s Merkens received two<br />
impressive awards. He was given a doctorate<br />
degree by <strong>Concordia</strong> Seminary, Springfield in<br />
March 1975, giving him the title “Doctor” or<br />
“Doc” which has followed him through his ministry.<br />
In May 1975 Dr. Merkens became the fifth<br />
clergyman in 103 years <strong>of</strong> <strong>Concordia</strong>-St.Louis<br />
Seminary history to receive its Distinguished<br />
Alumnus Award.<br />
Sunday School was always a high priority at<br />
<strong>Concordia</strong>. During the 1970’s Sunday School for<br />
children and young adults reached its peak under<br />
the leadership <strong>of</strong> Art Samuel. Samuel did not join<br />
<strong>Concordia</strong> until after completing his travels with<br />
Merkens for Living <strong>Lutheran</strong> Leadership.<br />
“When I joined, Dr. Merkens put me to work<br />
as Sunday School superintendent,” Samuel<br />
explained. “A couple <strong>of</strong> years later we were<br />
invited to a Synod Sunday School meeting in St.<br />
Louis to receive an award as the largest Sunday<br />
Chapter II ✦ 29
Change language