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

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✦ Right: Bob Keahey leads a ninth grade Sunday morning Bible Class during the late 1980’s. Below: On a typical Sunday in the mid-1980’s Concordia’s sanctuary was packed with worshipers for two morning services. Other worship opportunities included Sunday evening, Wednesday evening, and Saturday evening. 36 ✦ THE CONCORDIA STORY
The year 1982 marked the publication of Merkens’ first book directed at a general Christian audience. The book, like the television program, was titled Breakthrough. Its chapters were primarily rewritten sermons which had been offered by Merkens, but also included ministry tips and inspirational stories. That same year Concordia added 290 new members, including 101 through adult confirmation, 150 through transfer, and 39 through junior confirmation. That number, said Merkens, was “unheard of” in the Missouri Synod. In 1985 Concordia set another record when it confirmed 84 children, the largest junior confirmation class in Synod’s history. The reason for the large class was a decision reached to consolidate the sixth and seventh grades for that one year and from then on to instruct and confirm sixth graders. This was done in step with Texas public schools, which had begun to incorporate sixth grade along with seventh and eighth grades into “Middle Schools.” As Concordia continued to add new souls, the sheer size of the congregation at times prevented members from really knowing each ✦ An aerial view of Concordia’s campus in 1980 shows a packed parking lot, which was later alleviated by the purchase of land for additional spaces. Chapter III ✦ 37
Page 1 and 2: THE CONCORDIA STORY A Fifty-Year Hi
Page 3 and 4: THE CONCORDIA STORY A Fifty-Year Hi
Page 5 and 6: ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I first came to Co
Page 7 and 8: gregations across the U.S. and in m
Page 9 and 10: ✦ Left: The original chapel serve
Page 11 and 12: Rast that this aggressive, young pa
Page 13 and 14: that would express God’s love thr
Page 15 and 16: Address Record, which gave us the n
Page 17 and 18: School led to action. A companion b
Page 19 and 20: they kept in mind Merkens’ commen
Page 21 and 22: was sent gratis by CPH to every pas
Page 23 and 24: We tried to get everything done in
Page 25 and 26: Perhaps the innovation in which Mer
Page 27 and 28: format was to be a series of semina
Page 29 and 30: other congregations, all of which h
Page 31 and 32: ✦ Left: “They come to play and
Page 33 and 34: prospective members, and over one h
Page 35 and 36: ✦ Above: At Easter Sunday service
Page 37: ice.’ So they came that week and
Page 41 and 42: ✦ Left: Concordia operated a bus
Page 43 and 44: The day was planned so the dedicati
Page 45 and 46: springs forward to daylight-savings
Page 47 and 48: eally selling short the good people
Page 49 and 50: Still the period beginning in Janua
Page 51 and 52: ✦ Left: The sanctuary as it looke
Page 53 and 54: has up here on 281,” Thompson sai
Page 55 and 56: experience as a lay pastor had dram
Page 57 and 58: tract for the purchase, but also au
Page 59 and 60: ✦ Left: Carl Steiger, right, serv
Page 61 and 62: gage. And it was not the kind of pr
Page 63 and 64: ✦ Left: San Antonio Mayor Howard
Page 65 and 66: two full-time pastors and two part-
Page 67 and 68: ✦ Left: Concordia’s Men’s Min
Page 69 and 70: Seminar speakers, like Paul Maier,
Page 71 and 72: Concordia who live in the area and
Page 73 and 74: Prior to the arrival of the Prieto
Page 75 and 76: ✦ Far left: Concordians Mike Manu
Page 77 and 78: ✦ Above: Concordia’s administra
Page 79 and 80: P ASTORS W HO H AVE S ERVED C ONCOR
Page 81 and 82: ✦ Above: Adult Bible Class is hel
Page 83: Sunday School, 1952. Vacation Bible

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

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