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

springs forward to daylight-savings time.
Merkens is asking 4,000 members at Concordia
Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas, to
ignore the change and attend morning services
on standard time.”
Merkens said Concordia continued this practice
until the changeover day was moved to earlier
in the year and often came on Easter Sunday.
From 1978 to 1987 the name Merkens was
heard nationwide during NFL game broadcasts,
when Merkens’ son, Guido Jr., played for the
Houston Oilers and the New Orleans Saints. Guido
Jr. played a variety of positions, including quarterback,
wide receiver, and punt returner under
Coach Bum Phillips. Phillips called Guido Jr. “the
best athlete I ever coached.” The professional football
connection gave Dr. Merkens the opportunity
to hold chapel for the Oilers and Saints and earned
him a lifelong friendship with Phillips.
In the late 1980’s Merkens’ travels continued
to bring notice to the congregation. The book
Creative Church Management was translated into
several languages, including Korean. This led to
Merkens’ invitation to speak at Lutheran
churches in the Asian nations of South Korea,
Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and the Phillipines.
In 1990 Merkens was invited to preach to U.S.
military personnel in the cathedral at Worms,
Germany. This was the location where, in 1521,
Martin Luther was summoned before papal representatives,
the Diet at Worms, for a hearing on
his teachings. Luther, of course, refused to recant,
and his stirring testimony at Worms included the
famous line, “Unless I am convinced by Scripture
and plain reason—I do not accept the authority
of the popes and councils, for they have contradicted
each other—my conscience is captive to
the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant
anything, for to go against conscience is neither
right nor safe. God help me. Amen.”
The significance of Merkens’ appearance
before the military group was that it was the first
time a Lutheran service had ever been held in the
old cathedral. “They really had to get permission
from the pope for that event,” Merkens noted.
The 1980’s and early 90’s were banner years
for Concordia Lutheran School. The school was
riding the crest of a national trend toward private
schools and home schooling, a reaction to lowering
expectations from the public school sector.
Bruce Rudi became principal in 1989, with the
retirement of Neva Odell. One of his first accomplishments
was the expansion of the school to
include middle school. This was begun in 1992
with the addition of the seventh grade. Each year
two classes for each middle school grade were
added. The first eighth grade graduation at
Concordia took place in May, 1995.
Several assistant pastors served Concordia
from the 1980’s through the end of the Merkens
era. Rev. Robert Jaeger joined the Concordia
pastoral staff in 1984. He remained with the
church until his retirement in 1996. Rev. Robert
Boyce came to Concordia in 1986, but stayed
less than a year. Rev. Victor Kollman, a former
vicar at Concordia, was called in 1987. He
served until 1992. Rev. David Kipp, a former lay
minister who had gone on to formal seminary
training, served Concordia from 1992 until
early 1995. Rev. Patrick Boomhower, a former
lawyer and FBI agent, came to Concordia as an
associate in 1993 and served until 1995.
Early in the decade of the 90’s it was becoming
apparent that even Merkens’ dynamic
✦
Above: Neva Odell leads a school
activity. Mrs. Odell served as
Concordia’s principal from 1977 to
1989. She joined the school as a
teacher in 1952.
Left: This Concordia School classroom
in 1990 featured a group of enthusiastic,
bright young men and women.
Chapter III ✦ 43