Der Lutheraner Winchester, TX
St. Michael’s celebrated its Diamond Anniversary on Sunday, September 30, 1962.
Chicken barbecue plus all the trimmings were served at the Winchester Community Hall for a fee of $1 for adults and 60 cents for children under the age of 12.
Lutheran Alter, Boerne, TX
“As a young boy I spent many happy days with my Grandfather, Otto W. Hielscher. He told me about how he, as a young man, helped his father, Ernst Hielscher build the St. Michael’s Lutheran Church building. He was especially honored to be able to help on the construction of the altar."
Otto = Terry Rasmussen's "employer" Bear Brook Murders
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_Brook_murders
Brief History of the Wends and Migration to America
The Wends are one of the Slavic people who migrated and settled into eastern Germany, a region between the Elbe and Oder Rivers. Although greatly diminished in numbers, they live today predominately in an area along the Spree River, approximately fifty miles southeast of Berlin. This region is known as the Lausitz (Lusatia). In Germany this ethnic group is known as Sorbs rather than Wends.
The Wends, like most of the Europeans, were converted to Christianity by the 1100’s. Many factors affected the Wends in these early years. Their insistence on maintaining their own language and customs, compounded by the attitude of the more affluent Germans who colonized this area, kept them segregated. This conflict of cultures resulted in even their earliest churches, such as St. Michael’s in Bautzen, (which still stands today), being constructed outside city walls. Because they could not communicate in the German language, they were forced into menial, low paying jobs.
In the early 1800s the Calvinist ruler Friedrich Wilhelm III attempted to unite the Lutheran and Reformed churches into a single church state. The Wends were unable to freely practice their faith, but steadfastly retained Luther’s doctrines. In 1840 when Friedrich Wilhelm IV ascended to the throne, independent churches were once again allowed, but the Wends were too poor to build and maintain churches and pay their own pastors. By 1843 some of those who eventually came to Texas began to meet quarterly for worship in Andreas Urban’s home in Weigersdorf, because they were also displeased with the changes that occurred in the state Lutheran churches. By 1845 Weigersdorf and Klitten had both built their own small churches. In 1848 the Reverend Jan (Johann) Kilian accepted their call and made his home in Dauban, which was about midway between the two churches.
In 1849 a small group of Wends came to Texas and sent back good news about jobs, guns available for hunting, and freedom to practice religion without government interference.
A group of laymen met in Dauban on March 25, 1854, to form an association, and two months later issued a Call to Reverend Johann Kilian to be their Pastor in the new colony they planned to form in Texas. In earlier years, while attending the University of Leipzip, Kilian had met C.F.W. Walther, who by this time had emigrated to America (in 1839) and was the President of The German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Missouri, Ohio, and other States, as well as Editor of Der Lutheraner. Walther remained Kilian’s friend and advisor for life.
Under Pastor Kilian’s spiritual guidance, the laymen were responsible for obtaining funding and organizing the migration of families from the Lusatian region. The group traveled through Hamburg to Liverpool. Many problems delayed the trip. The government charged Kilian with inciting a migration and detained him. Fortunately, Kilian was able to catch up with the group in Liverpool. They boarded the Ben Nevis for the long ocean voyage to America and their ship departed Liverpool on October 23, 1854, landing in Galveston, Texas on December 15, 1854.
Under Pastor Kilian’s spiritual guidance, the laymen were responsible for obtaining funding and organizing the migration of families from the Lusatian region. The group traveled through Hamburg to Liverpool. Many problems delayed the trip. The government charged Kilian with inciting a migration and detained him. Fortunately, Kilian was able to catch up with the group in Liverpool. They boarded the Ben Nevis for the long ocean voyage to America and their ship departed Liverpool on October 23, 1854, landing in Galveston, Texas on December 15, 1854.
Seventy-eight people, including four of five infants born during the migration, died on the journey. The approximately five hundred survivors, after clearing United States Customs in Galveston, were then transported by steamer to Houston where they were warmly welcomed by Pastor Casper Braun.
The majority of the immigrants traveled by wagon and on foot across the Houston Prairie to the New Ulm and Industry settlements.
The majority of the immigrants traveled by wagon and on foot across the Houston Prairie to the New Ulm and Industry settlements.
From there they moved on and settled in a place now known as Serbin, in what was to become Lee County.
These hearty pioneers became the founders of what was to be St. Paul Lutheran Church.
They mainly lived in small log cabins or dugouts and made their living in agriculture. In the beginning, the most common crop was corn for food. Later, cotton became the major cash crop. Oxen were primarily beasts of burden, pulling wagons and plows. In the 1880s the use of draft horses became more common. Prior to the popularity of beef-cattle, Wends relied on hogs for meat and had small dairy herds for milk and butter.
Due to their winter arrival, Pastor Kilian and his family were forced to board with other families until October of 1855, when a two-room cabin was constructed with living quarters in one room and church and school held in the other room.
Weddings
In the early days the celebration lasted several days, three or more at the bride’s parent’s home. After the Winchester public school was closed in 1949, the current Zilss hall (a two story building) was converted into a public one story facility. This was the beginning of Winchester weddings being celebrated away from the home.
Wendish wedding dresses were black to symbolize the suffering of the new life ahead of the bride. The bride usually had 8 to 10 bridesmaids who wore black dresses and floral headdresses.
First few references call the congregation ‘St. Lukas Gemeinde’; this may agree with the statement that the name St. Michael’s was adopted because of the day of organization: i.e., they had planned to call it St. Luke’s, but because they happened to organize on St. Michael’s day the name was changed.
Pastor Johann Kilian’s group, which founded Serbin in 1855. As the distance from Serbin increased, the new communities founded their own congregations.
Der Lutheraner
Weddings
In the early days the celebration lasted several days, three or more at the bride’s parent’s home. After the Winchester public school was closed in 1949, the current Zilss hall (a two story building) was converted into a public one story facility. This was the beginning of Winchester weddings being celebrated away from the home.
Wendish wedding dresses were black to symbolize the suffering of the new life ahead of the bride. The bride usually had 8 to 10 bridesmaids who wore black dresses and floral headdresses.
First few references call the congregation ‘St. Lukas Gemeinde’; this may agree with the statement that the name St. Michael’s was adopted because of the day of organization: i.e., they had planned to call it St. Luke’s, but because they happened to organize on St. Michael’s day the name was changed.
Pastor Johann Kilian’s group, which founded Serbin in 1855. As the distance from Serbin increased, the new communities founded their own congregations.
Der Lutheraner
