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The organizational meeting of St. Andrew Lutheran Church, held November 6, 1968, was hosted at the Startz Cafe by Mrs. Alice Startz. At this meeting: Mr. R.F. Schwarz volunteered his earth moving equipment to make roads from the main highway to the church building site. A motion was made by Mr. David Jernigan that the first worship service be held on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 1968, passing by unanimous vote.
The Board of American Missions of the American Lutheran Church issued a grant of $15,000 for construction of St. Andrew. Pastor C.N. Roth was appointed head architect of St. Andrew. The first name of the church was "Canyon Lake Lutheran Mission." The first Congregational Meeting was held on December 8, 1968 at which time 2 names were put forth for the naming of the church. (1) St. Andrew-by-the-Lake, and (2) Canyon Lake Lutheran Church. A tie resulted and Mr. Alfred Toerne (the church's first organist) moved that the name "St. Andrew Lutheran Church" be adopted as the church's permanent name. It was adopted by unanimous vote. (See John 1:40-42a)
Members had to purchase their own hymnals until arrangements could be made. A motion was made to have worship services only on the second and fourth Sunday of each month, but this motion failed to carry. A subsequent motion was made to worship each Sunday at 10:00 AM and passed unanimously.
The Baptismal Font was donated by St. Paul Lutheran Church of Lamesa, Texas, when that church disbanded. The church bell was donated by the Lutheran church in Crawford. Lutheran General Hospital in San Antonio volunteered to donate pews from their chapel, but it was determined by Dr. Roth that they were too small.
The cross on the back of the altar wall actually came from the church property. Dr. A.G. Wiederaenders and Pastor Roth made sure that each branch was perfect. Dr. Roth tied the cross in the middle with leather straps. The cross was taken to San Antonio to the Heatherly Metal Company where the outside case was constructed. In the Narthex of the chapel, you will now find the first cross used at Sunrise services on Easter, 1969. The cross was discovered buried in the dirt where the foundation around the basketball court was placed. Pictures in the church archives show this same cross hurriedly built by Dr. Roth that same morning, sitting on the altar of limestone rocks built as an altar for the service.
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