Last fall, alongside the little by little, arduously-constructed buildings on their church land, fifty families in this continually growing colony, founded five years ago by Sorbian immigrants, called Wends by the Germans, built a new frame church, measuring 50 feet long, 25 feet wide and 15 feet up to the roof, covered with hand-cut cedar shingles and the interior lined with stone. On 10 October 1859 the first material was delivered, not only for the church, but also for a cistern for the parsonage, which was completed in November being dug and lined with masonry. On 11 November the cornerstone was laid and the building completed on 24 November.

While the fathers of the families worked on the building the young men collected the money for a newly-installed organ at a cost of 170 dollars. And the young women, by means of freewill contributions, paid for the altar ornaments at a cost of 40 dollars.

The dedication was held on the first day of Christmas. The early morning procession went from the parsonage, of which, up to now, the second wing served for church and school purposes, to the new church, while the bell was rung and an appropriate hymn was sung, with the pastor, in his vestment bedecked with the alb, and the church council at the head, followed by the young men and young women and then the remaining people. The celebration opened with a Sorbian hymn and liturgy with organ accompaniment. Then the pastor delivered a prefatory address from the altar, in which the church being dedicated was designated as the "First Sorbian Lutheran Church in Texas." After a short hymn was sung the pastor, kneeling at the altar, gave the dedicatory prayer in the Sorbian language. A hymn followed. Then followed the Sorbian sermon, based on the Epistle for Christmas Day, from the pulpit. After another hymn the [Sorbian] service was closed with a collect and benediction.

Since there were many Americans and Germans present from the surrounding area, they too got to hear something in their own languages. The German service began. After a few verses of a German hymn were sung, accompanied by the organ, the pastor read his written address from the altar to the Americans, his first attempt in the English language.

This was followed by a German hymn and the German sermon, based on the Gospel for Christmas Day, from the pulpit. A German hymn, followed by a collect and benediction, brought the entire service to a close.

We comfort ourselves, not yet having overcome many of the adversities of need and affliction, with the promise of God: "In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you" (Exodus 20: 24).

Johann Kilian, Pastor.

Translated from the German by Bill Biar, Denver, CO, 3 Nov 1988.