150 Years of Faith

Church Preps for Upcoming Sesquicentennial

Schulenburg First Baptist Church turns 150 years old this year. The church will host a sesquicentennial celebration on Sunday, Oct. 8. A Remembrance Sunday will take place at the church this Sunday, Oct. 1, to honor members of the congregation who have passed away.

“We’re not the biggest church in Schulenburg, but I feel that we are the most active church,” said Bryan Klesel, a deacon in the church.

A Brief History

The congregation that became Schulenburg First Baptist started out in High Hill, but not much is known about the church’s early days. The oldest written record of the church is a deed dated Oct. 9, 1873, according to the late Mrs. Helmuth Bolling, who compiled a history of the congregation dated June 1964. The deed referred to the congregation as High Hill Missionary Baptist Church. By 1880 the congregation numbered 35 members. The church baptized 32 new members in 1882. The first death in the church was recorded in 1883.

In those days, High Hill was a bustling town. But when the railroad was built a few miles to the south in 1873, a new town popped up – Schulenburg. At some point in time, the old church building was rolled on logs to Schulenburg. It stood at the corner of Summit St. and West Ave. In the early years, the building was known as the Union Church, and it was used by several denominations. The congregation experienced a rebirth in the 1920s. It was renamed Schulenburg First Baptist Church in 1927. The congregation remodeled the old church in 1950. In 1989, the church moved once again, this time the congregation’s new property on Upton St.

By that time the congregation had outgrown the small sanctuary.

“We packed 100 people in there for my sister’s wedding, and it was crowded,” said Phyllis Jurica, who serves as children’s ministry leader.

Schulenburg First Baptist (SFB) built a new sanctuary on the Upton St. grounds, and the old church now serves as a Fellowship Hall.

The Church Today

Today, the congregation has about 311 members.

“We average about 110 to 120 on Sunday mornings and about 100 on Wednesday nights, both children and youth,” said Kari Lynn Ginn, the church’s music minister.

The church’s youth program has been a pillar of the community for the past several decades.

“A lot of the kids that attend our youth group are not our church kids,” Jurica said. “It’s an outreach. They need Jesus. It’s been very active – going to church camps, Astroworld, Schlitterbahn, mission work. It’s always busy.”

Pastor David Thompson is now in his 10th year at Schulenburg First Baptist.

“The most unique thing about this church is the fellowship is very friendly, loving and giving,” Thompson said. “They love each other.”

The congregation’s love for each other becomes really apparent whenever the church experiences sickness or a loss. Vernon and Fawn Zimmermann, members of the church who both passed away in recent years, ministered to the sick and grieving for many years by organizing meal trains.

“They led the charge for many years in doing that, and we’re trying to carry it on as well,” Jurica said.

Mission Work

Sunday school teacher Terese Klesel described First Baptist as a mission-oriented church.

“We have groups who have gone to Mexico, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, and now El Salvador,” she said.

This past June, Pastor Thompson and nine members of the church went to El Salvador to help a church build ministry programs and a summer Bible school for kids.

“When people go on these mission trips, it opens their eyes to the needs,” said Terese. “Some have even adopted children in these different countries. You don’t know what kind of difference that makes to the life of the child and the whole family.”

A Musical Congregation

Schulenburg First Baptist is also a very musical congregation. The church boasts one of the few Steinway pianos anywhere in the area. And the church’s music ministry has produced several professional musicians, including the famous Ginn Sisters – Tiffani and Britani Ginn, the daughters of Kari Lynn and John Ginn, who have recorded multiple albums and toured all across America.

“We’ve been incredibly blessed with musicians in our church,” Kari Lynn said. “It’s been a real blessing to have people who are willing. Everybody pitches in and it’s a real active ministry.”

Kari Lynn gave credit to the late Nan Newmann for cultivating the music ministry many years ago.

“She instilled in us a commitment to serve,” Kari Lynn said. “Don’t just serve when it’s convenient. When John and I were first married and didn’t have kids, we would try to walk out after Sunday school and go home. When she caught me doing that, she said, ‘You don’t go home after Sunday school. You stay. You’re going to be in the choir.’ She taught us and others to serve in the ministry and to stay committed, not just when it’s convenient. We’ve been blessed with a lot of musicians who understand that desire to serve.”

“I’m going to pat Kari Lynn on the back because she would never say this about herself,” Jurica said. “But I’ve been in other churches that are much larger, and you would expect their soloists to be amazing and professional. We are blessed with Kari’s singing. What we get every Sunday is fabulous.”

“Kari has such a wonderful way of leading us to the point of worship, and then the pastor takes over,” said Terese. “To me, they work well together – combining what he’s going to preach and the songs she sings. I think we have fantastic services.”

Sesquicentennial

Schulenburg First Baptist invites everyone to experience their church, and the Sesquicentennial Celebration on Oct. 8 will be a great opportunity. The day will begin with a continental breakfast at 9 a.m. followed by a Service of Remembrance at 9:30 a.m. The congregation will serve coffee and pastries at 10:30 a.m. A worship service and celebration will take place at 10:45 a.m., followed by a catered luncheon on the church grounds at noon. The church asks attendees to bring a dessert to share if you are able.