Saint Paul Lutheran Church

Organized in Pharr in 1916 by the Rev. Paul Birkman and five charter members, St. Paul Lutheran Church moved to McAllen in 1917. Early worship service, conducted in German, were held in the First Methodist Church. The Lutherans purchased the former McAllen Christian Church building in 1919 and met there until the 1940s. A brick building was constructed to house both the church and the parochial school established in 1943. A 20-acre site was purchased here in 1952, and a new sanctuary and school were erected. The church serves the area with several programs. (1996)