Our History
For many years the Lutherans in the Centerville area traveled to Palestine, Texas, which was the site of the closest Lutheran church. In early fall of 1976, Pastor Kenneth Baisden and several families from Centerville got together and decided to have a preaching station in Centerville. When the first meeting was held, there were about 25 people present, so they decided to form a church in the vicinity.
On October 3, 1976. Our Savior Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, Centerville, Texas, became a reality. The state charter was received on June 8, 1978. Worship services were held at the Sullivan Hotel from 1976 to 1979. The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League was formed November 10, 1978, with 10 ladies in attendance.
In the summer of 1978, land was purchased just north of the Sullivan Hotel on Highway 75 to build a church. Plans were drawn up and a contractor was hired. Construction was started in September 1978, and on May 13, 1979, the new church building was dedicated.
Through the years there have been changes and additions to that original building. The Bell Tower was started in November 1981, and the antique bell rang for the first time Christmas of that year. Some years later, the congregation bought additional land adjoining the property and the current sanctuary was completed in 1989. In 2022, renovation to the sanctuary began.
Pastors of Our Savior Lutheran Church have been: Kenneth Baisden, Don Kasper, Melvin Newman, Art Hill, Cliff Olsen, Phil Konz, Russell “Red” Etzel, Trey Rienstra, and currently, Keith Bowman.