Historic St. Matthew Lutheran Church of Westfield
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
The early history of St. Matthew actually dates back to 1886. The early forefathers of St. Matthew were, for the most part, members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Klein. Due to the distance which had to be traveled by horse and buggy (the distance covered in a 10-15 minute automobile ride today took well over an hour back then) and because of the desire to have a Lutheran church in their own community, they organized, with the help Trinity, a preaching station. This early place of worship was located near the intersection of Humble-Westfield Road and FM-1960 in the old Hartwell School. Pastors from Trinity served St. Matthew until 1907. It was in 1900 that St. Matthew changed its status from a preaching station to a full-fledged congregation. Ten men from the Westfield area became its charter members. An old combination shooting gallery and dance hall building was secured for services. The building stood on a location that is part of the present day church property, and served as St. Matthew's sanctuary for next 22 years. In 1907 the Reverend W. E. Dube was installed as St. Matthew’s first resident pastor. English services were conducted for the first time beginning in 1912. On November 21, 1921, the cornerstone for a new church was laid. The new church was dedicated on June 18, 1922. In 1933, a new school building was erected. In 1950, that building was replaced with another which later served as the church parish hall. That building now sits on the south side of the sanctuary and houses the youth ministry complex. As Houston grew and expanded so did the FM 1960-Spring-Westfield area. With this growth St. Matthew saw a sudden influx of new members. On November 15, 1959, the present sanctuary was dedicated. The education wing on the north side of the sanctuary was added in 1969, and the fellowship hall was constructed in 1979. No history of St. Matthew would be complete without mentioning a traditon that begun in 1900. On one Sunday in the spring of that year, members brought ingredients for stew and prepared the meal in iron wash pots on the church grounds. This event evolved into what is now the annual picnic and reunion held each year on the third Sunday in May.
"Great Is Thy Faithfulness"
