Historic St. Matthew Lutheran Church of Westfield
A Congregation of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
The early history of St. Matthew dates back to 1886. The early forefathers of St. Matthew were, for the majority, members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Klein. Due to the distance traveled by horse and wagon which took over an hour plus the desire to have a Lutheran church in their own community, they organized a preaching station with the help of Trinity. This early place of worship was located near the intersection of Humble-Westfield Road and FM-1960 in the old Hartwell School. These early Lutheran families were served by pastors from Trinity until 1907.
God, in His love and mercy, greatly blessed this preaching station, and in 1900 St. Matthew Lutheran Church was organized. Ten men from the Westfield area became her charter members. Shortly before the organization of the congregation, the place of worship was changed from the Hartwell School to a building which had formerly been a gun club and dance hall. This building stood on the place which is now a part of the present church property. After being properly converted, this building was used both as a place of worship and also served as our first Lutheran Day School and served as St. Matthew’s sanctuary for next 22 years.
In the year 1906 the congregation had grown to such proportions, by the Grace of God, that they sent a call for a full time pastor, and their prayers were answered on May 12, 1907 when the Reverend W. E. Dube was installed as St. Matthew’s first resident pastor. With this growth also came the need for a cemetery which was dedicated in 1911. English services were conducted for the first time beginning in 1912. By the 1920s considerable growth of the congregation warranted a larger church building, and 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. This new building replaced the old former church (the gun club and dance hall building) which had been used exclusively for a school after the new church had been built. This school building was in use from 1933 to 1950 at which time it was replaced with another which later served as the church parish hall. That building now sits at the south parking lot of the sanctuary.
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. By 1964, growth of the day school necessitated the addition of another classroom on the south side of the new church. Five years later, on October 5, 1969, the education wing on the north side of the sanctuary was dedicated to the glory of God consisting of six classrooms, an administrative office, and a library. With membership at a peak, the “white building,” now solely a parish hall could no longer serve the needs of the congregation. So on October 26, 1980, a multipurpose fellowship hall was dedicated.
No history of St. Matthew would be complete without mentioning a tradition 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 became what is now the annual Picnic Sunday held each year on the third Sunday in May, and we will have our next grand Anniversary Celebration on that day this year, May 18, 2025.
A total of twenty pastors had served over St. Matthew’s first hundred years. On Picnic Sunday, May 19, 2002, our current Pastor Ron Bogs was installed and is now the longest tenured pastor in the history of our congregation. Seeing the opportunity to outreach with the changing community, on December 2, 2018 St. Matthew called and ordained our current Associate Pastor of Hispanic Ministries, Pastor Arturo Mendez, to share the Gospel through the ESL (English as Second Language) program and teaching about Christ’s love for all. This mission proclaims what God has called us to do in this place.
God in His love and mercy has been most gracious to St. Matthew Lutheran Church of Westfield over her 125-year history. It is our prayer that in the years to come, He will continue to lavish us with all His gifts and blessings and that we, in response to His great love for us, grow in our faith, serve Him with gladness, and share Christ’s love with our family, friends, and the entire community. To Him be the Glory! Amen!
God, in His love and mercy, greatly blessed this preaching station, and in 1900 St. Matthew Lutheran Church was organized. Ten men from the Westfield area became her charter members. Shortly before the organization of the congregation, the place of worship was changed from the Hartwell School to a building which had formerly been a gun club and dance hall. This building stood on the place which is now a part of the present church property. After being properly converted, this building was used both as a place of worship and also served as our first Lutheran Day School and served as St. Matthew’s sanctuary for next 22 years.
In the year 1906 the congregation had grown to such proportions, by the Grace of God, that they sent a call for a full time pastor, and their prayers were answered on May 12, 1907 when the Reverend W. E. Dube was installed as St. Matthew’s first resident pastor. With this growth also came the need for a cemetery which was dedicated in 1911. English services were conducted for the first time beginning in 1912. By the 1920s considerable growth of the congregation warranted a larger church building, and 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. This new building replaced the old former church (the gun club and dance hall building) which had been used exclusively for a school after the new church had been built. This school building was in use from 1933 to 1950 at which time it was replaced with another which later served as the church parish hall. That building now sits at the south parking lot of the sanctuary.
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. By 1964, growth of the day school necessitated the addition of another classroom on the south side of the new church. Five years later, on October 5, 1969, the education wing on the north side of the sanctuary was dedicated to the glory of God consisting of six classrooms, an administrative office, and a library. With membership at a peak, the “white building,” now solely a parish hall could no longer serve the needs of the congregation. So on October 26, 1980, a multipurpose fellowship hall was dedicated.
No history of St. Matthew would be complete without mentioning a tradition 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 became what is now the annual Picnic Sunday held each year on the third Sunday in May, and we will have our next grand Anniversary Celebration on that day this year, May 18, 2025.
A total of twenty pastors had served over St. Matthew’s first hundred years. On Picnic Sunday, May 19, 2002, our current Pastor Ron Bogs was installed and is now the longest tenured pastor in the history of our congregation. Seeing the opportunity to outreach with the changing community, on December 2, 2018 St. Matthew called and ordained our current Associate Pastor of Hispanic Ministries, Pastor Arturo Mendez, to share the Gospel through the ESL (English as Second Language) program and teaching about Christ’s love for all. This mission proclaims what God has called us to do in this place.
God in His love and mercy has been most gracious to St. Matthew Lutheran Church of Westfield over her 125-year history. It is our prayer that in the years to come, He will continue to lavish us with all His gifts and blessings and that we, in response to His great love for us, grow in our faith, serve Him with gladness, and share Christ’s love with our family, friends, and the entire community. To Him be the Glory! Amen!
"Eyes Always on the Lord"