Within a short time, Pastor Lobeck organized a Sunday School and day school which had an initial enrollment of about 12 students. Though Pastor Lobeck had been installed, the chapel dedicated, the name “Mt. Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church” chosen and the mission work had begun, the congregation had not yet been officially organized. Thus, it was that on April 22, 1923, a congregational organizational meeting was held, with four charter members. These charter members had, in large measure, come to Mt. Calvary to help establish the fledgling congregation. A constitution was drawn up and the congregation was officially organized.

By the year 1924 , Mt. Calvary would change locations. After careful study, it was determined that three lots be purchased in the near downtown section of San Antonio. On one of these lots, the congregation would erect again the chapel that had been in use at the old location. A school would also be erected for the education of the children of the congregation. In 1928, Pastor Lobeck accepted a call to Nebraska. A new pastor was called in the person of Pastor E.C. Knoernschild. Pastor Knoernschild, along with his duties as the pastor, was instrumental in bringing the enrollment of the day school to some 31 students. It became apparent that there was a need to secure a full time teacher for the school. Thus it was, that the Board of Missions, acting in behalf of the congregation, extending a call to Mr. Gustave Bentrup to be Mt. Calvary’s first regular teacher. Mr. Bentrup, in addition to his teaching duties, helped to organize the Walther League, an organization for the youth of the congregation.

The Church. Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, San Antonio, circa 1939. Photo courtesy of Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, San Antonio, Texas.

Only three short years later, Mt. Calvary would experience some setbacks. Pastor Knoernschild accepted a call to Engle, Texas. While Mr. Bentrup stayed on for a while teaching in the school and working with youth, he, too, would resign shortly after Pastor Knoernschild left. The congregation was also experiencing financial difficulties. On the heals of all of this, the Great Depression was about to have its impact as well. In all of this, however, God was faithful. After a vacancy of more than nine months, another pastor was called in the person of Rev. Arthur Rathjen. Pastor Rathjen would be charged only with the pastoral duties of the congregation, as the decision had been made not to replace Mr. Bentrup, in light of the financial impact of the Great Depression. When Pastor Rathjen accepted a call in 1937, Mt. Calvary statistics cited a membership of 71 souls.

The fourth pastor called to Mt. Calvary was Rev. A.H. Hoyer. He was installed on June 6, 1937. With an increase in the military population in San Antonio, Pastor Hoyer saw a great need to minister to these folks. Not only instrumental in establishing the Lutheran Service Center for military, Pastor Hoyer also was asked by the Army and Navy Commission of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, to act as the service pastor for the local center. He was given a one year leave of absence by the congregation to serve in this capacity. In the meanwhile Pastor F. Gumz was called to temporarily serve the congregation. Ultimately, Pastor Hoyer was asked to served full time at the Lutheran Service Center. He continued to serve Mt. Calvary as a vacancy pastor until a new pastor could be called.

It should be said that throughout the years of change that occurred from Pastor Lobeck’s service to the years of Pastor Hoyer’s service, the Christian Day School was sustained. It was served by part-time teachers and by student teachers. Indeed, God’s gracious hand was over this little school whose membership varied from 26 to 32 children.

School Bus. The Mt. Calvary School Bus circa 1942. Photo courtesy of Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, San Antonio, Texas.

In the year 1942, the Lord led the Rev. W.E. Schlecht to accept a call to serve Mt. Calvary. From its beginning its beginning in 1922 until the year 1942, this congregation had seen four pastors and one temporary pastor come and go. When Pastor Schlecht came, that trend changed. Pastor Schlecht would serve the congregation for some twenty years. Despite the depression and years of World War II, Mt. Calvary’s church and school held fast, by God’s grace. Indeed, the enthusiastic Pastor Schlecht began the process of seeking a new location for the congregation where it could grow and prosper yet more. By 1943, the congregation saw the need to once again extend a call for a full time teacher. The call was extended to Mr. Otto Link, who accepted and who was installed on August 15, 1943. A female teacher was also contracted to assist Mr. Link.

After the war years, San Antonio began to grow rapidly. This steady growth was realized at Mt. Calvary as well. The need and the opportunity to relocate Mt . Calvary, became very real by the year 1944. A building committee had been established and several different locations were considered. North seemed the direction to go. By 1948, three specific locations were set before a specially called voter’s assembly. Among the three locations was one which had been suggested by the Mission Board of the Texas District. It seems that the District had secured land on which it had planned to start a new mission. Knowing of Mt. Calvary’s need to relocate, the Mission Board made this land available to the congregation. As the other properties being considered were financially not feasible, the congregation , on April 5th, 1948, voted to accept the Mission Board’s offer to take over the property in what was known as the Terrell Heights subdivision of San Antonio.

In 1948, a chapel seating about 100 people was erected on the newly acquired property. It was dedicated on August 22, 1948. A parsonage was also constructed. While in point of fact an established congregation, at the same time Mt. Calvary was also a new mission and experienced all of the growing pains that new missions experience. With the new location, came the end of the day school. Growth in membership of the church, however, continued. After a number of years the chapel would no longer adequately meet the needs of the growing congregation. Then, as the Lord would have it, in the year 1963, Pastor Schlecht received and accepted a call to serve First Lutheran Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Now the congregation faced two major concerns i.e., a larger facility and a new pastor.

Mt. Calvary would then call Rev. James Haupt to serve them. In March of 1964, Pastor Haupt accepted the call. Pastor Haupt was called into a congregation eager to build a new facility, yet facing financial difficulty. A building committee was established and plans went forward. Despite what were looming obstacles, the congregation set out in faith to make their dreams reality. So it was that by 1965 construction was underway and on Easter Sunday, 1966, the new and current sanctuary was dedicated to the glory of God.

Since 1966, Mt. Calvary has been served by three senior pastors and one pastoral assistant. After Pastor Haupt accepted a call to Rockford, Illinois, in 1973, the congregation extended a call to Rev. Albert Loeschman. Pastor Loeschman, a son of Concordia Lutheran Church in San Antonio, had been serving Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Houston, when he accepted the call to Mt. Calvary. Under Pastor Loeschman’s pastorate, Mt. Calvary experienced yet more construction growth in the form of a multi-purpose building. The congregation grew. In 1978, Pastor Loeschman accepted a call to serve St. Paul Lutheran Church in Vernon, Texas. A call was then extended to Rev. Harold Schroeter who was serving in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Pastor Schroeter accepted the call and was installed on July 16, 1978. During Pastor Schroeter’s pastorate, the congregation’s parish hall was renovated. Pastor Schroeter would remain at Mt. Calvary until 1984, when he resigned due to serious illness. Faced once again with the need for a pastor, the congregation called Rev. Kim DeVries who was serving St. Michael Lutheran in Houston. Pastor DeVries accepted the call and faithfully serves the growing congregation until the present. We would be remiss if we failed to mention the service of Rev. Hugo Hannusch, who served as the pastoral assistant for some thirteen years.

While much has been made of new locations and new buildings in the course of this brief history of Mt. Calvary, it must be noted that the faithful parishioners, pastors and teachers of this congregation have carried out the great commission of the Lord Jesus in a marvelous way. Numerous organizations designed to meet the spiritual needs of both congregation and community have been established. Most importantly, the Word of Truth, the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, continues to be faithfully preached, taught and lived out in the lives of God’s people at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, San Antonio, Texas. To God be the glory.