History:

Ro 15:4 “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.”

On Sunday morning, March 27, 1887 some eighty families gathered in the Vereins Kirche and adopted a proposed constitution for a new congregation.  In the beginning, worship services continued to be held in the Vereins Kirche (which is across the street from the present site), later in the Southern Methodist Church until the year 1889 when the congregation decided to build its own house of worship.

The first piece of land was purchased for $200.00 in cash. Soon thereafter those who could, presented themselves to do the necessary digging for laying the foundation of the church.  Others went to the rock quarry to provide necessary materials and shaped the quarried stones. Everyone had a job to do and they did it joyfully. Now the entire membership could be observed like bees flying to and fro about their hive, so each one was busy at their particular work.  In just 9 months, by September 1889, the building was completed, dedicated, in use, and fully paid for.

The first pipe organ cost $650.00. Sometime shortly after August 1914 the Sunday School was established.

In 1938 the congregation voted to buy different property – a block away - giving them the present size of approximately three acres.  Dedication of the new Bethany Lutheran Church and parsonage took place on August 15,1954.  On November 24, 1963 an annex was dedicated as an addition which added classrooms, bathrooms and offices.