AFFILIATION

Love of Christ Lutheran Church is a member congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, (E.L.C.A.), a five million plus member expression of Lutherans in the United States. As such, we are part of the Southwestern Texas Synod, one of the sixty-five synods, in nine geographical regions, across North America, and the Rio Grande Valley Conference, within the Southwestern Texas Synod.

HISTORY

Love of Christ came into being in the summer of 1997, when a small group of people, both full time Rio Grande Valley residents and part time residents, or "Winter Texans" as they are sometimes called, began discussing the idea of establishing a new Lutheran congregation in the Weslaco / Mid Valley area. The name "Love of Christ" was chosen to express to the community that the love of Christ dwells in and among us. This idea is encapsulated in our mission statement:

"Christ living and loving through us!"

On June 22, 1997, the first worship service was held in the home of one of those original founding worshipers, with 24 people in attendance. By the end of the first summer, the group had grown to need a larger space for worship and with the support and encouragement of people locally, as well as Winter Texan friends in the North; two important steps were taken in September of 1997. First, the congregation moved into larger quarters, sharing the facilities of First Presbyterian Church of Weslaco. Secondly, the congregation sought, and was given, "Authorized Worshipping Community" status by the synod. The stage was set for greater things to come.

Over the next five years, love of Christ continued to grow in worship attendance, especially during the months when so many Winter Texans return to the Rio Grande Valley. Word of this new Lutheran congregation began to spread, and between October and April each year, the church became more and more full each weekend. December, January, and February, are usually the highest attended months, with attendance figures topping out between 250 - 350 people each weekend.

On September 14, 2002, exactly five years from the first worship service held at First Presbyterian, by approval of the Synod Council of the Southwestern Texas Synod, Love of Christ Lutheran Church became the 178th congregation of the synod. On February 2, 2003, The Reverend Doctor Ray Tiemann, Bishop of the Southwestern Texas Synod, presided at the Charter Sunday worship service and celebration. A new congregation, a new community of faith, had been born.

In the year 2006 it was determined that both First Presbyterian Church and Love of Christ Lutheran Church had grown so much in members and in programs that another move for Love of Christ was needed. Love of Christ had grown to enjoy so much its relations with their Presbyterian brothers and sisters, but in order to continue to grow a move to more space was required. On September 3, 2006, at the invitation of Faith Lutheran Church of Weslaco, Love of Christ Lutheran Church held its first worship service and therefore began another chapter in its life