History oN Grace Lutheran Church

In February 4, 1945, Rev. G.C. Albers, who served St. James in Honey Grove, TX and St. John's in Clarksville, TX, opened a mission in Paris to serve the Lutheran Army infantry soldiers stationed at Camp Maxey.

The Mission Board of the Texas District (LC-MS) combined the Paris mission with the congregation in Clarksville. A pastoral candidate, Rev. John H. Geisler, was called from the St. Louis Seminary. He held the first Lutheran worship service in the home of A.H. Karcher on September 29, 1946. Subsequent services were conducted in the music room of the Paris High School for the next two years.

The congregation consisted of 28 baptized members.  They adopted the name Grace Lutheran Church and ratified a constitution. 

The congregation purchased a lot in February, 1948 on 19th Street SE, Paris, TX (the present site of the church) and on March 12, 1950 the original church building was dedicated.  Grace  officially was received into the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod on June 8, 1948.

Grace is remembered in Paris for its annual presentation of the “Living Nativity”—a live performance of the Christmas story by members of the congregation, complete with settings, props, and live animals--dating back to 1956.

Because of the congregation's steady growth, the members purchased an adjoining lot and in May 2004 built a new church with a large parish hall. The new worship facility was dedicated on March 20, 2005.

Grace Lutheran Church is a congregation of people desiring to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ in word and deed to our community and to the world.