Fredericksburg Insider: Church to Church Walk

A Fredericksburg Christmas tradition which goes back many years is the Church to Church Walk. The walk takes participants to the four downtown churches, each of which presents a short program.

This year the walk begins at Zion Lutheran Church at 6 p.m. on December 13th.

Photo: Robert C Deming

This year the walk starts at Zion Lutheran Church, 426 West Main Street in Fredericksburg. Zion was the first Lutheran Church in the Texas Hill Country. The congregation was organized in September of 1852, and the construction of the sanctuary was completed in 1854, with members providing both the limestone blocks and labor. Building such a large structure only eight years after the founding of the community shows how important worship was to the original settlers. Some say the stucco-covered stone wall which surrounds the Main Street side of the church was built to keep the cows and other farm animals out of the church, others say it was to keep Native Americans from stealing their horses.  While you are there look closely at the intricately carved altar.

Bethany Lutheran is the second stop.

Photo: Robert C Deming

This congregation organized in 1887 and the original church building was constructed two years later with the help of its 80 founding families.  The current sanctuary was built in 1954. Services were conducted in the German language until the 1940s.  The Fellowship Hall on the East side of the church building was completed in 2000 and is adjacent to the MarktPlatz. This progressive congregation has adopted the goal of eliminating poverty in Fredericksburg.

Holy Ghost Lutheran Church is next.

Photo: Robert C Deming

For many this is a deeply spiritual time spent with friends new and old. Few ever see the inside of these beautiful sanctuaries any other time during the year, and the camaraderie of people brought together in the cold, dark night makes this a special time for all. Many people walk the entire route, others join the Church to Church Walk in progress between churches or just go to their favorite church.

St. Mary’s Catholic Church is last on the walk and provides refreshments.

Photo: Robert C Deming

The original Catholic church building, Marienkirche, with its famous twin towers, was built in 1861,  The newer sanctuary was built next to it in 1909 with an old-world style and exquisite art and craftsmanship.  The Church to Church Walk concludes here with refreshments in their new Holy Family Center, where new and old friends share their experiences.  This is an ecumenical program organized by the local ministerial alliance.  Other churches unable to participate directly because of their distance join in by presenting music from their choirs or messages from their pastors.

You don’t need a map, just follow the crowds.