St. Matthew's Lutheran Church

Proclaiming the Love of God for All People

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Our History

St. Matthew’s has a wonderful and vibrant history of proclaiming love in the Wedgwood area stretching all the way back 1952! Below is a historical timeline of the major milestones in the life of the St. Matthew’s community. Check it out, there is some cool information and historical documents.

1957 – 1959

Pastor Gerhard Weise served as pastor of St. Matthew’s.

1953 – 1956

Pastor Norman Forde served as the mission developer for St. Matthew’s.

1963 – 1968

Pastor Kenneth Ribe served as pastor of St. Matthew’s.

1966

Groundbreaking for the sanctuary and original classroom wing took place.

1968 – 1972

Pastor Gary Anderson served as pastor of St. Matthew’s.

1970

St. Matthew’s became a self-sustaining church.

1971

St. Matthew’s elected its first female president of the congregation, Shirley Bennett.

1973 – 1977

Pastor Robert Doxey served as pastor of St. Matthew’s.

November 1974

St. Matthew’s swirling colored glass windows are dedicated. Removed from the sanctuary during the 1983-84 remodel, the windows now reside in the narthex and are able to be lighted from behind. The colored glass cross window, formerly at the entrance to the sanctuary before the remodel, was thought to be lost but was discovered in 2015 safe and intact.

1977 – 2000

Pastor Terry Boggs served as pastor of St. Matthew’s, overseeing two building expansions, the designation of St. Matthew’s as a RIC Congregation and St. Matthew’s involvement in the starting of the parachurch ministry Allied Communities of Tarrant.

1984

The sanctuary is renovated to allow for worship in the round and the fellowship hall is built. During the renovations Sunday Moring Worship was held at the Winn-Dixie grocery store just a few blocks down the street.

1988 – 1991

Pastor William Irons served as associate pastor of St. Matthew’s.

November 1991

Striving to better proclaim love for all God’s Children, St. Matthew’s became the first Reconciling in Christ congregation in the DFW area.

1993

The church building is again expanded, adding much needed space for our youth and music ministries, along with new office space.

1997 – 1998

Pastor Janet Miller served as associate pastor of St. Matthew’s.

1998 – 2002

Pastor Jenny Stephenson served as Pastoral Resident and then Associate Pastor of St. Matthew’s.

2000 – 2002

Pastor Bernie Kern served as interim pastor of St. Matthew’s.

2000 – 2002

Pastor Vince Nelson served as interim pastor of St. Matthew’s.

2002 – 2006

Pastor Gordon Roesch served as pastor of St. Matthew’s.

2003

St. Matthew’s adopted a new logo and “Proclaiming the love of God for all People” as it’s new slogan, building on its legacy of proclaiming love in the Wedgwood area.

2006 – 2007

Pastor Craig Erickson served as interim pastor of St. Matthew’s.

July 2007 – July 2018

Pastor Michael Masterson served as pastor of St. Matthew’s.

2008 – August 2015

Associate in Ministry Jolene Webster served St. Matthew’s as Director of Music Ministries.

May 2014 – March 2020

John Parsons served as the Director of Youth and Family Ministries.

April 2015

St. Matthew’s Council adopted the use of a simplified version of the pervious logo along with a new branding strategy.

2015 – July, 2018

Emily Davis served as Director of Music Ministries.

September 2016

After a year of preparation, St. Matthew’s launched it’s Ready, Set, Go! Tutoring Center with 24 elementary age kids coming for tutoring and mentoring.

August 2018 – August 2019

Pastor Phil Geleske served as Interim Pastor of St. Matthew’s.

October 2018 – Present

Adam Frame serves as Director of Music Ministries.

September 2019

The Children’s Community Choir @ St. Matthew’s was re-launched.

September 2019 – March 2020

Pr. Donna Wright served as Bridge Interim Pastor of St. Matthew’s, as we enter the final stages of calling a new pastor.

April 2020 – February 2025

Pr. Lesley Radius serves as pastor of St. Matthew’s.

Worship Space Design

When St. Matthew’s redesigned our worship space, we considered how the entire community might be an active part of worship.

We Are Reconciling in Christ

We believe that when we say all are welcome to Christ’s table, that all are in fact welcome, no matter their race, ethnicity, nationality or who they love.

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Join Us on Sunday

Whether it’s in person in Fort Worth or online, we would love for you to worship with us this Sunday. Learn more about where we are located and what you can expect for worship.

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What We Believe

St. Matthew’s is an ELCA congregation. As Lutherans, we believe that each and every person — at all times and in all places — is a beloved child of God.

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Events

Learn more about the great upcoming events we have planned here at St. Matthew’s.

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Our Staff

Learn more about the leaders of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church.

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