Gay N. Lewis

 

 

Painted Churches of Texas

If you visit Texas near Schulenburg, take a tour of the Painted Churches.  Spring welcomes Bluebonnets and the Texas flower paints the landscape on the drive.

German or Czech immigrants built most of these beautiful structures during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Leaving their native churches proved difficult. Faith meant life, and expressing reverence became a priority in the new land. A few settlers built places to worship before they constructed schools or personal homes.  Newcomers valued their cathedrals in the motherland and fashioned the fresh configurations as smaller replicas of those left behind.

Impressive soaring steeples welcome as you drive to the location.  The exteriors are often simple, white wooden buildings, but inside, the visitor finds a wealth of color on walls, murals, columns, and ceilings.

The edifices give evidence in the lives of the newcomers to gather for God. The early residents took freedom to worship seriously and thought nothing of sacrifice to build God’s meeting houses.

Are we as committed to our place of worship as the devoted immigrants were to theirs?