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Our History
1876
The New Sweden Congregation was organized on Sunday, February 23, 1876, with 43 charter members: 27 men, 16 women and 24 children. Services were held in homes, schoolhouses, and the little stone church at Gregg. These members were concerned about the preaching of the gospel and the administration of the sacraments.
The first church building was completed in 1879, located at the site of the New Sweden Lutheran Cemetery and dedicated without debt. The community was known as Knight's Ranch and the Congregation was named Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church, Manor, Travis County, Texas.
1879
1885
In 1885, a parsonage was built next to the church. It served as the home for the pastor and family and as kitchen facilities for organizations and socials.
In 1887, the name was changed to New Sweden Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church. The building was not large enough to accommodate the members and it was extended twenty-two feet.
1887
1896
A chapel was built in 1896 in the Manda Community to serve the members living to the east. The only mode of transportation at that time was by foot, horses and/or wagons and buggies and the roads were dirt/mud.
In 1921, construction began on the present church edifice. This was located about halfway between the first church and the chapel at Manda on property given to the congregation by Johanna Petterson in 1903. The old church was torn down, and the Manda chapel was moved near the site of the present sanctuary and used for Sunday School and Parish Hall. This sanctuary was completed in 1923 and its 104-foot copper steeple can be seen for miles directing us to God's house.
1921
