In December 1916 St Paul Lutheran Church was organized in Pharr and six months later joined with the Sharyland Lutherans. The church was then renamed St. Paul Lutheran Church of McAllen. The congregation purchased its first building at 12th and Cedar in McAllen in 1919.
By 1942 there were 200 adult members and in 1943 St. Paul Lutheran School began with 17 students enrolled in grades 1-6.
In 1952 the congregation purchased the site at Second Street and Pecan Boulevard. In 1956 the current sanctuary was completed, in 1961 the Parish Hall and Sunday School rooms were built, in 1968 additional classrooms were added, in 1971 the Hoffman pipe organ was installed, and in 2000 the gymnasium classroom building was built.
The women’s group was formed in 1920. The Sunday School also began in 1920, and the Walther League (Youth Group) began meeting in 1926.
Today St. Paul Lutheran Church has 1000 members and the school has 300 students. Today's St. Paul Lutheran School extends from an 18-month-old child care ministry through 8th grade with Kindergarten through 8th having 13 classroom teachers plus several specialized teachers.
Pastors serving St. Paul have been
· Rev. M.J. Scaer 1919-21
· Rev. W.H. Medler 1921-23
· Rev. M. Ploneit 1923-26
· Rev. John Elser 1926-43
· Rev. W.H. Remmert 1943-50
· Rev. A.C. Diers 1951-64
· Rev. Vic Buvinghausen 1964-76
· Rev. Gordon Albers 1976-84
· Rev. John Davenport 1983-88
· Rev. D.R. Nelson 1985-92
· Rev. Duane Kirchner 1993-2007
· Rev. Joel Krueger 1998-2000
· Rev. Darren Anderson 2005-06
· Rev. Christopher Otten 2008-present