CHURCH
Welcome to St. Paul Lutheran Church in McAllen, Texas! We are part of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, with over 5,900 congregations. Since 1916, St. Paul has served the McAllen community through our church, school, and Early Learning Center. By teaching and sharing God’s Word, we aim to know God, grow in Him, and show His love to others. If you are searching for a church home, we invite you to explore our website, watch our livestream, or visit us in person to learn more.
Adult Bible Class
Life in the Word
Come join us on Sunday mornings at 9:30 in the Fellowship Hall for coffee, donuts, fellowship, and time in God’s Word together.
This cross-generational class will discuss what God is teaching us through His Word, and see how the Scriptures apply to our lives today as His people!
Sundays: 9:30 AM in the Fellowship Hall
All Ages Worship
All Ages Dinner and Worship starts with a home-cooked meal followed by conversations, hands-on activities, singing, and a short message and prayer time in the Sanctuary. These services are designed especially with families and the youngest children of God in mind. All Ages Worship normally happens the last Wednesday of every month and every Wednesday during Advent and Lent.
Wednesdays:
5:15 PM - 7:00 PM
Sept.25th, Oct. 30th, Nov. 20th, Dec. 4th & 11th
Worship is central to all of our life as God’s people. We believe it is essential for Lutheran Christians to gather in worship and praise to the Lord and to develop their own personal and family devotional and worship life. Worship is designed to proclaim the message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ through God’s Word and Sacraments. Worship has three parts: We approach God by making confession of our sins and receiving His forgiveness; God gives us His gifts through His Word and Sacraments; We respond to God’s Word by offering prayers, offerings, and praise. It is our hope that you will find worship meaningful, uplifting and helpful for your life.
wHAT wE bELIEVE
As Lutherans, we know Jesus Christ and build our lives on Him. We know Jesus Christ is the perfect Son of God, that He died for every person in the world, that He rose from the dead and lives for all people who believe in Him as their Savior.
As Lutherans, we live with the sure hope of eternal life because of Jesus Christ. We know we are not perfect and we make mistakes in our life with God. But we also know that Jesus Christ has paid for and won forgiveness for those who repent and seek His forgiveness. We know God will forgive us because of Jesus.
Lutherans are Christians who share many beliefs with other Christians.
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God is three persons in one. God the Father created the world and cares for it; God the Son (Jesus) lived as a human being, died and rose from the dead; God the Holy Spirit works God’s will in the world.
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The Bible is God’s Word written for us by human writers.
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Sin exists in every person and is the cause of bad things people do to each other.
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The earth and all its inhabitants were created to serve and bring honor to God.
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After death, everyone will exist forever, either in heaven or hell.
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God has a plan to end the world. On that day He will judge everyone living and dead. He will judge us according to our faith in Jesus Christ.
To learn more about what Lutheran Christians believe you are invited to go to LCMS.org Belief and Practices
The Lord's Supper
St. Paul’s Communion Statement
In the Lord’s Supper, the Lord Jesus graciously shares with us His very body and blood to eat and to drink—in, with and under the bread and the wine. Our Lord invites to His table those who trust His words, repent of all sin, and set aside any refusal to forgive and love as He forgives and loves us, that they may show forth and proclaim His death until he comes. Through this Holy Sacrament, God gives us forgiveness of sins and strengthens our union with Him and with one another.
Because the Bible tells us that those who eat and drink our Lord’s body and blood unworthily do so to their great harm and because Holy Communion is a confession of the faith and unity which is confessed at this altar, any who are not yet baptized, instructed, in doubt, or who hold a confession differing from that of this congregation and The Lutheran Church— Missouri Synod, and yet desire to receive the sacrament, are asked first to speak with the pastor or an elder. You may also come forward for a blessing without communing by crossing your arms over your chest in front of you.
For further study, see Matthew 5:23f.; 10:32f.; 18:15-35; 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 11:17-34; Lutheran Service Book hymnal pages 326-327 and 329-330.
Our Staff
Rev. Gregory M. Lorenz
Senior Pastor
Gregory M. Lorenz was born in Michigan and grew up in Clarkston and Rochester, Michigan. He attended St. John Lutheran School in Rochester and graduated from Lutheran High School North, Macomb, Michigan.
In 1984 he received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia College, Ann Arbor with majors in Greek and Humanities and a minor in Hebrew.
In 1989 Pastor Lorenz received his Master of Divinity degree from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri. He was ordained at St. John Lutheran Church, Rochester, Michigan on August 13, 1989.
He received his first call to serve with LCMS World Mission as an evangelistic missionary/church planter to the remote village of Las Pacayas in the central highlands of Guatemala, Central America. By the grace of God, Iglesia Luterana Cristo El Camino (Christ the Way Lutheran Church) was planted in Las Pacayas in October 1993, and he continued to develop the church and her leaders.
Upon the completion of his missionary service in November 1999, Pastor Lorenz served as Interim Associate Pastor at St. John Lutheran Church and School, Rochester, Michigan, through June 2000.
From July 2000 to December 2004, Pastor Lorenz served as Associate Pastor at St. Peter Lutheran Church and School, Macomb, Michigan, with responsibilities in Outreach and Family Life. At the same time, he also explored opportunities for Hispanic ministry throughout
Michigan.
In September 2000, Pastor Lorenz began to offer part-time pastoral services to Iglesia Luterana Pan De Vida, a Lutheran Hispanic congregation in Southwest Detroit. He has also taught theological education classes for its lay leaders.
In June 2002, Pastor Lorenz, together with an action team of mission-minded pastors and individuals, and with the cooperation of the Michigan District of the LCMS, began the Hispanic Latino Mission Society of Michigan. It is also known as LATINO (“Lutheran Action Team Improving Native [Hispanic/Latino] Outreach”).
From January 2005 through June 2014, St. Peter deployed Pastor Lorenz full-time to serve as sole/administrative Pastor of Pan De Vida and to serve LATINO as Executive Director.
During this time, the ministry to Hispanics was blessed with a new location in a historic 1887 church and school building for worship, office space, and community outreach to Southwest Detroit’s Mexicantown.
In 2014, Pastor Lorenz was called to serve as the Senior Pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, School, and Early Learning Center in McAllen, TX. He was installed on July 20, 2014. He is also serving as Circuit Visitor for the Texas District’s Circuit 28.
Pastor Lorenz married Stephanie of Vero Beach, Florida on June 2, 1984. Stephanie graduated from Concordia College, Ann Arbor with majors in Religious Studies and Music (organ). She has Parish Assistant Certification through the Parish Assistant program at Concordia.
Stephanie is also a graduate of the Nursing program at Macomb Community College and is a Registered Nurse. Pastor and Stephanie have four children: Gregory (married to Magen), Daniel (married to Ariel), Marissa (married to Jamie), and Matthew (married to Shannon); and six grandchildren: Jaxon, Amelia, Scarlett, Rowan, Evelyn, and Mabel.
Inese Dahl
Director of Christian Education
Inese (pronounced like Vanessa without a “V”) Dahl grew up in Latvia, a small country in Northern Europe which used to be a part of the Soviet Union. Inese became a Christian in young adulthood when, after losing a close friend in a car accident, Jesus came into her life and turned out to be the answer to all her questions, wanderings, and search for the meaning. Realizing that God loved her and it was not “all up to her” put a smile on her face that nothing could wipe off for months!
She went through confirmation classes and was baptized and confirmed at a local Lutheran church in April of 1995. She became actively involved in her church teaching Sunday School, helping start a youth group, and leading Bible Studies.
Inese received her Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Latvia in 1999. She was working as an Accountant/ General Manager Assistant at a local business while having a secret longing to do full-time what she did for volunteering at her local church. In 2001, God answered her unvoiced prayers and she was offered a scholarship to study at Concordia University Seward- Nebraska. From there, she received her Master’s Degree in Parish Education in 2003 and DCE Specialist diploma in 2006. Family Life Ministry was one of the emphasis of her studies.
She had an opportunity to return to her home country for two years and serve as a Director of Christian Education in Ventspils Evangelical Lutheran Church having the privilege to introduce this congregation to the DCE ministry. Inese interned and was later called as a DCE to Messiah Lutheran Church in beautiful Santa Cruz, CA where she also met her husband Kevin. She was involved in youth, family life, and campus ministry.
In the summer of 2016, Inese received the call to serve as a DCE at St. Paul Lutheran Church in McAllen, TX. She is excited to serve youth, families, and young adults at church, school, and beyond. She is passionate about helping young people get to know Jesus and walk with Him in real and life-changing ways. Having been led by Jesus on an amazing adventure across the world, she believes that there is nothing more exciting than life with Jesus and wants to share that truth with others.
In her free time, she loves to stay active hiking, working out, and otherwise enjoying life. Her third love in life, right after Jesus and her husband, is boogie-boarding. She could improve at cooking, but ask her to help clean up any time.