Historic Name:	The First English Evangelical Lutheran Church
		Architect | Builder:	Arthur Fehr
		Year:	1939
		Style:
		Areas of Significance:	Art, Architecture
		City:	Austin

The First English Lutheran Church was established in 1936. Christian Klaerner, was a founding member of the First English Lutheran Church in Austin. Peter Mansbendel was a music lover. He became aquatinted with Prof. C. (Christian) Klaerner, a highly respected Austin Music teacher. Their friendship grew through the years. Both were members of the Saengerrunde, the famous and still existing German singing society of Austin. Theirs was a friendship blessed by God.

The congregation was charted by the State of Texas on July 23, 1936. As the church grew, on August 6, 1937 they decided to build a new church building. Arthur Fehr, an Austin Architect (also a friend of Mansbendel) was engaged as the architect. Ground was broken for the new building on January 22, 1939.

From the time when Professor C. Klaerner told Peter of the plans to build a new church building, Peter Mansbendel had a strong desire to make a contribution to the church in honor of his dear friend. The best contribution-was his talent as a woodcarver. He choose to carve a distinctive, hand colored emblem on the end of each pew in the new building.

This information provided by The First English Lutheran Church

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The First English Lutheran Church-copyright 2005-photographs posted with permission.

All carvings pictured below are believed to be work by Peter Mansbendel.

Main Sanctuary	Luther's Rose Lectern
Baptism Font	Lamp by F. Weigl?
Tribute to First English Lutheran Church and C. Klaerner	The Torah-The first five books of Hebrew Scripture
Rosette: Isaiah 35:1	Rosette: Isaiah 35:1
The Cross	Rosette: Isaiah 35:1
Crown of Thorns- The suffering of Jesus; the Crucifixion	Rosette: Isaiah 35:1
Menorah-the 7 branch candelabrum: Symbol of the Old Testament	Rosette: Isaiah 35:1
Creator's Star: Symbol of Creation	Rosette: Isaiah 35:1
The Ten Commandments	Rosette: Isaiah 35:1
Sheave of Grain- The body of Christ in Communion	Rosette: Isaiah 35:1
Luther's Rose	Rosette: Isaiah 35:1
Oak Leaves-Strength Acorn-latent greatness	Rosette: Isaiah 35:1
Tribute to Arthur Fehr, architect of the Church Building	Eight point Star- Man's Regeneration
Standing Lamb-a symbol of John the Baptist	XP-Chi Rho, an Abbreviation of Christ in Greek.
Rosette: Isaiah 35:1	Hand-the hand of God
IHS-Ieusus Hominum Salvator: Jesus, Savior of Mankind	Rosette: Isaiah 35:1
Scallop Shell-The Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist	Grapes-The blood of Christ in Communion
The Anchor-The symbol of Jesus, The anchor of the soul.	Five petal "Mystic" Rose- Mary the Mother of Jesus.