A 1989 Texas Historical Marker in front of the church provides a few sound bytes about its establishment, its German roots, and its history of expansion:
When this church was organized by the Rev. Carl Kreutzenstein in 1886 for Temple's German-speaking Lutherans, it was named Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church. Charter members included the Schmidt, Paulus, Scholz, Koch, Bosl, Jahnke, Rhein, and Haedge families. A small frame sanctuary was built at the corner of Avenue F and Fourth Street. By 1913 the congregation needed larger facilities, and a new building was erected at Avenue G and South First. In 1946 the church was renamed First Lutheran Church. A new sanctuary was built at this site in 1958.
In addition to a Facebook page, the church's website provides a few glimpses of their previous sanctuaries, and elaborates a little:
First Lutheran Church’s history began 1884 when a traveling missionary, Pastor H. Mertz, visited Temple looking for possible sites for a Lutheran congregation. In his report to the synod, he said "Temple was an interesting place".
In 1885, Pastor Karl Kreuzenstein succeeded Pastor Mertz as a traveling missionary. He moved northward, serving areas around Temple, including Buckholtz, Cameron, Killeen, Belton and Clifton with Temple being the central location. Temple, a small railroad town, was only 4 years old. Pastor Kreuzenstein saw the progress that the railroad would bring to Temple. In his report to the Texas Synod, he said, "Through this station in Temple, the way that leads into the real Northwest section of our State is open to us."
Pastor Kreusenstein organized a Lutheran Congregation in Temple to be known as Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church. There were 13 charter members. Services were held in their homes, and occasionally in the Grace Presbyterian Church on Sunday afternoons.
While they don't have their own school onsite, they are home to a day care, Little Angels Mothers Day Out:
Little Angels Mothers Day Out is a learning day care that provides a Christian interactive learning environment which is safe, loving and prepares your child for later success in school and life.