Churches in Brentwood and Crestview continue to be a vital part of our neighborhood’s history and sense of community.

I first gathered information about the churches for exhibits when I coordinated the Community Tent early on at the Violet Crown Festival here in Austin. More recently, Rob and I discovered that many of the people we interviewed for our oral history project have longtime connections with churches here. They have been among the people most willing to share their stories with us, and we include a few of them below. The churches’ mosaic tiles are part of the Wall of Welcome at 7100 Woodrow Avenue in Austin. Thanks to artist Jean Graham for permission to reproduce images of the tiles. (Church names are links to their websites, where available, and dates in parentheses following the name indicate when the church was established in our neighborhood.)

AUSTIN GRACE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE (1950s)
First established in Austin in 1933, the church moved to the Koenig Lane address in 1954. According to an online history of the church, “For all intents and purposes, Austin Grace stopped meeting March 16, 2014,” and the building began to be used by other congregations, including Central City Austin (which is now located at 9023 Old Lampasas Trail).
1006 W. Koenig Lane, Brentwood

AUSTIN KOREAN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (1973)
2000 Justin Lane, Crestview

CRESTVIEW BAPTIST CHURCH (1952)
7600 Woodrow Avenue, Crestview

Keith Bailey founded the church in 1952 and held services in his home. In 1953, the small white building facing Morrow, now called the Bailey Building, was built and services began to be held there. Other buildings were added later. Al Kirby, who shared early history of the church with us, joined Crestview Baptist after being a member of Northwest Baptist and Walnut Creek Baptist for many years. We interviewed Al in March 2009. He died on October 7, 2012.

CRESTVIEW UNITED METHODIST CHURCH (1953)
1300 Morrow Street, Crestview

Judy and John Carlson, Louise Cooke, and Beverly Lester are among those we’ve interviewed whose families are charter members of this church. We interviewed Judy and John in September 2009, Louise in January 2009, and Beverly in February 2008. Judy died March 26, 2015. John died July 13, 2019.

John held leadership roles there, including coordinating many church work days. He also used his formidable carpentry skills to create cabinets, bookcases, glass showcases, and many other handcrafted pieces for the church. “You can’t touch anything at the church without John’s being connected to it in some way,” his wife Judy said. Judy and John also helped with other volunteer projects at the church, including large, community-wide garage sales. One sale raised over $5,000 for the Austin Children’s Hospital. Other benefitted the Capital Area Food Bank and Salvation Army.

Crestview Methodist celebrated its 60th anniversary in November and December 2013. On March 24, 2019, 75% of the church community voted to become a Legacy Church, paving the way for a new beginning for the longtime neighborhood institution. In early 2020, it became the Violet Crown City Church.

Meetings of the Crestview Neighborhood Association are held at the church.

EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION (1953)
2200 Justin Lane, Crestview

 

 

 

 

 

 

FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH (1950)
6600 Woodrow Avenue, Brentwood

Longtime church members Wanda and Emory Muehlbrad remember when their church had no air conditioning in the summer, and streets weren’t paved. “Cars would be crunchin’ on that gravel while you were in church,” Emory said, “and you had a decision to make. Close the windows, keep the noise out, and burn up, or open the windows, stay cooler, and have the crunchin’ out there!”

In addition to raising four of their own children, Wanda and Emory fostered more than 300 others, often more than one at a time. Many have had special needs. The family seldom missed a Sunday at church, and with children and foster children they often filled an entire pew. Emory taught two Bible classes for 13 years and did lay preaching. He was proud of his church and of his two brothers and father who were ministers. Wanda was involved for many years in the Child Development Center, which was established in 1961. We interviewed Wanda and Emory in February 2008.

Kay Swenson Ramsey grew up attending Faith Lutheran with her parents Erna and Gladstone Swenson. The family lived for many years on Ruth Avenue across from the church. Gladstone, a popular local mailman, served on the church council and as Sunday School superintendent. Kay remembers Woodrow was called “Church Row” and people walked to church on Sunday. She went all through school with friends who also attended her church. Her photo, right, was taken on the family’s front porch on Easter. Kay’s granddaughter Kristin was married in Faith Lutheran Church in 2015. We interviewed Kay in January 2008. In 2018, Kristin shared memories of her family and the church; you can read them here.

The church celebrated its 65th anniversary in September and October 2015. You can read about its 60th anniversary events here.

FIRST CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF AUSTIN (1950s)
It was first established in Austin in 1853 at 7th and Lavaca in downtown Austin. The congregation built a new church at 6800 Woodrow Avenue and moved there in the early 1950s. A Texas Historical Marker was placed at the church on Woodrow in 2004, one year after its 150th anniversary. The property was offered for sale in 2019, sold in 2020, and demolished in 2022.
6800 Woodrow Avenue, Brentwood

FIRST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST OF AUSTIN (1951)
4700 Grover Avenue, Brentwood

HOPE CHAPEL (1977)
Former home of Brentwood Church of Christ.
6701 Arroyo Seco, Brentwood

JOURNEY IMPERFECT FAITH COMMUNITY (2015)
Former home of Liveoak Bible Church (2008-2014) and Austin Bible Church for more than 30 years before that.
7500 Woodrow Avenue, Crestview

KOENIG LANE CHRISTIAN CHURCH (1955)
Established in Austin in 1916.
908 Old Koenig Lane, Brentwood

NORTHWEST BAPTIST CHURCH (1953)
6301 Woodrow Avenue, Brentwood. Now called Brentwood Bible Church.

Al Kirby helped build Northwest Baptist Church and was a charter member. We interviewed Al in March 2009. He died October 27, 2012.

REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH (1954)
1500 W. Anderson Lane, Wooten (north of Crestview)

Longtime Crestview neighbor Bill Williamson remembers helping build this Wooten neighborhood church. He also taught Sunday School there for many years. Among his students were his three children and Crestview Minimax IGA’s Ronnie Prellop and his brother and two sisters. We interviewed Bill in October 2007. He died November 23, 2013.

ST. LOUIS KING OF FRANCE CATHOLIC CHURCH (1952)
7601 Burnet Road, Crestview

In August 1954, Mickey and Jim Bauer were married in the original stone building near today’s St. Joseph Boulevard (at the time there was no St. Joseph or Morrow). They were only the second couple to be married at the brand-new church. Within weeks they moved to Hawaii, where Jim was stationed in the Navy. For more than 60 years, they lived a few miles from the Burnet Lane home where her family first moved in 1936. We interviewed Mickey and Jim in May 2010. Jim died September 30, 2017.

For many years, Crestview Neighborhood Association meetings were held in the church’s Wozniak Hall.