Written in 2001:

Charity Lutheran Church is a congregation belonging to the Texas District of the Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod serving the people of the Burleson area with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The origin of Charity Lutheran Church dates back to 1974 when preliminary meetings were held to determine the level of interest in establishing a Lutheran Church in Burleson. At that time the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod was given the go-ahead to begin the mission as a dual effort with the Lutheran Church in Cleburne. The beginning was delayed several months due to a pastoral vacancy in the Cleburne congregation.

Rev. Ben Rathgeber was installed as pastor for the Cleburne congregation and as mission developer in Burleson in July of 1975.

In early 1975 more meetings were held to determine if enough people were interested in establishing a Lutheran Church. An organizational meeting was held at the Episcopal Church on Wednesday, September 24, 1975. The first worship service was conducted on the afternoon of November 2, 1975 at 3:00PM with 100 in attendance. The location was in the cafetorium of A.E. Frazier Elementary School. The offering on that day was $372.65. Thereafter services were held at 8:30AM each Sunday with Sunday School at 9:30AM.

Temporary officers elected to guide the new venture were Dick Jamison, Chairman; Blanche Habeck, Secretary; Don Gloff, Treasurer and Financial Secretary; and Wayne Smith, Sunday School Superintendent.

Approximately 5,000 leaflets were distributed in the Burleson area to promote the beginning of the new mission known as Burleson Lutheran Mission Church. Stated as the purpose of the new church -- "As Lutheran Christians we will endeavor to present the one thing needful for peace and joy in this world and in the world to come, THE GOOD NEWS THAT JESUS CHRIST CAME INTO THE WORLD TO PROVIDE LOVE AND SALVATION."

In the fall of 1975 a three acre tract of land was purchased on Highway 174 South (the present location) at a cost of $4,500. Later the name "Charity" was selected as the symbolic title under which the church would operate. The name was submitted by member Shirley Smith.

On November 13, 1975 a constitution committee was selected comprised of Dick Jamison, Ken Nitsche, Otis Kunkel, Wayne Smith, Joanne Burchette and Bud Harrison. The new constitution was approved on March 7, 1976.

The first Sunday School teachers were Betty Harrison, Linda Jones, Beverly Reifel, Shirley Smith, Carol Smith, Ken Nitsche and Joanne Burchette (special education).

Charity received State Charter on Friday, April 23, 1976. Charter Sunday was observed on Sunday, May 16, 1976. The Rev. Glenn O'Shoney, Executive Director of the Board of Mission Administration, was the guest speaker, with 58 communicant members and 28 children signing the charter.