1407 Beltline Road
November 27, 1966 to January 4, 1975

As Reverend Haner would later recall...

"I remember coming to Carrollton for the first time as if it were yesterday. Fresh out of the Seminary.. in a car we weren't quite sure would get us there... a two month old baby to care for... and only $50 cash to our name, and in debt to boot. But in spite of it all Jane and I were so excited when we hit town... only to have our hearts drop to our toes when we saw what awaited us. College Avenue (now Beltline Road) was all torn up - dusty and dirty. The nice little church building we had expected to find had been standing vacant for some time... and looked it! ... paint flaking on the outside, and a pungent odor inside (because heavy rains had flooded the building). What had we gotten ourselves in to!!

We had no place to live... and at that time Carrollton had few housing opportunities. I can still remember Fred and Dorothy carting us around... and as each possibility fell through our spirits got lower and lower. But, then, a neat little duplex was found... and how overwhelmed we were when about a dozen prospective members of the new Mission showed up to paint and scrub and clean that duplex for their new Pastor... and I can still see everyone of them... indeed, it was a scene I shall never forget. After the dingy World War II apartment we had had in St. Louis that little duplex was a veritable castle to us.

We started holding meetings that Summer of 1966... usually about 20 or so of us showed up as we plotted and planned to get this Parish underway. As this building was being refurbished (and when the remodeling got underway, I thought it was one of the most beautiful churches around), we tried to get a nucleus together.... After five months of labor 27 communicants were found to sign the Constitution to become charter members of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church of Carrollton, Texas... the doors were opened... and the people started to come..."

Just how right Reverend Haner was... the people did indeed come to hear and share in God's Word at Prince of Peace! Less than eight years later the Prince of Peace congregation had outgrown the Beltline Road sanctuary and, without enough land to grow or to expand on at that location, decided to purchase land and build a new facility. On August of 1974 on a remote five acre stretch of Texas prairie located on a small, muddy road called Frankford Road the ground was broken for this facility and the construction begun.

2115 Frankford Road
January 5, 1975 to March 30, 1996

With hard work and great effort, a beautiful new worship facility was opened just five months later!! On Sunday, January 5, 1975, with a congregation now numbering over 350 members, the Frankford Road facility was dedicated to the Lord and opened with a 10:30 AM dedication service and a 4:00 PM Epiphany Eucharist.

On the fourth Sunday after Easter, May 1, 1977, a Service of Installation was conducted to install Reverend Stephen A. Wagner as pastor of Prince of Peace. Through his dreams and vision, care and guidance, hard work and long hours, Prince of Peace became truly blessed with a growth that was limited time and time again only by the need for additional space.

1980 saw the beginning of the Early Childhood Development Center which was very successful and quickly grew. In 1984, the Prince of Peace congregation created the Prince of Peace Lutheran School by voting to expand the school one grade a year every year through sixth grade.

Prince of Peace quickly outgrew the original building at the Frankford Road location. Master plans were developed to expand the facility with the addition of a new office wing and classrooms in 1984. Sunday services were expanded to 8:00 AM, 9:30 AM, and 11:00 AM and were still often overcrowded. Again and again the Frankford Road facility was expanded and improved as the people continued to come....

The Story of growth continued in hiring several new staff, beginning new ministries like the Student Ministry, Middle School addition and the move to its current location at 4000 Midway road. The purchase of the former Henry Butts Auto Mall included 11 buildings, over 250,000 square feet and then the addition of 12 acres of lighted sports fields.

On Sunday, February 12, 2006, Dr. Rev. Luther Biggs
(Pastor Luke) was installed as Senior Pastor!

Our History...

• November 27, 1966 - First service held under the leadership of Reverend James R. Haner at 1407 Belt Line Road, Carrollton.
• January 5, 1975 - Dedicated 5 acre site at 2115 Frankford Road
• October 1976 - Reverend James Haner took a call.
• May 1977 - Reverend Stephen Wagner became Senior Pastor.
• September 1980 - Early Childhood Development Center began.
• August 1984 - Prince of Peace Christian School began.
• September 1984 - Reverend F. Paul Liersemann became Associate Pastor.
• 1984, 1986, 1993 - Multiple remodeling projects and extensive expansions at Frankford Road location.
• October 1994 - Student Ministry launched with mission trips, theater and youth camps under the leadership of Oscar & Jennifer Benavides.
• March 31, 1996 - Relocated and dedicated 4000 Midway Road site.
• POP goes cross-cultural with mission trips to Guatemala 1996; Panama 1998; Botswana 2000, 2002; Mexico 1995, 1997, 2000, 2002; Alaska 1999; Canada 2000; Nicaragua 2003; Peru 2004; Ethiopia 2004; Kenya 2004, 2005.
• 1999 - 2005 - Established close relationship with Pastoral Leadership Institute.
• October 1999 - Remodeled Building 8 into a first-class Youth and Worship Center.
• September 2000 - Reverend Kenneth Holdorf joins the staff as Director of Adult Education and Senior Ministries.
• Fall 2001 - Prince of Peace Christian School began high school with ninth grade.
• January 2002 - Reverend Liersemann took a call to First Lutheran Church, Sunderland, MD, becoming their Senior Pastor.
• August 2002 - Reverend Nathan Kuhlman arrived to serve as our Middle School Minister.
• September 2002 - Gary Weik joined the church staff as Executive Director.
• December 2003 - Reverend John Koczman arrived to serve as Spiritual Care Pastor.
• July 2004 - First Vicar, Robert Balduc, joins the staff.
  September 2004 -Prince of Peace Christian School was named a
  National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence by the
  United States Department of Education.
• September 2004 - Reverend Oscar Benavides’ ordination.
  
• January 2005 - Gary Weik returns to corporate business.
• January 2005 - To reach the post-modern generation, Emerging Church is started.
• February 2005 - Planting of Prince of Peace Church in Kenya.
• May & June 2005
  • Prince of Peace Christian School’s first graduating class was May 2005 with 14 students!
  • Pastor Tom Zehnder is called to be the Transition Pastor.
  • Pastor Wagner is installed as President of Pastoral Leadership Institute after serving Prince of Peace Lutheran Church for 28+ years.
  • Pastor John Koczman becomes Senior Pastor of Grace Lutheran Church, Winter Haven, FL.
  • Robert Balduc is ordained and becomes Pastor at Peace Lutheran in Hurst, TX.
• February 12, 2006 - Pastor Luke Biggs installed as new Senior Pastor.

Our future is full of hope and joy because of Jesus Christ!