Lyle's Our Savior's Lutheran Church will celebrate its 100th anniversary this Sunday. -- Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

In a shrinking, small town south of Austin, one element has held strong for exactly 100 years: the church.

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lyle will celebrate 100 years of service this Sunday, and its members keep the congregation as strong as ever.

Rev. Barbara Finley-Shea talks about the history of Lyle's Our Savior Lutheran Church Thursday. The church will celebrate 100 years Sunday.

“It’s not just a building, it’s people,” Pastor Barbara Finley-Shea said.

Our Savior’s Lutheran — in a town of 551 according the 2010 U.S. Census — has about 250 active members, and many more who have moved but still belong. Five families currently attending have had five generations within the church.

Though members are celebrating the completion of the first church in 1911, Our Savior’s roots go back even further. A group of women formed the Lutheran Ladies Aid in 1903; and for years, the women raised money and gathered members until they could build the first church.

The stories and memories that have survived 100-plus years now live on in pictures, newspaper clippings and tales from people who still live in the area. With Our Savior’s strength and unity, the history of the church can be seen, as hundreds of clippings, photos and original church decor fill an entire room.

Old pictures and clippings are out on display at Lyle's Our Savior's Lutheran Church as the church prepares for its 100-year anniversary.

There’s the original baptismal font, original altar, and even a picture of what many suspect is the dedication day for the original church.

Finley-Shea and women of the church don’t know the details of every event, but they gathered from old attics and basements the stories of significant moments in the church’s history. They compiled the materials into a booklet. Though members would like to share memories with those who have passed, they are remembering them the best way they can.

Part of the intro to the booklet reads: “We can’t speak to our congregation’s forbearers of faith; we can’t ask them questions or hold their hands and thank them for what they did that’s resulted in one hundred years of worship, fellowship, devotion and service to God. One day we will meet them face to face, but for now we lot at their photographs and read from church records the discussions they had and the decisions they made, holding in their hearts the love God gives us in Christ Jesus.”

Today, the church functions somewhat differently. According to Finley-Shea, the changes have been practical and necessary — not just for the church, but for the people the church serves.

“I think small towns continue to struggle to survive, and that’s not unique here,” Finley-Shea said. “But I think what’s a really healthy thing for this congregation: it’s not about sitting on the laurels of the past, but serving the needs of the present.”

To accomplish the challenges of the 21st century, Our Savior’s Lutheran has many outreach programs. It sends midwife kits to women and clothing and blankets to people in impoverished regions. It has a backpack program, where hungry school kids can fill their backpacks with food from Our Savior’s food shelf. Though the church isn’t always busy, social services are always calling, looking for Our Savior’s help. Social Services rely on Our Savior’s help, like they did Thursday afternoon when a woman called, looking for food for a group in Iowa. The people that make Our Savior’s operate try to help their fellow members and local families, too.

“In a small town, your churches and your schools are kind of your hub,” Finley-Shea said. “And here in Lyle, school and church are still important.”

Members of the church have tried some new things, such as vacation bible schools and ministry camps for entire families — not just kids. Though a lot of the history at Our Savior’s is lost with the old church, current members are making their own history. A new church was built in 1967, and the members’ handcrafted many of its pieces, including the altar, its intricate hardanger and the glass cases that house all 100 confirmation pictures.

“It’s kind of a combination of new and old,” Finley-Shea said

Today, even with a shrinking town, the church retains members, “by the grace of God,” she added.

Our Savior’s will have a 9:30 a.m. centennial service on Sunday, followed by a noon dinner and music at 2 p.m.