Plans for a Lutheran congregation on Conroe’s southwest side began in the 1970’s. The Texas-Louisiana Synod of the Lutheran Church in America exercised its option for a future congregation and in June 1984, the Division for Mission issued a call to Pastor Gerald Kline to develop a new community of faith.
The first service was held on February 12, 1985, in the West Fork MUD at 206 Scarborough with approximately 60 people in attendance. The congregation was officially organized June 6, 1985. The site for Tree of Life was purchased in 1986 and ground was broken for the building on April 10, 1988. The first service was held in the new facility on December 18, 1988.
In 2004, the congregation had outgrown the existing facility and a new, larger sanctuary was constructed. The previous sanctuary was converted to a fellowship hall with renovations to the kitchen and education wings. During that year, the congregation called Pastor Luke Bouman to serve as the pastor at Tree of Life Lutheran Church following Pastor Kline's retirement. Pastor Bouman served until 2007.
In 2008, a generous donation by one of our members enabled us to install a large playground and picnic area. Also in September of 2008, Tree of Life Lutheran Church called Pastor Christopher Lake to serve the congregation as our pastor. He is still faithfully serving the church today.
In 2012, Tree of Life was at a crossroads and decided the next step on the journey would be to hire a full time director of youth and family ministry. Ryan Dockey began as a summer intern, then was hired full time in August of 2012. In 2013, a media manager position was developed for Bunny Stoutes. By 2015, the growth of the congregation led to the hiring of the retired Methodist pastor, Larry Smith, as a part-time associate.
The name “Tree of Life” comes from Scripture and tradition. It refers to the tree by which sin came into the world through Adam and Eve. The tree of the cross overcomes the tree by which sin came into the world. Christ’s cross is our Tree of Life. Through the tree of His cross, sin and death lost in disobedience is overcome through the perfect obedience, death and resurrection of Christ. The tree of life also refers to that paradise that Christ has given to us.
“To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.”