Rev. Franz Schemmel is the founding pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church. While serving as pastor of Hope Lutheran Church in Springtown during the 1990s, he helped establish a preaching point in Weatherford that would eventually become Messiah. He was called as the mission developer in 1999 and became the congregation’s first called pastor in 2003.
A graduate of Wartburg Theological Seminary, Pastor Franz retired in 2025 after 45 years of ordained ministry. Throughout his career, he has been a passionate advocate for justice and inclusion in both church and society. He played a key role in the Northern Texas–Northern Louisiana Synod’s Public Witness Team, supported the synod’s prison ministry efforts, and currently serves as Board President of Texas Impact, an interfaith advocacy organization.
Though retired, Pastor Franz and his wife, Ann Hafften, remain beloved members of our Messiah family.
