In 1958, he was married here. In 1970, he was baptized here.

When he left for Vietnam, he left with support, prayers and regular care packages from here.

When he got home from the war, he became a deacon and raised his children here.

After 58 years of support from Hebron Baptist Church in Yoakum, Delbert Maggard revisited the 160-year-old church on Saturday to give back.

"It is family out here ... The first time I came in this church I was dating her," Maggard said, pointing to his wife, Barbara Maggard.

"Her grandmother said, 'Y'all are going to church today.' And so we did," he said, laughing, shrugging his hands. "The building has changed, but the people - the people are the same."

The church, celebrating its 160th anniversary over the weekend, welcomed old pastors, guests and the Sammy Glass Family band to join the excitement.

Hebron Baptist Church was founded in 1852 by the first wave of wagon train of settlers. Originally a one-room, log building with split log benches, the church is now a Texas Historical Marker.

Buddy Means, who organized the event, started pastoring the church in 1979. As a highway patrolman, he had to leave in 1983 for a promotion in Austin.

Still, he drove down every Sunday for five years to attend church at Hebron because, he said, the people were the best he had ever met.

In 1988, he came back to Yoakum to pastor again until 2002.

"My house burned down five years ago. We lost everything, and they were there for us," Means said.

Church members gave him and his wife a place to live, donated items and helped them rebuild their home.

"My wife passed away four years ago, the most important thing in my life, and they were here for me. That is what a church family is," Means said.

David Moore, who pastored the church from 1968 until 1971, drove from North Carolina for the event.

He excitedly pointed out changes to the building, such as a wheelchair-safe ramp and the new fellowship hall.

But he marveled at the one thing that hadn't changed.

"The community has not changed," he said. "It has remained the same, and probably always will," Moore said.

When he came to Yoakum in 1968, Moore was 21. He made $60 a week.

"Had I gone into another church at such an early age, without any formal training, they would have chewed me up spit me out," Moore said. "This church loved me; they took care of me."

Robert Penley Sr., who is the Shiner Municipal Court judge, said he comes to the church because it is so alive.

"It's home. It just goes back to the post-World War II days when America was just coming out of chaos," Penley said. "We trusted God. We didn't have anything else to trust. We trusted God for grits, for corn bread, for milk to be given because we didn't have any money. This to me is home."

The church is also home to about 70 members. The sermon Saturday, one of more than 8,000 given, was interrupted only when a newborn cried from the back row.

• 1852: Hebron Baptist Church is established by pioneers as a one-room, log building with split log benches.

  1916: The church votes to start a Sunday school.

  1946: Church members make new benches, which were used until 1998. 1953: The church votes to buy a fan.

  1968: The church votes to buy a new piano, still in use today.

  1984: Church is dedicated as an official Texas Historical Marker.

  1985: Baptistry is installed.

  1999: Families buy stain glass windows for the church. 2002: Steeple is added.