Brief History of St. John's Lutheran Church- Chatham, Illinois

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Brief History of St. John's Lutheran Church- Chatham, Illinois 1863 Two services per month were held in Gottlob Schmidt' s house and later in Dave Harmon Log School (1 Y.

1 Brief History of St. John's Lutheran Church- Chatham, Illinois 1863 Two services per month were held in Gottlob Schmidt' s house and later in Dave Harmon Log School (1 Y. miles east of Chatham) by three Springfield pastors Rev. Lochner, pastor of Trinity Lutheran in Springfield served the people of Chatham. "The German Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of Ball Township" formed under the leadership ofpastor Lochner, the first official pastor of the congregation Prof. Craemer, President of Concordia Seminary in Springfield, served as pastor with the assistance of students from the Seminary The church was growing. A white frame church seating 100 people was built east of Chatham at East Walnut Street and County Road 175 West and served the congregation for 34 years Prof. R. Pieper accepted a call to serve A 16' x 26' addition was built on the church A new and larger church was needed, our third building project. April27, 1913 Dedication of the new church, built west of Chatham with towering steeple at 501 W. Mulberry at a cost of $4, Apri11918 Apr-Dec 1918 Because of failing health, Professor R. Pieper resigned after 27 years of donated semce. Pastors F. Brand and C.A. Soderstrom each served 4 months as vacancy pastors. Dec Rev. E. Wegehaupt accepted the call and became the first resident pastor of our 1930 congregation. July 1921 Oct.1930 We became "St. John' s Evangelical Lutheran Church." A parsonage was purchased for$4,000. Pastor Wegehaupt accepted a call to St. John's in Decatur, IL. Prof. W. Albrecht served as vacancy pastor. Dec Rev. George Klein from Immanuel in Springfield was installed Jan. 4, Mar-June 1952 Prof. M. Naumann served as vacancy pastor. June 22, 1952 PastorR.A Haakwas ordained and installed. He served St. John's from ? Pastor Neil Schmidt accepted our call and was married soon after his arrival Pastor H. Jording served St. John's. Construction of a parsonage at 801 Oxford Drive was completed at a cost of$30, Pastor Koenig accepted our call The congregation purchased new property for expansion located south of West Mulberry, across the street from the church, at a cost of$8, Pastor M. Wagner accepted our call. In April, 1976 a new church was dedicated, north of Chatham, at a cost of$362, Pastor Glenn Strohschein accepted our call A large new addition was dedicated, including a multi-purpose room, additional Sunday School classrooms, offices, and kitchen.

-- CONSTRUCI'ION NEARING COMPLETION - Pastor M.. Waaner holds a "Christ Fi(ure" sculpture that has since been mounted over the altar of St. John's Lutheran Cbw:dl. 'l'be e..borch is loca.

9 -- CONSTRUCI'ION NEARING COMPLETION - Pastor M.. Waaner holds a "Christ Fi(ure" sculpture that has since been mounted over the altar of St. John's Lutheran Cbw:dl. 'l'be e..borch is loca.1ed on North Main Streetin Chatham. Preparations are now under way for the first Easter Sunrise Service (6:30a.m.) to be held in the new building, andjoi' Easter Day Services at 10:15 a.m. The public is invited to inspect the facilities at those ti(n~. -!~ - ~~

10 The Lord of the Church has granted St. John's Congregation of Chatham, IL. 120 yrs. of His grace and blessing. As we look at the present building and the multitude of souls which make up our present congregation we want to thank our gracious Lord who in His love for sinners blessed the work of the laborers in the Chatham area and caused this congregation to grow to its present dimensions. St. John's dedicated their ftrst building in the summer of 1879 o what was known as the Carl Wykofha farm, one mile east of Chatham. This building served the congregation for 34 years. In 1895 an addition was built on to the church. In 1909 there began to be some discussion as to the advisability of moving the church to Chatham. In June, 1912, the congregation decided that a new church should be built and that the work of digging the basement should begin immediately. This is April 1913 the new church was completed. The dedication services were held on April 27, This church was on the western edge of Chatham. The picture above shows the church in 1913.

$Rudolph A. Haak DANVILLE, Ind.- Rudolph Albert Haak, 79, of Danville, Ind., formerly of Benton City, \Vash., Minnesota.$

11 Rudolph A. Haak DANVILLE, Ind.- Rudolph Albert Haak, 79, of Danville, Ind., formerly of Benton City, \Vash., Minnesota. and Spnngfield, died Monday, March 29, 1999, at Hendricks Community Hospital, Danville, Ind. He was born April 15, 1919, in Guckeen, Minn., the son of John Martin and Anna Marie Eggers Haak. He married Lenora Becker in l940; she preceded him in death... Mr. Haak was a minister in the Lutheran Church. He served from at St. John's (Chatham); , Trinity Congregation {Auburn); , Our Savior's Luthem Church and School (Spnngfield); , Trinity Lutheran Church (Peona); , president of the Centra! illinois District (Springfield); 1974-n, Crossview Lutheran Church (Edina); , Family of Chnst Lutheran Church (Andover, Minn.); , St. Mark's Lutheran Church (Benson, Minn.); , St. Paul's Lutheran Church (Montevideo, Minh.}; 1985, Zion Lutheran Church (Morris, Minn.); 1986, Lord of the Lakes (Montevideo, Minn.); 1987,. Grac~ _ Luth~ran _Church...JMarbleJ.: Minn.) and. Mount. Olive ~aveyr. Minn.); 1988,. Trinity. Latheran Church. (Peoria); , St. John's Oturch (Benton City, \Vilsh.); , H~cks Community Bible Church c.~e. Ind.); 1998-present, LiVing ~ Lutheran Church (Danville,. IJRd.)i" I. He was a graduate of Concordia Seminary in Springfield and a member of Living Christ Lutheran Chruch in Danville, Ind. Survtvors: three sons, Richard A Haak of Danville, Ind., Robert D. Haak of Moline, and Johnathan R. Haak of Champaign; three dau 'gahters, Jowann L. Flemtng of Oak~ land, Jeralyn S.fischer of Cambridge, Minn., and Dorene N. Jennings of Watertown, S.D.; 21 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; a brother, Herman Haak of Ogilvie, Minn.; and a sister, Jennie Binger of Belvidere. Services: 3 p.m. Friday, Hendricks Community Bible Church, Danville, Ind., the Rev. John Main officiating, and 11 a.m. Monday, Trinity Lutheran Chruch, Elmore, Minn., the Rev. Jim Brammeier officiating. Burial: Riverside Cemetery, Blue Earth, Minn. Weaver funeral Home in DanVille, Ind. and Patton Funeral Home in Elmore, Minn., are in charge of arrangements.

CHURCHES OF SHERBURNE COUNTY A SHORT HISTORY OF SOME OF THE PLACES OF WORSHIP WITHIN SHERBURNE COUNTY, MINNESOTA

CHURCHES OF SHERBURNE COUNTY A SHORT HISTORY OF SOME OF THE PLACES OF WORSHIP WITHIN SHERBURNE COUNTY, MINNESOTA CHURCHES OF SHERBURNE COUNTY Sherburne County, Minnesota organized in February 1856. The