Celebrating Congregational Anniversaries 2012 Congregations that for generations have been harvesting the seeds of hope
150 Years St. Peter Lutheran Church, Marathon Pastor Philip Bogen St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church is celebrating its 150 th Anniversary on Sunday, June 24 th, 2012 with a morning worship, a noon banquet and an afternoon program. The theme for the celebration is: Christ Before Us, Christ in Us, Christ Ahead of Us. St. Peter, in the Town of Hamburg, is located on the crest of a little hill on Country Road A one mile west of Little Chicago. St. Peter is the oldest church building in the township of Hamburg. The first services were conducted by circuit riders from the Missouri Synod. Services were held in the homes of German settlers. The congregation was officially formed on June 1, 1862. Services were then held in a log school house. 2
The salary of the Pastor in 1882 consisted of: $150.00 cash, 23 bushels of wheat, 46 bushels of oats, and three acres planted with clover. Extra fees payable were: Church baptism--$1.00, Home baptism-$1.50, Marriage ceremony-$3.00, Confirmation-$3.00, and Funeral service-$1.00. If the congregation was pleased with the Pastor s work, he was given hay, straw, and a sack of potatoes. In 1887, the congregation built a frame church. In 1949, a basement was built and the church was moved onto the foundation. The steeple was removed and replaced by two towers. In 1953, the name of the church was changed from St. Petri Evangelical Lutheran Church to St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church. German services were held once a month. In 1956, a sister parish, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church merged with St. Peter s. The Trinity church was later torn down. In 1962 a fellowship hall was added to the church, along with a second dining room, kitchen, and bathrooms in the new basement. A well was dug and running water was installed. In 2009, St. Peter joined with Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Town of Stettin to become a two-point parish. In 2011, the congregation added on to the existing fellowship hall incorporating another bathroom, warming kitchen, and office. They also have a drive up ramp making the church handicap accessible. St. Peter is well known for their annual Chili Supper and Raffle. This was the 22 nd year of making chili. Our congregation was excited to recently help sponsor one of our college students who took a mission trip to a Middle Eastern country through Campus Crusade for Christ. During worship on April 22 nd we dedicated a 150 th anniversary Banner. On Sunday, May 13 th, we held a Back When service. The women sat on the left side of the church with the children and the men sat on the right side. Congregational members were encouraged to dress in the era. St. Peter is thankful for the last 150 years but also looks with excitement to the future. They have recently crafted a new mission Statement, We are a community of faith committed to grow in Christ, show forgiveness, and open our hearts to all. 3
150 Years Trinity Lutheran Church, Stettin Pastor Philip Bogen Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church is celebrating its 150 th Anniversary in 2012. Our Theme is: 150 Years of Blessings. Trinity is celebrating the entire year with a special event one Sunday each month, to make memories that last a lifetime. Our banner was unveiled and dedicated in January. In February we had a Back When Sunday when women and children were seated on the left side and the men on the right. All were wearing hats and vintage clothing. Communion was served as it was years ago and after receiving the bread and wine, members walked behind the altar and placed coins in a drawer on the back of the altar. This money was used to purchase the communion wine years ago. This is the way they did it Back When. In March a History of the Ladies Aid was presented and the morning and 4
afternoon circles served coffee cake and bars after worship. A basket social was planned for April where the women of the congregation brought basket lunches and the men bid on those baskets. In May the former location of the church was mapped out in the cemetery to show the location before the church was moved across the road. It was determined the church desired more room for Sunday School and for meals so in 1948 a foundation and basement was built and the church was moved across the road. In June the cornerstone will be opened and the contents will be put on display with other history items. New items from the anniversary will be added to the cornerstone. A German Choir has been singing periodically. The church has compiled 800 recipes in a cookbook of Heavenly Treasures. A church directory (memory book) will have a complete history of our 150 years, and also all of its member s pictures, truly a wonderful keepsake. Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded in 1862. Fourteen pastors have served Trinity. The church property includes the church, parsonage, and a parish education building (our old parsonage). The church is located on a country hillside. In the evening the lighted cross on it its high steeple can be seen for miles. On September 16 th there will be a morning worship with a dinner served in a tent on the church grounds at noon. Following the dinner, everyone will be given the opportunity to relive the history display in the church basement and be able to tour the parish education building, library and cemetery. The celebration will end with an afternoon service including a polka band and a sharing of memories from formers pastors and special guests. We are indeed thankful for 150 years of God s blessings and hope to continue to be a blessing to others. 5
125 Years St. John Lutheran Church, Mosinee Pastor Gloria Stubitsch In 1887, a group of Lutheran families in Mosinee began worshipping in one another s homes. Rev. H. Erck conducted services twice a month, as a mission outreach of Zion Lutheran Church in Wausau. Rev. C. A. Bretscher, also of Zion Lutheran Church, served from 1889-1897, until he was convinced there was no future for a Mosinee congregation due to the fading lumber boom. The Mosinee congregation persisted. Rev. Reimer of Marathon took over leadership of the Mosinee group and the Rocky Ridge congregation. Services were held in the public school until it was sold and then in the Methodist church. In 1904 the two groups united and built a new church. The original building still stands at the corner of 5 th and Main Streets in Mosinee. Several pastors from other congregations led worship in the years that followed. In 1918 Prof. Otto Kehrberg became the first resident pastor of St. John. Affiliation with the Wisconsin Synod continued until 1928 when St. John became part of the Protes tant Conference of the Wisconsin Synod. Rev. Kehrberg served faithfully until his death on January 22, 1956. 6
At a congregational meeting on February 19, 1956, the church voted to join the American Lutheran Church. At a special meeting in 1957, in response to the need for more sanctuary and classroom space, the congregation voted positively for the construction of a new building. Ground was broken on October 22, 1961, and the church was dedicated on December 9, 1962, our diamond anniversary. Ground was broken again in 1994. The new addition included offices, classrooms, fully accessible restrooms, and a large multipurpose room. St. John has been led by 15 pastors and 4 interim pastors. In 2012, we celebrate St. John Lutheran Church s past, present, and future. Its heart and soul are the countless, faithful saints who have been led by God to grow and serve here. They built a church made of cement, wood, tile, plaster, steel, and asphalt. They built a church made of tears, sweat, fears, hope, trust, faith, and their very selves. They have furnished this church with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and mercy. They built a church upon Christ. We strive to build on that foundation, following where the Holy Spirit leads us, and leaving a strong church for the generations to come. The people of St. John are celebrating this milestone by constructing a prayer labyrinth as a gift to our whole community. Our hope is that this path will be a way for all people to encounter and reflect on God s presence in our community and our lives. In August we will celebrate with worship in Riverside Park, with our bishop presiding. We give thanks for 125 years of serving Christ. We give thanks that God is continually reforming us with grace. We trust that our work for God s kingdom is just getting started! Come, Holy Spirit, come! 7
125 Years Christ Lutheran Church, Oshkosh Pastor Jennifer Czarnota The love of God and music has been the backbone of Christ Lutheran Church for generations. It was the determination of 15 men and their families to establish a Lutheran Church where they could continue praising the Lord through their choir and without the fear that they would again be removed from membership because they had joined a labor union. On October 16, 1887, the first worship service was held in the United Presbyterian Church. On October 17, 1887, it was resolved to organize a Lutheran Church according to the confession of faith represented by the Iowa Synod. It was not until January 8, 1888 that Christ Lutheran was formally organized with their adoption of their Constitution. God blessed this church with a strong minister, Rev. George Weng. He continued the music tradition by marrying the 8
first Organist of Christ Lutheran Church Miss Jennie Hillemann. Pastor Weng tended to this flock for 52 years! German was exclusively used from 1888 1897. In 1898, Christ Lutheran became the first and the only Lutheran Church in Oshkosh to offer English Services (although they were held in the evenings). From 1899 to 1952 German and English were both used and in 1952 Christ Lutheran worshiped only in English. When a new organ was needed, God blessed this congregation with the purchase of the Opera House organ in 1942. To this day the organ still garners a place within our sanctuary. Christ Lutheran also holds the record of the largest building moved in its entirety from Church Avenue to Parkway. This building was built in 1903 and still serves the congregation for dinners, Sunday School, and other activities. The original stained glass windows silently bear testimony to the dedication of their forefathers. With God s guidance and blessings this Congregation hopes that future generations will continue the traditions and guidelines of those 15 outcast men and their families. 9
100 Years St. Paul Lutheran Church, Neenah Pastor Paul Holte St. Paul is celebrating its 100 th Anniversary this September. In 1912, there were five Lutheran churches in Neenah-Menasha but they only spoke their native languages. Our Charter members wanted to form a church where their new language of English was used. With the help of missionary Pastor William C. Stump from our Mother Church, St. John s English Evangelical Lutheran Church of Oshkosh, we officially became St. Paul s English Evangelical Lutheran Church on September 22, 1912. First church services were held in a small Norwegian chapel on Bond Street in Neenah. The congregation purchased its current property for $3000 and built the church which was dedicated May 21, 1916. The church bell that hung in the Norwegian chapel still sounds the call to worship. In 1949 a two-story addition for offices and Sunday School rooms was completed and in 1955 the layout of the church sanctuary was reversed. The latest addition occurred in 1992 when new 10
offices, a new kitchen, classrooms and a narthex were added and the front entrance moved to the rear of the church. St. Timothy s Lutheran and St. Mark s Lutheran churches are sister congregations and were begun by St. Paul s Church in 1945 and 1957 respectively. We are celebrating the entire year with many activities. Our new Hall of Pastors is now on display and includes pictures of our 33 Pastors and Founding Fathers. There will be archival displays, a 100 year history book, a centennial church directory, a cook book and a special anniversary hymn written by member Ralph Freeman. On Saturday, September 22, 2012, our official anniversary date, there will be an Open House from 1:00 to 4:00 pm inviting our neighbors, city officials and our Mother and Sister churches to visit us and see where our 100 Years of Faith has taken us. We are also inviting our Bishop, former Pastors, charter member families, and our sons and daughters whose faith was developed at St. Paul s leading them to enter the ministry. Our official celebration will be on Sunday, September 23, 2012 with one large service at 10:00 AM followed by a luncheon. Today our mission statement is to gather joyfully, grow spiritually and go faithfully sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. Our celebration will end with the dedication of a Prayer Garden outside our main entrance open to all. We feel blessed to be sharing this good news on the same corner for 100 years!! 11
75 Years Lutheran Church of the Wilderness, Bowler Pastor Melinda Shriner Lutheran Church of the Wilderness is celebrating its 75th Anniversary as a congregation in 2012. The first service of the MohHeConNuck Congregation was held at the old mess hall of the Brooks & Ross Lumber Camp on Nov. 22, 1936, with fourteen people in attendance. Wilderness, a Missouri Synod congregation, was organized on March 3, 1937. The Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe gave assignment of the parcel of land to the congregation, acquired from the Department of Interior, Office of Indian Affairs, on July 14, 1944. The Tribe also approved a loan to the church for $1,700.00 to help build the facility. A Timber- Cutting Permit was approved to cut 100 standing green pine and hemlock trees to clear the land for the church building. 12
The Groundbreaking ceremony was held on May 31, 1948, and the building was dedicated on June 26, 1955. The original altar, lectern and baptismal font were donated by a church in Polar. Pews were donated by churches in Mayville and Wayside. Wilderness was served by part-time pastors until August 4, 1974, when the congregation called its first full-time pastor, the Rev. Jonathan Schedler, a graduate of Seminex. Wilderness' affiliation with the Missouri Synod was terminated in 1981 at which time the congregation became a member of the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Church. Groundbreaking for the new addition to make the church handicappedaccessible was held on March 25, 2001, with that dedication service held on June 30, 2002. Former pastors, both Missouri Synod and ELCA, were invited back for the dedication. The Rev. Melinda Shriner, a Theological Education for Emerging Ministries (TEEM) graduate and recently ordained minister, is the first female pastor to serve Wilderness. Wilderness will celebrate its 75th Anniversary, along with the 10th Anniversary of the Building Renovation completion, at its Annual Friend's Day which will be held later this summer. 13
50 Years Atonement Lutheran Church, Green Bay Pastor James Gerth Take a walk down memory lane as Atonement Lutheran Church in Green Bay, Wisconsin celebrates its 50 th Anniversary! It was 1961. The American Lutheran Church planned to establish 19 new congregations, the financial results of a nationwide Thankoffering received on Pentecost Sunday, May 21, 1961. All 19 churches were known as Jubilee churches and would be named Atonement Lutheran Church. Three acres at the corner of Deckner and Danz Avenues, formerly used for growing tomatoes commercially, was chosen as the site for Atonement Lutheran Church in Green Bay. Ground was broken for the new church on October 22, 1961 with many of the parishioners transferring to Atonement helping to finish the new building. Atonement s first service was attended by 278 people on February 25, 1962. Atonement Lutheran Church became affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 1988. Three additions were completed throughout Atonement s 50 years with the current sanctuary and narthex finished in 1993. Atonement s congregation has been served by five pastors throughout its history with Rev. Jim Gerth currently serving. 14
Throughout its 50 years, Atonement has always been known for its friendliness and warmth toward guests at worship. Please join us as we celebrate our 50 th Anniversary on Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. for our 50 th Anniversary Worship Celebration, followed by a reception, meal and program at Riverside Ballroom in Green Bay, Wisconsin. 15
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