Our History
Every story has a beginning. This is ours…
“Stand in the courtyard in front of the Temple of the Lord, and make an announcement to the people who have come there to worship”
Jeremiah 26:2
There have been many ministers who served the congregation since it was organized in 1858. Most of these ministers stayed not much longer than one year, in some cases even less. The first two ministers stationed here, Rev. Dr. Puls and Rev. William Kies, are in grateful remembrance, because the former performed the first confirmation and the latter made the first entries in the church records. Rev. Jacob Pluess, who was a lively preacher and responsible for the revision of the constitution of the church, was the first minister buried in our cemetery. Our longest serving pastor was Rev. Riemayer who served for nineteen years and six months and was the second pastor to be buried in our cemetery. Following him is Rev. J. Malayang who served for fourteen years before being called to serve as Associate Conference Minsiter in California. Rev. Sherry Schacht was the first female to serve our congregation.
The first structure was a long church located on the Meldrum Road near our present cemetery. The structure was built from the virgin timber located on that property. This building existed until 1872 and was torn down after the second church was completed. There is no picture of the log church in existence. One April 4, 1871, a majority of the members voted to build a new church; this was the second church. At the next annual meeting on the 1st of January, 1872, they decided to buy a lot for the new church on the Meisner Road and to erect a frame building 60’x24’ and 20 feet high, with a tower. It seems the church was finished in 1872 for the traveling expenses of the ministers who took part in its dedication are reported in January 1873. At this time Rev. Rudolph Menk assumed his work as pastor.
It was decided on January 19, 1915 to sell the old church by auction and build a new one. Though nothing is said about the erection or purchase of the first parsonage, mention is made of it in May of 1865. In February of 1896, a decision was made to build a new parsonage, and it was subsequently completed. On June 21, 1960, a special congregational meeting was called for the purpose of purchasing a new parsonage. The preceding parsonage was moved to the west side of the church where it continues to stand. The new parsonage remains on the east side. The third and present church was to be of red brick veneer, with a basement under the whole building. This building was completed and dedicated to the service of the Triune God on March 18, 1917. The land for the cemetery was donated by Mr. Palms in the early years. First mention of it is made in September of 1866. The next remark in January 1884 was that $4.00 must be paid for each body that was to be buried there.