Name/Title
Immanual Lutheran ChurchScope and Content
Historical information on Immanuel Lutheran Church for 1976 Bicentennial Celebration in Waupun, WI.
*Facts are typed and was scanned with mistakes, if any, left uncorrected.
Immanual Lutheran Church of Waupun
Immanuel Lutheran Church of Waupun came into being when Pastor A. H. Rehn (1875-1880), serving the Brandon congregation, conducted occasional worship services for a group of German settlers in Waupun.
Pastor J. Burkhardt was successor to Rev. Rehn at Brandon, and organized the Immanuel Lutheran Church at Waupun on April 13, 1882. Pastor J. Burkhardt was born in Bavaria, Germany, and came to America in his early childhood. He studied for the ministry at the Iowa Synod seminary at St. Sebold, Iowa. He was ordained when only 20 years old and while stationed at Brandon became the Pastor of Brandon and Fairwater.
The German schoolhouse on the southwest corner of North State and Taylor Streets served as church for the congregation until 1891. It was on Maundy Thursday, April 13, 1882, that Pastor Burkhardt conducted the first Lutheran holy communion service in Waupun at this school. The German people call this day "Gruendonnerstag." At the close of the holy communion service, the constitution of the congregation was adopted and signed by the following men who became the charter members of the congregation. The following list of names is given here in the same succession as the original signatures.
Aug. Boeger
Carl Schwantz
Aug. Zuilsdorf
Fred Zuilsdorf
Christ Zuilsdorf
Wilhelm Schwantz
Ludwig Hacker
Ferd Walter
Fred Hess
Alb. Hoeft
Aug. Pobanz
Edw. Luck
Herm. Gruenewald
Ernest Krause
Fred Burmeister
Ferd Ohm
Fred Schoening
Herm. Lueck
Carl Gruenewald
Edw. Dins
Carl Schulz
Fr. Schmidt
Fr. Weishoff
G. TerMaath
Peter Pfeiffer
Fred Kohls
W. H. Mielke
Herm. Krueger
Carl Aust
Aug. Voelzmann
Ernest Kliemann
Will Deutschbein
The following names found on the treasurer's report of 1882, were friends and supporters of the newly organized congregation.
Louis Steinmetz, Alb. Zuilsdorf, Aug. Rupnow, Mrs. Wilhelmine Hanisch, F. Schnasse, Mrs. Weidner, Chas. Hanisch, Gus Scheel, E. Haueisen, C. Hildebrandt, Martin Geidel.
The first synodical affiliation of the congregation was with the Iowa Synod, a synod of German background. The newly organized congregation became incorporated June 1, 1885, and purchased six lots on West Main Street, including the old gravel house and barn on the rear lots facing Jefferson St.
Rev. F. Lanzer (successor to Pastor Burkhardt) resided at Waupun in the old "gravel house," as the parsonage of the congregation. He served the members from May 1885 to May 1889.
In June 1891, the congregation made another important step when the old frame church, formerly a Congregational Church, was bought and moved on one of the lots facing West Main St. This transaction took place under the pastorate of Rev. A. Goppelt, the second resident pastor also born in the southern part of Germany, Falbenthol, Bavaria.
Rev. J. P. Franke (also German born) was the successor to Rev. Goppelt in 1900. During his pastorate the County Line Church was built in 1901; the parsonage on West Main Street built in 1902; and our present brick structure in 1909-10. The parsonage on West Main Street was built at that time for $2000. The congregation was able to pay cash for it.
On April 26, 1909, the first shovel of dirt was turned to begin the church building. On a very note worthy date, July 4th, 1909, the cornerstone of the church was laid. The church was built at a cost of $22,000. The structure with its tremendous spire is of Gothic design. The architect was Velguth of Milwaukee, Wis., and the contractor was E. Schmidt of Waupun, Wis. Mr. Schmidt was Everett Schmidt, who came to Waupun just before the turn of the century from Apeldorn, Netherlands (Mrs. Leonard Giebink, his daughter). The church spire, a land mark in the area, was repaired and restored in September 1975 when about 400 bad bricks were replaced.
Pastor W. E. Staehling (July 16, 1911-1941) came to America when he was 14 years old, attending confirmation class instruction in the year of his arrival. He trained for the ministry, attending Wartburg College at Waverly, Iowa, and Warburg Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa. He then attended the Lake View English Lutheran Seminary at Chicago before taking charge of his first congregation at Rosendale, Wis. While pastor at Rosendale, he organized St. Stephan's at Rogersville and was instrumental in organizing Immanuel Church at Fond du Lac, Wis. He conducted the first English service in 1911. On May 18, 1913, the first class to have English instruction, with the German, was confirmed. In 1930, as a result of a merger of Lutheran Synods, Immanuel was affiliated with the American Lutheran Church. Separate English and German services were held until March 1, 1953, when it was voted to discontinue the German service.
Rev. K. J. Herbener was installed Nov. 2, 1941. During his pastorate some remodeling was done at the parsonage on West Main Street in 1947. In 1948 the church was reroofed. In 1950 a new pipe organ was installed.
Plans were made in 1949 for the enlargement of the church building to provide additional space for Sunday School purposes and improvement of kitchen facilities. The dedication of the Parish Hall and entry to the church additions was held December 12, 1954, at a cost of S160,000.00 for the building and furnishings. Pastor Herbener retired in 1960.
Pastor Kenneth W. Kohl was called in December 1960 and was installed January 8, 1961. During his ministry many changes were brought about. After a 10-year effort, the merger of the American Lutheran Church (German), Evangelical Lutheran Church (Norwegian), and United Evangelical Lutheran Church (Danish) took place to form the American Lutheran Church in 1960. Pastor Kohl was a delegate to the constituting convention while he served the Richland Center, Wis., congregation.
During the summer of 1961 an extensive program of remodeling and exterior maintenance was effected. The sound system was added to the Parish Hall in 1961. The new hymnals of The American Lutheran Church were used beginning in 1961. An office secretary to the church was established in January 1961. Pastor William Zibell, the first part-time assistant pastor, was installed September 10, 1961.
The parking lot was surfaced in 1963. Major redecoration of the church took place in 1964. A nursery in the west basement area was initiated in March 1963. A library was started by memorials given in 1966.
The first full-time assistant pastor (Rev. Gary Burkum) was called and the second parsonage located at 120 Elm Avenue was purchased in 1966. In 1971 the first women were elected to serve on the Church Council. The construction of the new parsonage at 218 Howard Drive was done in 1972. The first lay assistant and minister of music began in 1975.
Organizations of Immanuel
The oldest society organized in the Immanuel Congregation of Waupun is the "Frauenverein." Its 45 members contributed generously to pay off the church debt at the time it was built. In 1922 office holders were: President - Mrs. Herm. Paskey; Vice Pres. - Mrs. Aug. Mielke; Sec. - Mrs. Fr. Albright; Cashier - Mrs. Alfr. Bernhardt. The organization held meetings twice a month. This group later became known as the Ladies Aid Society.
The Luther League was formed in 1912 and had a membership of 32. This group consisted of young married couples.
The Mary-Martha Guild was organized February 28, 1927.
The Ladies Missionary Society was organized January 24, 1923.
The Brotherhood was organized July 16, 1926, around the theme "Men of the Church for the Master."
On September 18, 1961, the existing ladies' organizations were combined into the Immanuel Lutheran Church Women with the following Circles designated: Elizabeth, Esther, Lois, Martha, Mary, Miriam, Naomi, Rachel, Rebecca, and Ruth.
Men who served internships at Immanuel:
Mr. M. Feuerstack - 1957-1958
Mr. Robert Graf - 1958-1959
Mr. Richard Schuenke - 1959-1960
Mr. Gary Peterson - summer 1961
(married Mary Winkler, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Winkler of Waupun, Immanuel members)
Assistant Pastors who have served Immanuel Congregation:
Pastor William Zibell - 1961-1966
Pastor Gary Burkum - 1966-1971
Pastor Robert Thays - 1971-1972
Pastor Walter Ludwigsen - 1973-1974
Pastor Joseph Hestenes - 1975-
Mr. Stevan Naffin, Lay Assistant - 1975-
Sons of Immanuel Lutheran Congregation who became Pastors:
Ernest Staehling - son of Pastor and Mrs. W. E. Staehling
Virgil Ganz - son of Mr. and Mrs. Emil Ganz
Richard Warber - son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Warber
David Redman - son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Redman
Gerald Staehling - son of Mr. and Mrs. Hellwig Staehling and grandson of Pastor and Mrs. W. E. Staehling
Kenneth Vossekuil (to graduate in 1977) - son of Mr. and Mrs. John E. Vossekuil
The County Line Lutheran Church (officially the First Ev. Lutheran Church) noted its 75th anniversary Sunday, June 2, 1957 with two services.
The old public school house at Gillmore's Corner, Town of Mackford, was the first permanent place of worship for the County Line congregation. It was built in 1860. The old schoolhouse was bought by the County Line congregation in 1891, and was moved to a place near Lake Emily on the county line road. It served the congregation as a place of worship and religious instruction until 1901 when it was moved again to its present place.
The first Lutheran preacher to do mission work in the vicinity of the County Line Lutheran Church was the Rev. A. H. Rehn, who was stationed at Brandon, and for a short time at Fair Water during the years 1875 to 1880. He conducted occasional services at Waupun and among the German settlers on the County Line Road west of Waupun, in the "Mackford Prairie" private home. The first services were held in the homes of August Kaufman and Christian Menke, and then in the Kelly School (7 miles west of Waupun) known as the County Line school.
The exact date and year when the County Line Church people formally became a congregation cannot be given. Services, however, were conducted as early, if not earlier, than at Waupun, in the County Line homes and the Kelly School. The organization date of Immanuel's, Waupun, (April 13, 1882) generally has been accepted as the organization date of the County Line congregation.
Pastor John H. Burkhard (1881-1885) was the founder of the congregation. He was installed at Brandon on Aug. 21, 1881, where he remained for 16 years. He continued the services of Pastor Rehn at Waupun and on the County Line, in the Kelly school, and extended them to Marquette, Randolph and Cambria. It was on Maundy Thursday, April 13, 1882, when Pastor Burkhard conducted his first communion service at Waupun. At the close of the service, the constitution of the Waupun congregation, which had been read and discussed at previous meetings, was adopted and signed. The First Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Town of Fox Lake, better known as the County Line Lutheran Church immediately became the filial charge of Waupun. Thus, Pastor Burkhard became the founder of the two congregations which formed the Waupun and. County Line parish for 71 years.
During a thunderstorm in the night Monday, Aug. 22, 1938, the steeple of the church was struck by lightning and the church structure and the old school building which had been moved there burned to the ground. A bell which had been installed in 1915 was also destroyed in this fire. Services were held in the Mackford Union Church through the goodness of these people, until June 1939, when the new church was completed at a cost of about $7000.
By 1953 the Immanuel Congregation at Waupun had grown to such an extent that it was felt that the pastor had all he could care for with the Waupun congregation, and arrangements were made to have County Line aligned with Emanuel of Brandon from which it was organized 71 years before.
Rev. L. R. Westphal became the pastor of County Line in May, 1953. In 1954 Sunday School was departmentalized; a brotherhood was organized in 1954. At the annual meeting of 1956 plans were made to repair the tower, which later turned out to the adding of a narthex, enclosing the church steps and adding a kitchen to the basement. Pastor Westphal retired in 1973.
The Rev. Edwin H. Maas is the only son of the congregation serving in the ministry of the American Lutheran Church.
Pastor Paul G. Bauman became pastor at County Line in September 1973. He came from Calvary Lutheran, Brookfield, Wis. He is serving the congregation at this writing.
Norwegian Lutheran Church in Town of Waupun, Wis.
This congregation represents the earliest Lutheran activity in the Waupun area. A group of people came from Norway before 1850, and settled east of Waupun. The settlement was called the Norwegian settlement. They settled and built the Norsk Evang-Lutherske Kirke in the Township of Waupun. The church was built in 1855, and a point of interest is that old wooden railroad rails were taken from the Northwestern tracks to be used as the rafters in the church. The oldest grave in the adjacent cemetery bears the date 1853 on its tombstone.
There was quite a large settlement of Norwegian Lutheran people in the Town of Waupun in these early years. The following pastors ministered to them up to the year 1918: Nels Brandt; Erick Homme; L. Ofstadahl; W. Eckman; N. Aubol; C. E. Tollefson; M. Mikkelson; G. Kluxdahl; O. I. N. Wilhelmsen. A list of 69 members was recorded in Nov. 1875. The last report in 1911 listed 41 members. The members and their descendants moved to other places and the settlement gradually became too small to continue as a separate congregation. The church is kept in very good condition and has become a real memorial church. A number of the members and their descendants affiliated themselves with Immanuel Lutheran Church of Waupun.
The Norwegian Lutheran Cemetery Association was organized and recorded with the register of deeds of Fond du Lac County on Nov. 3, 1921. The purpose of the association was for the perpetuation of the cemetery and church as a historical site. Once each year a memorial service is held in the church.
On June 19, 1955, the Norwegian Lutheran Church observed its centennial. Many people came from some distances to renew acquaintances. The worship services were in charge of Pastor K. J. Herbener and the Rev. J. Olson of Larson, Wisconsin. Historic memorabilia was on display for the day with a variety of family albums and heirlooms from Norway, providing a way for renewing old friendships.Acquisition
Accession
2016.0075Source or Donor
Waupun Area Chamber of CommerceAcquisition Method
Donation
