In 1959 Rev. Richard Ebke came to Grafton State School and promoted the need for a chapel facility. His report for the 1960 convention booklet talks about how the students beg to be allowed to attend the Bible classes. Each class had 10 students and lasted about 30-45 minutes. The teacher taught 22 classes a week.

The 1961 convention report talked about Alice Bontke who was the teacher and presided over 241 students. Each month she led 72-78 classes. Patricia Schaper came in 1962. She supervised 188 students being taught in 23 different classes per week. She noted that these students would never move on to become leaders; they only learned of Jesus’ love and that He was their Savior. Yet they were so eager to go to class that the kids tried not to misbehave and lose their chance to attend.

In 1965 Susan Gross arrived. She taught 220 students in 21 weekly classes.  She also arranged for confirmed students to receive communion. Yet the need for a special place for the youth to learn about God was apparent and a goal of $250,000 was set up to build a chapel.

In 1967 Mrs. Ruby Helm became the religion teacher to fill the position that

had been vacant for more than a year. Almost 300 students were waiting for a teacher. Ruby had enrolled in the Lutheran Lay Ministry Program at Concordia College, Milwaukee, WI after her husband passed away. Following graduation, she received a call to teach religion classes at the Grafton State School, a position she held for 18 years. By her years of service a viable program was established at the center.

In 1969 Rev. Harry Hager provided communion and held confirmation. This year the need for a full-time Chaplain at the school became obvious. It would take a few more years for the need to be filled and for the chapel to be built.

How many of you remember Paul Harvey and “The Rest of the Story” that used to be on the radio? I came across an article that had me wondering what the “rest of the story” was. This was from the Lutheran Witness in January, 1960. 

The Lutheran Refugee Service had a family that lived in Western Germany who were unable to move back to Pomerania, their homeland. Pomerania was then a communist occupied territory between Poland and Germany on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea. The family consisted of Albert and Anita Paech and their seven children ranging in age from 6 months to 9 years old.  

Hope Lutheran church of Southam, ND, volunteered to be the family’s sponsors. One of the members of the church, Fritz Seeger, fixed up a house near Lawton, ND, for the family to live in and he had a job for Albert. The church women got together for a quilting bee and created three quilts to give to the family along with other needed supplies. 

The “rest of the story” comes when I noticed that Hope Lutheran Church closed their doors in December 1960. Members then transferred their memberships to Devils Lake or Lakota. Did another church step up to sponsor the family? Were they established enough to be on their own by then? Did the family stay in North Dakota? Curious minds want to know!

A Look Back at First Lutheran Church

Closing Service June 1st, 2024

It’s always sad to hear about a church closing its doors. I dug out the file for First English and wrote a brief history about the church. Some of the dates are approximate for the pastors.

It was interesting to learn that worship began in Fairmount back in 1901 by Pastor T. Hinck and followed by Pastor J. Koerber. Pastor Koerber would ride his bike from Hankinson to Fairmount to lead worship (a distance of about 15 miles). The church became incorporated in 1904 and took the name of St. Paul. Pastor Zerzen came in 1905 but by 1908 people had moved away and the church closed.

Mission work again started up in 1925 in the town hall in Fairmount led by Pastor W. E. Rohe. Soon they needed more room and were able to use the Baptist church in Fairmount. By 1933 Pastor Schumacher, who was the preacher at St. John’s in Summit Township, helped the Fairmount congregation to organize once again. The members were eager to build their own church and in 1941 a cornerstone was laid, and the church was constructed with many members volunteering their help.

Pastor F. A. Rubbert served both Fairmount and Tyler from 1942-1953. Pastor H. Schaefer was next from 1954-1956 followed by Pastor E. Temme 1957-1959. He was the first pastor to live in the new parsonage in 1958. In 1960 the church dissolved the dual parish with Summit Township. Pastor Richard Borchers was the pastor.

A shocking event happened in 1964 when a destructive tornado destroyed both the church and the parsonage. The church was quickly rebuilt, made about 10 feet longer and was dedicated in 1965.

In 1967 Pastor Harold Vetter was installed and he was followed by Pastor Bruce Holstein in 1974. Pastor Ronald Carnicom was installed in 1995 when First English and Trinity of Great Bend formed a dual parish. Pastor Anthony Ahrendt was pastor from 2006 -2016. The dual parish dissolved during that time.

Pastor Larry Schmidt came in 2017. After he retired in 2021, Pastor Matthew Tooman from Immanual, Wahpeton, filled the vacancy.  He was installed on March 19th, 2023 on which date First Lutheran Church became a dual parish with Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wahpeton.

Blessed be the memories of First English and please keep the families in prayer as they move forward from their beloved church.

Rev. Dr. Mark Buchhop was installed on March 31, 1996, coming from Iowa.  He held Sunday Divine Services along with communion all year.  During the school year, Vespers were held on Wednesday evenings. He worked with Chinese students reading through the catechism and led an adult UND Chinese Faculty Bible study.  Through his work many Chinese men and women have become baptized believers in Christ.  He also served as faculty advisor for a pro-life student organization called Collegians for Life.  In 2011 the North Dakota District had to make a major budget cut to Rev. Buchhop's ministry, and he took a dual parish agreement with Immanuel Lutheran, Radium, MN while still working part-time at Wittenberg.  Rev. Buchhop retired in 2017 and moved to Detroit Lakes, MN.

Pastor Lindsay Watkins was installed in Feb. 1988, at Wittenberg.  Besides his continuing work with Bible studies and worship at Wittenberg, he also helped with the vacancy at Trinity and St. Paul’s Lutheran in Fisher, MN.  He implemented an Elders training program for the students who were interested.  He also had a pulpit exchange with other pastors who had sons and daughters at UND, preaching in their home churches while that pastor preached at Wittenberg.  Not only Bible studies and worship, there were talent shows, choir, movie nights, retreats and many other interesting activities each month at Wittenberg for the students.  In June 1995 Pastor Watkins took a call to Trinity Lutheran church in Boone, Iowa, where he stayed until retiring in 2021. 

Pastor Klemet Preus was called dto become Wittenberg's next pastor.  He was installed in Sept. 1980.  He started a Sunday morning Bible study, a weekly lunch hour study and added an evening Bible study.  Attendance on Sunday mornings averaged 100 people.   The Purple Beam became the Wittenberg Witness publication.  In 1987 Pastor Preus took a call to St. Paul in Woodland, CA.

Pastor Heintzen saw continued growth while serving at Wittenberg.  The average attendance at worship was 95.  He led a Bible study that averaged 12 people.  There was a choir and even a couples club.  In 1971 Pastor Heintzen accepted a call to Denver, CO.  Pastor Clemens Hartfield filled in until January 1972.  

Pastor David Dressel came to Wittenberg from Lincoln, NE, where he had been a campus pastor.  He added a Fellowship of Life on Sunday evenings with supper and devotions.  He also started a religious education program at the Grafton State School in which college students and Wittenberg members would go to the school each Thursday to teach Bible classes.  A publication called the Purple Beam was produced by the students beginning in the fall of 1977.  In 1978 there was a remodel of Wittenberg and with a special dedication service and 25th anniversary of campus ministry held in Oct.  Speakers included Rev. Ed Schmidt, UND president Thomas Clifford, and Gary Reinke, Board of Directors LCMS ND.  In 1980 Pastor Dressel accepted a call to the Martin Luther chapel at Michigan State University. 

Recently Pastor Dan Suelzle brought in some boxes from Wittenberg Chapel in Grand Forks.  Included in the boxes was an old scrapbook that articles and pictures from 1953 to 1983.  There were pictures showing the purchase of the Gamma Delta house back in 1953 by the ND District and how it looked after the remodeling.  It had a lounge room that held 25 people comfortable but sometimes more than 50 would show up and sit on the steps and windowsills.  Pastor Elmer H. Yohr was the first full-time pastor at Wittenberg.  He served from 1960 to 1965.  The first year he held worship every Sunday in a UND Classroom.  Rent fro the classroom was $15 each Sunday.  In 1961 at the District convention a resolution was made to build a chapel at a cost of $50,000.  However, this happened at the same time funds coming into the District dried up.  Then in 1963 a new resolution was presented with the cost allowance to be $75,000.  A building committee was set up and fund to build the chapel were obtained by a loan from Synod's Church Extension.  Bids were opened and the lowest bid was $93,000.  Bids were relet and this time the lowest was $83,000.  The balcony was omitted.  Still the total cost was more than $97,000.  Wittenberg Chapel was officially dedicated on Dec. 6, 1964.  The guest speaker and the dedication and worship service was Pres. Harold Huber of the LCMS ND District.  Pastor Alwin Reimnitz was the guest speaker at the evening worship service.  

In 1965 Pastor Yohr accepted a call to Bedford, MA, and Pastor Erich Heintzen III became campus pastor. 

     I just came across a news article written about the tenth annual District convention.  This one took place almost 100 years ago at the Mouse River Park near Tolley, ND in June 1924.  This included both Montana and North Dakota with more than 100 pastors, teachers, lay delegates and visitors in attendance. The starting time was delayed by an hour thanks to the road conditions from the heavy rains the day before.  The attendees were assigned sleeping quarters in either the big hall or in tents set up outside. The rain never let up, yet Rev. P Freiburger and the Tolley congregation were efficient hosts serving meals every day that were deemed “excellent”. The convention started on Wednesday and ran through Monday.  

     Nine new congregations were accepted by the Synod.  President Rev. T. Hinck retired and was honored for all his hard work and the progress made in bringing Lutheranism to both states. Rev. J. P. Klausler was elected as the new District president.  The report from Montana named 24 congregations and 63 preaching stations. The report from North Dakota named 32 churches and 24 parishes (not sure why preaching stations not given). The worship service on Sunday was conducted in the German language and ended with the pastors’ chorus. Monday discussion was on the finances for the District.  An invite from Kronthal, ND, in June 1925 for the next convention was given and then singing and prayers ended the convention.  (Kronthal was 14 miles north of Beulah, ND, and their church merged back in 1962 with Beulah).  

Now compare that with our more recent conventions!

     We tend to complain about our winter weather and how cold it gets here in North Dakota.  But can you imagine how cold it felt 140 years ago without all our modern technologies?  

     Look at the picture of Rev. T. Hinck.  He came to North Dakota while still a theological student. He’s dressed in a wild-looking buffalo-skin overcoat, that was the height of fashion out east.  It also was a very necessary coat to keep him warm in our North Dakota stormy and cold weather.  One of his first travels was by buggy and horses to preach near Hillsboro, with a settler in another buggy guiding him through the heavy fog.  Soon both Rev. Hinck and the settler had lost the path completely.  They stopped and Rev. Hinck held both teams of horses while the other man searched for the path.  The horses looked around, saw what looked like a buffalo and took fright.  They ran away leaving both Rev. Hinck and the settler to have to walk to their destination in the foggy weather.  The horses were located several hours later at a nearby farm. Luckily Rev. Hinck was a determined and tough pastor who returned to North Dakota and became our first District president.  

Stay warm everyone!

     Have you ever thought about all the various talents people have in your church?  Did you think about your pastor having more talents than just leading his flock? This is a wonderful example of woodworking done by Pastor Patrick O’Brien for St John’s Lutheran church in Oakes.  It’s made of solid red oak with burgundy velvet backing and is 11 feet tall and has eight-foot-wide arms.  There is more than 40 feet of rope lighting attached to the cross back for dramatic effect.  This was hung in the church back in July 2000.  What a beautiful sight! 

     I’m guessing back 125 years ago the pastor did everything in the church from shoveling snow to keep the building warm to fixing anything that broke.  Now our pastors usually have people who do the janitorial work, the building repairs and other necessary work.  Do you know if your pastor has any special hobbies or talents that he could do for the church besides preaching?  Perhaps that special talent will bring him joy and relieving some stress from his regular duties! 

When we think about past Christmas programs, there were always lots of children. In more recent years so many churches have only 2-5 kids in Sunday school.  Well, in 1999, St. Paul, St. Thomas, still wanted to have a Christmas Eve program but with only 5 children, how could they do it?  Sunday school teacher Valerie Heuchert had an idea. She contacted parents, grandparents and friends and more than two dozen people participated in the service. The church was filled to capacity on Christmas Eve as people came for the wonderful program.  This might be an idea for some of our small churches today to keep traditions alive!