History of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church

HISTORY OF CHRIST EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
Oldest Lutheran Church in Door County
1876
LIBERTY GROVE, HIGHWAY 57
Two Miles South of Sister Bay, Door County, Wisconsin
God wants his Gospel to be preached in all the world. His Word shall not return unto Him void. Where the Gospel is preached it will be spoken against. The history of Christ Ev. Lutheran Church of Liberty Grove bears that out.

Lutheran Christians from Europe had immigrated to Door County and settled in Liberty Grove Township. These Christians brought the Gospel with them. The Word of God was their guide and stay. They were concerned about the true, unadulterated Word of GOD. They were not satisfied with any and every one who came to win them for their own particular brand of interpretation of the Word. They knew that the Word of God is not of human interpretation. They were concerned abut finding and calling a Pastor who could preach the pure word of God to them according to the teachings of the Lutheran Church and instruct and teach their children in those blessed truths and doctrines. They were definitely concerned about their own and their children's' spiritual welfare. To take care of that a church and school were established.

These Lutheran Christians of Liberty Grove at first instituted reading services in the various homes where they would gather on the Lord's Day. They could not get along without worshipping on the day of rest.

Now an apostate Norwegian Lutheran Pastor came and tried to make them believe that he was a true shepherd, but had already joined the (Hernhuter) Moravian ranks. He for some time preached to them every third Sunday. He also instructed and confirmed their children. The Catechism used was called the Order of Salvation. It was not the Lutheran Catechism. They were soon to learn their mistake, that this was not Luther's Doctrine pure and sure.

A person by the name of Sturm, true to his name, began to do much blustery storming. He seems to have been the cause of much disturbance and dissatisfaction. He soon deserted their ranks. He could not convince or shake them to accept what they knew not to be the true Word of God. He then helped his faction build an opposition Church. That building was in the corner where the school house now stands and is no more. They called themselves the Albright Brethren or Evangelical Association.

At this time two men, Mr. Albrecht and Mr. Rudolph decided to write to St. Louis, Missouri for help in their spiritual distress to get a true Lutheran pastor. The letter never reached St. Louis. It seems the letter never was sent, but remained in the post office. Two men, the postmaster and the Herrnhuter Pastor Groenfeld connived not to send this letter to St. Louis. so the letter simply remained in the post office. When confronted with this accusation, neither made any attempt to deny it. These German Lutherans were his best source of income and for that reason he did not want to lose them. Because of that it seems he even became what we today would call a well-to-do man financially.

When this attempt did not succeed, another family who knew or had heard of Pastor Reinsch in Milwaukee, decided to write to him. Pastor Reinsch in the meantime had moved to another field of labor. The letter reached him nevertheless. He then forwarded this letter to his successor Pastor Kuechle. Pastor Kuechle answered the letter and told them to contact Pastor Zimmerman who was stationed at the place we now call Rankin, southwest of Algoma. It seems he could not immediately come.

Now reading services were continued. Groenfeld now again made an attempt to hold onto these German Lutherans. He did not want to lose this good financial source of income. His overture now was that he promised to get an Evangelical pastor. Just Evangelical, not Evangelical Lutheran. A short time later he brought and introduced a man to them by the name of Cohman, who was to be their pastor. It seems this man never preached at a service. At least there is no record or mention of the past. He came and instituted what was to be a Sunday School. But the people themselves were to do the teaching, he would only supervise. He strutted up and down the church aisle. His attitude seems to have been so haughty that people decided not to go the second time.

Pastor Zimmerman still had not come. August Labude took it upon himself to go down and get him. He came. He held divine service. This was the year of 1875. The people importuned him to come again and celebrate Holy Communion so they could partake of the Blessed Sacrament. He did just that. At his second visit a meeting was called and this group at Liberty Grove decided to extend a call for a pastor. They called but because of the great shortage of pastors they had to wait until the class would graduate at the St. Louis Seminary. The call was extended to a candidate of the graduating class. Until the time that their pastor would arrive, they now were served by Pastor Jonas of (Ahnapee) Algoma, Pastor Koehler of Forestville and Pastor Zimmerman of Rankin.

The little flock now, immediately, started to build a church that should be ready, if possible, by the time their called pastor should arrive. Since the pastor did not immediately come after his graduation, the opposition began to taunt and ridicule them by saying: "For whom do you think you are building a church. You will never get a pastor. He just won't come. You'll have to pay a much larger salary than you promised." This discouragement seemed only to spur them to greater concerted efforts. The church was built and could be dedicated on the second Sunday after the installation of their first pastor.

No provision had been made where the pastor should live. William Dorn Sr., offered a small log house he had. It was repaired and made livable for the new pastor.

L. F. Huber of the graduating class had received and accepted the call as the first resident pastor of Christ Ev. Lutheran Church of Liberty Grove.

Pastor Huber arrived August 31, 1876. He was installed by Pastor Zimmerman on the 12th Sunday after Trinity. The 14th Sunday after Trinity the church was dedicated. It was a beautiful day. The congregation assembled itself at the home of Carl Gross and marched from there singing the hymn: "Now Thank We All Our God", to the church. Pastor Zimmerman and Koehler were the festal speakers. Psalm 24, Verses 7 to 10 were read when the door was unlocked. The first confirmation was held Palm Sunday, 1877. The parsonage was built in 1877. Pastor L. F. Huber remained only three years. He received and accepted a call to St. John's Congregation, Olive Bank, Lancaster County, Nebraska, August 1879.

Pastor John Marshall Johnannes accepted the call extended to him April 6, 1880. He had served as pastor at Ahnapee for two years and four months. He was installed by Pastor Koehler of Forestville on Ascension Day, 1880. During the pastorate of J. M. Johannes the controversy of predestination disturbed the Lutheran Church in America. He took the congregation by congregational vote into the Ohio Synod. He handed in his resignation January 23, 1882. Health it appears would not permit him to teach school and do also the other pastoral work.

Pastor Anton Daniel Stecher was the next pastor to serve Christ Ev. Lutheran Church. He too had been in variance with the Missouri Synod of which he was a member because of personal difficulties and for a time was not employed as a pastor, but lived at Oshkosh. It seems Pastor Johnannes had promised not to leave until his successor was installed. Pastor Stecher it seems was installed without a call from the congregation. He was installed the same day, Sunday, June 11, 1882, that Johnannes preached his farewell sermon. Stecher first received his written call from the congregation the first Sunday in Advent, 1883. Johnannes had recommended Stecher to them, and under Stecher the complete break with the Missouri Synod was first consummated. Under him, though, the congregation seems to hav attained a certain degree of inner peacefulness in their own affairs, so that he could say, "that certain relatives had given up all efforts to try to persuade them to go over to the neighboring Moravian or Methodist Congregations". During Stecher's time, a log cabin church at Ellison Bay was completed and dedicated Sunday, November 26, 1882. At this time the preaching services at Baileys Harbor were discontinued and the few members asked to come to the Liberty Grove Church.

Pastor W. Kuesel served the congregation from February 10, 1885 until his death April 16, 1908. He served the congregation 23 years. During his time, the school house, now used as parish hall, was erected and dedicated on Monday, November 16, 1885 at 6 o'clock evening service. He also served Ellison Bay congregation until 1904 when Christ Ev. Church resolved that their pastor was not to go to Ellison Bay. Pastor Kuesel baptized 300 children during his tenure of office. During his time in 1905, the tower was added to the church and bell purchased. Many other improvements were added to the property.

After Pastor Kuesel many pastors followed in quick succession. None stayed very long with the exception of H. Sievers. The Pastors that served are: G. H. Schoemperlen, 1908-1910; H. Bock, 1910-1911; A. Kilian, 1912-1914; C. F. Slubenvoll, 1915-1917; H. Sievers, 1918-1930; H. Timmke, 1930-1934; W. G. Hoffman, 1934-1941. The next pastors served with a call and only assumed the duties: W. M. Abramson, 1941-1944; Paul E. Stolz, 1945-1948; E. A. Fretheim, 1948-1949. Other pastors that have served the congregation during occasions: S. T. Anderson, W. H. Behrens, Fr. Proehl, W. G. Fuhlbrigge. Pastor of West Jacksonport Zion Ev. Lutheran was contacted by the board members of Christ Ev. Lutheran Church in April of 1950 asking if it would be possible to serve them as pastor. At a duly called meeting April 26, 1950, the congregation of its own volition unanimously decided to join the Wisconsin Synod and to call W. H. Fuhlbrigge as its regular pastor. The pastor was installed by Pastor Melvin Croll of Green Leaf, Wisconsin at an afternoon service Sunday, May 14, 1950. The congregation by its own voluntary action returned to the circle from which it emanated and which it was founded in 1876, the Synodical Conference of North America.

The congregation for the celebrating of its 75th anniversary has undertaken a renovation program of its church buildings.

The first baptism in 1876 of which there is a record was Ernst William Edward Beyer, September 15, 1876. The first baptism in the completed church was August Emil Ludwig Goetsch and Albert August Johnannes Rowe on October 1, 1876. The first marriage performed September 27, 1878 was of Albert Julius Carl Uttech and Regina Anna Mohr.

The first two burials were children, an infant of Heinrich Buntrock on January 27, 1878 and a son 12 1/2 years old drowned while fishing on September 16, 1878.

The first confirmation class was on March 25, 1877 consisting of the following: Herman Gross, Robert Mueller, Carl Goetsch, John Vetter, John Radant, Karl Sailer, John Hempel, Augusta Gross, Bertha Mueller, Albertina Labude, Bertha Rudolph, Barbara Vetter, Mathilda Pheil.

37 attended the first communion.

During the 75 years, 498 received baptism, 286 were confirmed, 86 marriages were performed, 147 received Christian burial.

The Charter members according to the records were: Ludwig Beyer, Carll Dorn, William Dorn, Sr., August Dorn, Carl Gross, Fredrich Gross, August Labude, Carl Mahnke, Johann Mueller, Fredrich Mueller, William Rowe, Fredrich Winter.

The Church property was insured for the first time on April 12, 1909. It is the oldest Lutheran Church north of Sturgeon Bay in Door County.

Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church during its 75 years has gone through many trials to remain faithful to the Word of God. May the kind Lord in His mercy ever watch over it to keep it faithful to His Word, the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Note: this was reprinted from a pamphlet printed on the 75th anniversary of the church in 1951.

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