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223 S. Hallett Street P.O. Box 639 Office: 509-299-4114 |
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=============== ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ =============== The Mystery of Montley's Manor ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ ~~~~ Bazaar/Rummage Sale Preparation
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Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. Mathew 28:20 A Brief 100 Year History of St. John's Lutheran Church: 1902 - In March property at the corner of Hallett and Herb streets was purchased and later that year St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church was built at a cost of $975.10. Three years later the congregation voted to purchase an organ and choir books. 1903 - May 11, Articles of Incorporation were drawn up and sealed. Reverend J. B. Cronek accepted the call until sometime in 1920. 1911 - A new and larger parsonage was built. 1913 - The parsonage was painted. 1916 - Electric lights were installed in the church and parsonage. August 1917 - First confirmation class. 1920 - Reverend Ernest Schneppe was called and served until 1923. 1920 - The Ladies Aid group was started. 1923 - Reverend Samuel Lentz was called and served until 1931. In 1930 he began serving congregations in Missoula and Stevensville, Montana the first Sunday of each month. 1931 - The Women's Missionary Society was started. 1932 - Because of the Great Depression, St. John's found they couldn't support a full time pastor. Reverend Arthur M. Kettner, who was serving Reardan, Wilbur and Almira, agreed to also serve Medical Lake and services were reduced to twice a month. He served the four congregations till 1938. 1932 - Council meetings were held quarterly. After that they were held annually till 1940. During this time the annual budget was $600 for the pastor and $40 for the janitor. 1936 - At the annual meeting a resolution was made and carried that all confirmed members age eighteen and over, both men and women, be allowed to vote. 1938 - The congregation voted to sell the parsonage due to depressing times caused by the Great Depression. 1938 - Reverend Carl Henning Nau was called to serve Medical Lake and Sprague. He lived in the Sprague parsonage and each congregation had services every other Sunday. 1940 - Elsie Repp, the organist, was the first women to hold any church office when she took over the janitor's job. 1941 - Reverend Eric Fietz was called to serve both Sprague and Medical Lake. In 1943 he volunteered to serve as a chaplain in the U.S. Army but before he left he married the church organist, Elsie Repp. 1943 - In September, Reverend Arthur Matzke answered the call to serve Medical Lake and Sprague. He retired in 1962. 1944 - Henrietta Wilkes was the first women appointed to the auditing committee and in 1946 was the first women to be elected trustee of St. John's Church. 1962 - A special joint meeting between Medical Lake and Sprague was held on February 2nd. At this meeting it was decided to make an application for a new minister directly out of the seminary. On March 29, 1962 Wayne Olsen was called to be the Pastor for both churches. In 1969 he was called to Brookings, Oregon. 1964 - An old barracks building was purchased for $1400. creating our first parish hall. Another $1400. was spent to rewire the building with volunteer labor. 1969 - Reverend Gerald Dittrich was called to serve both Medical Lake and Sprague. In 1973 he accepted a call to Deer Park, Washington. 1973 - A call letter was drafted and sent to Reverend Wayne Olsen in Brookings, Oregon. With his acceptance it gave Medical Lake a full time, resident pastor. 1976 - On May 9th ground breaking services were held after church at the site of the new church building. Work progressed, the bell was moved from the old church and placed in the new steeple. As Christmas drew near, December 18th, chairs were borrowed from the high school and the Christmas program went on. Then on December 22nd the pews were delivered and a large crew of willing workers had them installed by ten o'clock that evening. 1977 - June 5th the new church was dedicated by Pastor Karl Ufer, Executive Assistant to the Bishop of the District. Two hundred sixty one people attended the dedication. 1979 - By summer the basement was completed. 1980 - Passover Dinner is started on Holy Thursday and was a great success. The tradition has continued. 1982 - Easter Sunday breakfast is started by Bill and Carol Metz. Bill had to give up his leadership in 1983 and Bud Glasgow volunteered to take over. 1982 - Eightieth Anniversary celebration. Lloyd Ham was appointed General Chairman and the theme "80 years of Grace from Our Lord" was chosen. 1993 - Pastor Wayne Olsen resigned the 1st of November as pastor of St. John's after 19 years of continuous leadership. Pastor Stan Williamson volunteered to be interim pastor through the month of November. Pastor Steve Gutzman took over as interim pastor the first week of December. 1994 - Pastor Steve was called from his interim to Sprague and Lind as their pastor. He was replaced as interim by Reverend Dawn Gregg. 1994 - Pastor Timothy Brown was installed by the Bishop as our Pastor on August 14th. 1996 - Pastor Tim initiated the Rally Day breakfast to start off the Sunday School year. Bud and his buddies have been putting on both Easter Sunday and Rally Day breakfast ever since. 1997 - The property and house north of the church was purchased 1999 - With a new Call for Pastor Tim to the Midwest, a new interim pastor arrived. Pastor Duane Ulleland stayed with us until a new full time pastor could be found. On December 1st Pastor Steve Gutzman accepted the Call and was installed December 12th. 2002 - Sunday July 21st, the beautiful stained glass windows were dedicated. 2003 - The handicapped ramp is completed. 2004 - The area north of the handicapped ramp is paved and the two lots directly behind the church are purchased.
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Please let the administrator of this web site (Terry Bonk) know of any changes needed. Thank You! 031205
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