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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
1611 E. Main St.
1971 ESTABLISHED
1972
05 01 GROUND BREAKING
< 1972 Ground breaking
Signage notes worshiping at the Green Bowl during construction.
“I remember Sunday
school classes at the Green Bowl - it involved playing on the bar stools.”
-- -- CHURCH BUILT BY MAAS BROS.
c.1975
1979
04 02 Bethesda Lutheran Home 75th anniversary celebration, participation in WDT
1981
10 25 10th ANNIVERSARY
Many of Watertown's churches have
been in existence more than 100 years.
This is a community with deep spiritual traditions dating back to the
1840s and 1850s when Watertown was a fledgling settlement on the banks of the
Rock River. Good Shepherd Lutheran
Church provides an exception to the long and rich histories of Watertown
churches as members celebrate the young congregation's 10th anniversary this
Sunday. The idea of a new congregation
sprouted shortly after members of St. John's
Lutheran Church voted to sever its affiliation with the Lutheran
Church-Missouri Synod, on Aug. 30, 1971.
Officials of the South Wisconsin District of the synod immediately began
discussing the possibility of establishing a mission congregation. A meeting was held Sept. 22, 1971, for
individuals interested in forming a new Lutheran congregation in
Watertown. One hundred and sixty-three
signed a register that night indicating interest in a new church.
1985
06 23 MORTGAGE BURNING
CEREMONY
Good Shepherd Lutheran
Church will hold a special mortgage burning ceremony Sunday at 9 a.m. at the
church. Speakers include the Rev. Donald
Wilke, current pastor of the church who has served the parish since August 1978,
and the Rev. Marvin Henschel, first pastor of Good Shepherd who served the
congregation from March 1972 to November 1976.
Rev. Henschel will address the group via videotape from Ponca City,
Okla. Also participating in the service
will be members of the congregation who served as officers of the church during
its construction. Immediately following
the service of praise and thanksgiving, Aid Association for Lutherans Branch
4579 will host a reception in the learning center. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church was organized
in October 1971 by 130 former members of St. John's Lutheran Church. A site committee was formed immediately and
shortly thereafter a building committee was organized. Ground breaking ceremonies were held in May
1972 and the cornerstone was laid in October 1972. Worship services were temporarily held at the
American Legion Green Bowl, now Lindberg's By the River Restaurant, until the
church building was completed. The first
service in the new church was held Dec. 21, 1972, with dedication services on
Feb. 4, 1973. WDT
1991
10 18 20th ANNIVERSARY
Good Shepherd Lutheran
Church, 1611 E. Main St., will celebrate 20 years of services the next two
Sundays. On Sunday, the Good Shepherd
congregation will return to the site of its beginnings with services at Lindberg’s
By the River, formerly the Green Bowl.
The Rev. Horst Jordan, who served as vacancy pastor during the
congregation’s first months of existence, will be the preacher at the 8 and 10
a.m. services. His message, “A Great Inheritance,” will be based on 1 Peter,
Chapter 1. Special music will be
provided by a 20-member brass choir directed by Patricia Neuberger, the church
choir directed by Judy Zillmer and the Jubilation Choir directed by Maryellen
Lowe. WDT
1993
05 18 REV.
SCHWANDT ACCEPTED A CALL
Rev. Richard L. Schwandt,
pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church for the past nine years, has accepted a
call to serve as senior pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Hickory, N.C. He will preach his farewell sermon at Good
Shepherd at the June 6 weekend services.
Schwandt said Christ Lutheran is a downtown congregation in a changing
neighborhood. “I had other calls, but
when I received this call, I felt this is where the Lord wanted me to go, that
this is where my gifts would be beneficial.
The change will be good for me and for the church there. We must help one another to better lives and
life with God,” Schwandt said. WDT
1999
06 13 NEW EDUCATIONAL
FACILITY
Members of
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church celebrated the
completion of their new educational facility over the weekend. Hosting a Good Neighbors Festival, the church
invited people of the Watertown area to share in the celebration with
activities including a dedication service on Sunday, a congregation picnic and
a concert by a nationally known Christian recording artist. In addition, a high flying outreach ministry
called “Lift High the Cross” featured a 70-foot-tall hot air balloon with two
40-foot crosses as its focal point. The
balloon met with a mishap Friday when an unexpected storm ripped the
lighter-than-air craft. Temporary repair
efforts allowed the balloon to be inflated briefly Sunday afternoon. WDT
09 29 CLASSES IN NEW ADDITION
Church members
attending classes at Good Shepherd Lutheran this fall are entering a recently
built new addition. The
22,000-square-foot addition is part of a long-range plan to expand facilities
and education services to better serve the needs of the growing congregation. The expanded facilities, built at a cost of
$1,442,000 takes the congregation a step closer to opening its own Christian
day school. A feasibility study is under
way by the church's Genesis Committee for starting an elementary grade school
in the future. WDT
2006
09 09 35th ANNIVERSARY
CELEBRATION
The first resident
pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Watertown will be the guest preacher
during worship services this weekend as the congregation continues its 35th
anniversary celebration. The theme of
the anniversary is “Surely The Lord Is In This Place,” exemplifying the
blessings Good Shepherd has experienced over the past 35 years. The Rev. Marvin Henschel was the first pastor
at Good Shepherd and is now in Oklahoma City, Okla. Henschel was born and raised in the Sheboygan
area and began his ministerial studies at Concordia College in Milwaukee in
1951. Upon graduation in 1955, he received
a bachelor of arts degree and enrolled at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis,
Mo. He received his master of divinity
degree in 1960 and earned a master of education degree in 1969 from the
University of Oklahoma. WDT
2008
04 03 STEPHEN SERIES LEADER’S
TRAINING COURSE
Five members of Good
Shepherd Lutheran Church in Watertown were among 423 pastors and congregational
leaders at a Stephen Series Leader’s Training Course held March 30 to April 5
in St. Louis, Mo. The Rev. David Groth,
Kathy Wagner, Cheryl Roets, Patrick Downey and Michelle Downey attended the
oneweek training event hosted by the St. Louis-based Stephen Ministries
organization. Participants came from
across the U.S. and Canada to learn how to implement and direct Stephen
Ministry, a system of Christian caregiving, in their congregations. WDT
2009
10 13 FREE PAPER
SHREDDING EVENT
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
will be holding a free paper shredding for the community event on
Saturday. An opportunity to make donations
to the United Way of Watertown, the Watertown Police Department K-9 project,
Rainbow Hospice, Bethesda Lutheran Communities and the Watertown Humane
Society.
“We’ve really been trying to
emphasize community service more than we have in the past. I’d like to see every member and every group
of our church doing something for the community — from building a home with
Habitat for Humanity to teaching English as a second language. We don’t do acts of mercy to grow the church,
or just so we can witness to people. We do them because that’s who we are. We do them because that’s what Christ
did. Sometimes we worry too much about
the world seeping into the church, when what we should be worrying about is
whether the church is seeping out into the world.”
- Rev. David Groth of Good
Shepherd Church
The Community Gardens of Good
Shepherd also came out of this emphasis.
“We were cash poor but land rich,
and thought some folks who live in apartments might really enjoy growing their
own food. We weren’t able to offer
gardens this year until the very end of the planting season. Still, folks
signed up for nine garden plots, and they seemed to produce pretty well.
Overall, people really took good care of their plots, and we always enjoyed
seeing them out there, taking in some of the beautiful summer days we
had.” WDT
2018
04 04 GAIL GROTH
Gail Noreen Groth (nee Bird), of
Watertown, passed away on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, at the age of 56.
Born in Newark, New York, Gail grew
up in Elm Grove. She graduated from
Brookfield Central and then from University of Wisconsin-Madison as an
occupational therapist. Gail met her
husband, David, at Calvary Lutheran Student Chapel in Madison, and the two very
quickly fell in love and were married on Feb. 6, 1988. Weeks later they moved to St. Louis,
Missouri, where God blessed the marriage with three children. In St. Louis Gail worked as a certified hand
therapist at Barnes Hospital. As a
therapist, Gail loved helping patients regain the use of their hands following
traumatic injuries. During this time,
Gail also received a master's degree in health science from Washington
University in St. Louis and published many peer-reviewed articles on topics
related to hand therapy.
In 2001, the family moved to
Watertown. While working part time and raising a family, Gail also returned to
UW-Madison and in 2010 was awarded a Ph.D. in kinesiology. For a time, she was adjunct faculty at
UW-Madison until she began working for UW Hospitals and Clinics as a
rehabilitation manager for upper extremity injuries. As a manager, Gail loved hiring newly
graduated therapists and helping them launch their careers. Over the course of her 32-year career, Gail
impacted untold numbers of patients and co-workers with her skills, warmth and
gentle faith. She also impacted the
field of hand therapy with her research and creativity.
Gail had the gift of hospitality
and opened her home to many. She had an uncanny
way of cultivating loving relationships with people of all ages and from
diverse backgrounds. Throughout her
life, Gail had a deep and abiding faith in her Savior Jesus, and had an easy,
comfortable way of witnessing to His love and grace. In many and various ways Gail was a bastion
of support to her husband and his work as a pastor. Gail was an accomplished musician and
gardener and delighted her family with croissants she learned to bake in Paris. Mostly, however, her husband and children
will cherish her unshakable love, uncommon wisdom and beautiful smile.
Gail leaves behind her husband,
David, and three children: Emily, Stephanie and Jonathan (and also a fourth AFS
daughter, Sara Fernandez of Madrid). Gail also leaves her parents (Dick and Mary
Bird); sisters, Susan, Martha and MaryAnn; and many other extended family and
friends.
The family wishes to thank their
church family at Good Shepherd, the people of Rainbow Hospice, Dr. Michael
Eastman, her co-workers at UW Hospitals and Clinics and many others who helped
Gail live with cancer for over 10 years.
The family also wishes to thank Pederson-Nowatka Funeral Home for its
service.
A memorial service will take
place at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Watertown on Saturday at 11 a.m. with
the Rev. Leonard Payton presiding. Visitation at the church will begin prior to
the service at 9 a.m. The committal will take place at Evergreen Cemetery in
Helenville.
2019
05 19 SANCTUARY UPDATE
It seems the project is
exceeding our expectations on numerous levels. Yes, it will be more expensive
than we initially thought, but also more beautiful. Many are talking about how much larger the
space feels, and brighter. It’s easier
to read the hymnals and bulletins, and minus the cove the acoustics have improved
a bit too. The electrical work was
recently completed. Aaron Oestreich is looking into installing permanent speakers and
video equipment.
The walls have been
primed and painted. (Thank you, Jim Neitzel. Jim took
off of work the week of April 22 and took on the enormous task of priming and
painting our worship space. Jim happened
to be the one who painted our sanctuary when it was first built in the early
seventies!)
Those doing the work (architect,
Maas Bros., United Electric, Watertown Siding) have been wonderful to work
with: professional, courteous, clean, and with the highest standards. Thanks to our custodians for their extra
work. Thanks to all those who set up and
tore down for worship in the sanctuary and in the Fellowship Hall. Thanks to our custodian (Rick Kuhlman) who
saw an opportunity and seized it: He
borrowed the lift that was here and used it to sand and paint the cross on top
of the bell tower. Thanks also to Tim Raether for steering the Sanctuary Project through Phase
1The first two stained glass windows should be installed on Tuesday, April 30.
I can hardly wait!
Pastor Groth
06 30 PRESIDENT’S VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD
Bethesda employee and volunteer
Naomi Neuberger was awarded the President’s Volunteer Service Award, bronze
level, which recognizes citizens who live a life of service through
presidential gratitude and national recognition. Neuberger received the award by giving over
100 hours of her time over the past several years to help people supported by
Bethesda.
Working with her congregation, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
in Watertown, Neuberger was a key partner for Bethesda’s production of Night to
Shine, a prom for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. For two years, she planned and coordinated
all of the volunteers for a pre-prom formal wear event in which prom-goers
could get outfitted for the dance. The
event was hosted at Good Shepherd where she also mobilized congregants and
friends to bake cookies and volunteer at Night to Shine.
In addition to supporting Night to Shine, Neuberger
and the Rev. David Groth, who is also a supporter of Bethesda, have been
instrumental in motivating the congregation at Good Shepherd with local
needs. Neuberger knows all of the people
supported by Bethesda in the area, having served them professionally as a Bethesda
employee for over 25 years.
Neuberger continues to advocate for many people
supported by Bethesda as a case manager for Care Wisconsin. She’s also involved
in the Lutheran Women’s Mission League and helps people supported by Bethesda
feel welcome at church. Along with the
ultimate honor of presidential recognition, Neuberger received a personalized
certificate, an official pin and a congratulatory letter from the president of
the United States.
2020
04 10 DRIVE-IN EASTER SERVICE BECAUSE OF COVID-19
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1611 E. Main St. in Watertown, will
host a drive-in Easter service at 10:30 a.m. Sunday. A temporary short-range FM radio station
(91.1) is being set up and will be broadcast a quarter of a mile from the
church. It is a way of congregating to
celebrate the Lord’s resurrection, while also observing social distance
rules. The music will be aired live from
the sanctuary and Pastor David Groth will be conducting the service from a tent
facing the parking lot. Worshippers won’t
have to leave their car, and, in fact, are asked not to do so. If allowed, a bulletin will be prepared with
gloved hands and may be distributed with gloved hands. All are invited to wear
comfortable clothing, sip their morning coffee, sing as loud as desired, and
chirp their horn for the final “Amen!”
2021
10 22 PASTOR APPRECIATION EVENT
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church recently held a pastor appreciation
celebration for the pastors at the church. From left were Pastor David Groth, Pastor Rich-ard Thompson,
Dr. Dan Paavola, Pastor Victor Tegtmeier and Elder
Nate Wegner who did the presentation.
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin