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ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
St. Luke’s Lutheran Church
Congregation
founded in 1849
1866
Church at
WWW_005_001
1849
FOUNDING OF
Daniel Kusel [Sr] one of
founders
1850
ORGANIZING OF
The German Evangelical Protestant church in North Fourth Street
celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of that church in this
city last Sunday. It was organized here
in 1850, and the congregation first held services at the Buena Vista house. It is the oldest German congregation in the
city.
1862
1862
Detailed Family Membership List
1866
The church
was erected in 1866, the year following the close of the Civil War.
St.
Luke's dates back to a congregation that was organized before 1849. The first secretarial records speak of
councilmen whose terms had expired and new men were elected. This secretarial record is dated Jan. 7,
1849.
In the
year, 1849 the congregation was incorporated under the name of "The
Evangelical German Church, Watertown, Wis."
In
1909, with the Rev. Herman Sterz as pastor, the congregation was reorganized
and incorporated under the name "(German) Evangelical Lutheran
Church," a confessional church body in unity of faith with the Lutheran
Church of the Wisconsin Synod. The
church known as St. Luke's Lutheran Church had been associated with that synod
since that time.
1875
Rev John H
Brockman becomes pastor
1883
August 1883 commemorative item of some sort
given to Rev. Knaack of what is now St. Luke's Lutheran Church for his
jubilee. Signed by prominent early
German Watertown citizens at assumed anniversary of being a pastor. This would have been awarded to him at what
was then known as a "benefit supper," or "donation party."
1891
04 034 CHANDELIER
An
elegant nine-jet chandelier for the Protestant
Evangelical church of this city has just been completed by the Western Mfg.
Co. It is as fine a piece of work as was
ever manufactured in that line and is a credit to this young institution. WG
1900
08 24 50th
ANNIVERSARY
The German Evangelical Protestant church in North Fourth Street
celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of that church in this
city last Sunday. It was organized here
in 1850, and the congregation first held services at the Buena Vista house, Rev. Mr. Rentch being the
officiating clergyman. It is the oldest
German congregation in the city. Rev.
Herman Sterz is the present pastor, and the board of trustees is composed of
Christian Schmutzler, president; Ulrich Habhegger, secretary; Robert. H.
Radtke. Treasurer; Frederick Brandt, A. Dittes, H. Scholz and S. E.
Kuenzie. The floral decorations in the
interior of the church on this occasion were the most elaborate of the kind
ever undertaken here, and the musical program carried out was beautiful and
inspiring. Rev. Mr. Seidel, of
Reedsburg, presided at both the morning and evening services, and the history
of the church was gone over by the pastor.
WG
1900
ST. LUKE’S INTERIOR VIEW
1903
04 11 CONFIRMATION
CLASS
Last
Sunday a class of 11 children was confirmed at the Evangelical Protestant
Lutheran church. The church was profusely
decorated with palms and a variety of flowers which added many charms to the
interior appearance. An unusually large
attendance was present who gave their undivided attention to the able address
made by their pastor. Rev. H. Sterz.
Miss Radtke, organist of the church, furnished most excellent
music. The class included: Ernest Peters, Clara Priens, Berto Saum,
Clara Gehrke, Mabel Kuehn, Laura Neumann, Elsa Heck, Adela Tobian, Gertrude
Wilkowski, Lydia Wendt and Minnie Gehrke.
1940
12 13 1940
Rededication
services were held at St. Luke's Evangelical Lutheran Church to mark the
completion of a remodeling and redecorating program.
The
old vestry was removed and a new one built in its place. There was also a
second new vestry on the opposite side of the altar. This work was done by men
of the parish. It greatly improved the appearance of the church's interior. The
pulpit, which for many years dominated the altar, was moved to a new position
at one side of the altar.
The
redecorating was done by Schmutzler's Paint Store and the color scheme and
designs throughout were beautifully blended.
A new carpet was laid, a gift from Henry Hafemeister of the Hafemeister
Furniture Store.
To
mark the dedication there were two services; one in German and the second in
English.
1941
DISTANT VIEW
North Fourth St.
1947
01 30 1947
The high
winds and heavy snows toppled over the large chimney at the old St. Luke's
Lutheran Church on North Fourth St. WHS_005_543
1948
GERMAN IMMIGRANT ARCHITECTURE AND NEIGHBORHOOD CHURCHES
1948 sketch of N Fourth St.
1949
11 03 1949
Celebration
of 40th anniversary of establishment as in Evangelical Lutheran Church
communicant member of the Evangelical Lutheran Joint Synod of Wisconsin and
Other States. Some 540 souls.
1953
FOURTH STREET GERMAN HOUSES
1955
08 18 1955
St.
Luke's Evangelical Lutheran congregation, through its board of trustees, last
night authorized the sale of its present church property in North Fourth Street
as well as the parsonage at 312 South Fourth Street and delegated Verne Halle
of the Verne Halle Co., realtor, to negotiate the sales.
The
sale of the properties is in line with the overall plans of St. Luke's
congregation to build a new church and parsonage in the Seventh Ward. Plans for
the new church were first announced in the Times on March 4 when it was
reported that the congregation had purchased a three and one-half acre tract of
land in the Henry Schaller subdivision for $10,000 as a site for its new church
edifice. Officials of the church, together with the pastor, the Rev. I. G.
Uetzmann, have been at work on overall plans for some time.
It now
appears likely that the work on the new church will be undertaken in the near
future.
1955
08 19 1955
Congregation
authorized sale of N Fourth St church property (church, 207 N Fourth and
caretaker’s house (Frank Schwefel resident), 203 N Fourth) as well as the
parsonage at 312 S Fourth St. Church
services, while once only in German, were concentrated in English in 1955,
although some German services will still held at the time.
1955
11 14 1955
St.
Luke's Lutheran Congregation, which is soon expected to begin work on the
construction of a new church edifice in the Seventh Ward where it has acquired
property in the Henry Schaller development, is going to offer its old property,
fronting on North Fourth Street, as a site for an off-street parking lot. The offer is expected to reach the City
Council at its next meeting. A t one time the city did show interest in the site,
when off-street parking lots were first being discussed. It was also learned today that at least one,
and possibly more offers from others who own downtown sites, will be made to
the council for the development of off-street parking areas.
1955 CHURCH
PROPERTY FOR SALE
St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, as well as the adjoining
house to the south of the church, are being offered for sale. The congregation earlier this year purchased
a three and one-half acre site in the Seventh Ward for a new church and
parsonage. Also shown here is the
caretaker’s home at 203 North Fourth Street at the right. The caretaker’s home at present is being
occupied by Frank F. Schwefel. Also to
be sold is the present parsonage which is located on the other side of Main
Street, at 312 South Fourth Street.
Verne Halle, Watertown realtor, was designated last night by the church
trustees to dispose of the properties.
12 08 There appears little likelihood at this
time that the City Council will purchase either of the two latest properties
being offered for off-street parking lots.
The two offers which were made at the Nov. 15 meeting of the council
were those of St. Luke's Lutheran Church council and the Watertown Implement
Co. The church property fronts on North
Fourth Street, where the present church is located. The property includes the caretaker's house
to the south of the church building and part of the property runs through to
North Fifth Street by means of a small alleyway. The Watertown Implement Co. property is at
309-311 South First Street.
1956
05 10 The City Council by a 3 to 1 vote last
night decided to offer St. Luke's Lutheran congregation $25,000 for its
property in North Fourth Street for off-street parking lot purposes. The offer
includes both the church and the caretaker's residence adjoining it. Councilman Raymond F. Franz told the council
that while he is a member of the congregation that fact has nothing to do with
his request that the offer be made. The
congregation plans to build a new church in the seventh ward where it acquired
a three and one-half acre site in the Schaller Addition last year. The church offered the site to the city on
several earlier occasions the first asking price having been reported as
$40,000. In the event the city buys the
property it will also have to bear the cost of demolishing the buildings and
leveling the area and make it ready for parking.
06 08 Pending plans to have the City Council
purchase the old St. Luke's Church property in North Fourth Street and convert
it into an off-street parking lot received severe setback last night in the
form of a vigorous protest petition filed with the Council by 56 taxpayers who
own property in the vicinity. The Council at a recent meeting voted to make an
offer of $25,000 for the property and this offer is now pending before the
congregation. The city, however, has as yet made no commitment to carry through
the deal if the church membership approves. The petitioners state that
converting it into a parking lot will deteriorate the value of property in the
region and will provide a nuisance and that their privacy will be disturbed.
They also cite the fact that the general area is already served by other
parking lots not too far removed.
08 18 The City Council has sounded the death
knell for the plan to purchase the St. Luke's Church property in North Fourth
Street for the sum of $25,000. The congregation plans to abandon the site when
it builds a new church in the Schaller Addition in the Seventh Ward. The old
church property had been proposed for a new city parking lot. The vote was 3 to
2, with Councilman Raymond F. Franz, sponsor of the resolution, and Councilman
Frederick Harder casting the only votes to purchase the property. Councilmen E.
A. Biefeld, B. V. Krueger and George Shephard voted “No” on the measure.
1958
11 14 Proposed
off-street parking lot, St. Luke's Church property WDT
1959
04
13 St. Luke's Lutheran Church, North
Fourth Street, of which the Rev. I.G. Uetzmann is pastor, will break ground for
its new church edifice on Sunday. The
new church will be erected at the corner of South Third and Clark Streets in
the city's Seventh Ward. Services
marking the occasion will be held in the church Sunday morning at 8 and 10
o'clock. The actual ceremony of breaking
ground will take place on the site of the new church in the Seventh Ward at
11:15 a.m., following the 10 a.m. service at the church. WDT
05 01 Building
permit for new St. Luke's church and parsonage, estimated expenditure of
$170,000 WDT
07 29 The
cornerstone laying ceremony for St. Luke's Lutheran congregation's new church
will be held on Sunday morning, the pastor, the Rev. I.G. Uetzmann, said
today. A parsonage for the pastor of St.
Luke's Church is part of the new church structure, the two being attached. The general contractor is Arthur W. Griebenow
of Beaver Dam. The architect is Hugo Logamann
of Milwaukee. St. Luke's congregation
will continue to occupy the present church until the first of the year, when it
is to be taken over as part of the plan for the new city parking lot which the
Wisconsin Telephone Co. is to develop in that area to replace the South Fifth
Street lot which the company intends to utilize for its telephone building
expansion program. WDT
1960
01 28 The final services to be conducted in St. Luke's
Lutheran Church, North Fourth Street, will be held on Sunday, according to
announcement made earlier this week.
Thereafter the congregation will worship in the basement quarters of the
new church now under construction at South Third and Clark Streets. Completion of the new church is nearing and
plans call for the dedication of the new edifice sometime after Easter. The pastor of the church, the Rev. I.G.
Uetzmann, said today that for Sunday there will be three communion services in
the old church. The church building
which is soon to pass into history was constructed in 1866 and in the
intervening years underwent remodeling and improvements several times. The present pastor, the Rev. Mr. Uetzmann,
came here in 1941. He and his wife will
shortly occupy a new parsonage which is part of the new church
construction. WDT
DEMOLITION IN PROGRESS
03 16 NEW
PARKING LOT EXPANDED
The new parking lot
which will be created in North Fourth Street to replace the one now in
existence in South Fifth Street will be expanded with the addition of adjacent
property, which the city council last night voted to acquire at a cost of
$9,000. The land will be purchased from
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Knoll. The land is
located at 201 North Fourth Street. The
sum of $1,000 will be paid before March 31, with the balance of $8,000 to be
paid upon the delivery of the warranty deed and merchantable abstract. The money will be taken from the parking
meter fund. WDT
03 22 Yet another significant Watertown
landmark, St. Luke's Lutheran Church, disappeared from the city's scene. It was replaced with a beautiful asphalt
parking lot. Work on demolishing the old
structure began with the loss of the roof and continued with the wrecking of
the brick edifice. The work is in charge
of the Greeler Wrecking Service of Neosho which has a crew of men here doing
the job. The church was erected in 1866
- the year following the close of the Civil War.
The
North Fourth Street church property was acquired by the Wisconsin Telephone Co.
which used it and other nearby property for developing a new city parking lot
which it will turn over to Watertown to replace the city's South Fifth Street
parking lot adjoining the telephone company building. The company will use the present lot for
expanding its Watertown plant and installations. WDT
03 30 1860 penny recovered in connection with
demolition; Richard Hoge WDT
05 26 Confirmation service WDT
1964
10 29 WISCONSIN LUTHERAN CHAPEL AND STUDENT
CENTER AT MADISON
The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod which numbers St. Mark’s and
Trinity Lutheran Churches in Watertown among its members and of which St.
Luke’s Lutheran church is an associate has made plans for the construction of
the Wisconsin Lutheran chapel and student center at Madison. The Rev. Henry E. Paustian, one of the
pastors of St. Mark’s church, who serves as missions chairman of the synod’s
western district, first made the plans known several months ago and the
purchase of property for the construction has now been completed.
1965
04 04 PARKING LOT APPROVED
Purchase by the city of the Lloyd Kopp property at the northwest corner
of Main and North Fifth Streets, recently approved by the common council, has
been completed. The building on the
property is to be razed and the site will be used for further development of
the North Fifth Street widening project.
The city paid $16,000 for the property.
1974
School built at 801 South Fifth
Street
1989
04 30 140th ANNIVERSARY
St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Third and
Clark streets, will observe its 140th anniversary with a series of special
church service themes on four consecutive Sundays beginning this week. The services are conducted at 8 a.m. and
10:15 a.m. The sermon themes will center
around the formal name of the congregational and what each word in it
means. The services are being planned
jointly by the Rev. Ervine Vomhof, pastor of the church, and Dr. Arnold
Lehmann, retired professor of music at Northwestern College, choir director and
a member of the congregation.
1991
10 31 REV. SCHULTZ IS NEW PASTOR
The Rev. Anthony Schultz will be installed as the new pastor of St.
Luke’s Lutheran Church, Third and Clark streets, in a special afternoon service
Sunday at 4 o’clock. The Rev. Mark
Schroeder, president of Northwestern Prep School, will deliver the sermon on
the theme “Promises, Promises.”
Professor Steven Ehlke will install Schultz into his new office. Professor David Gosdeck will conduct the
liturgy and Dr. Arnold Lehmann will write the special service and be the organist. The congregation’s senior choir, under
Lehmann’s direction, will sing for the service.
1999
04 04 $3.2 million expansion of church; a 10
classroom school facility and a church expansion. WDT
12 02 Dedication of
expanded and renovated facilities WDT
2001
09 17 PRINCIPAL MOELLER’S
25th
Trinity-St. Luke's
Lutheran School will observe the 25th teaching anniversary of Principal James
Moeller on Sunday. A service of thanks
and praise for Moeller's ministry will be held at 3 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran
Church, 604 S. Fifth St. A reception
will follow the service. Moeller
graduated Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minn., in 1976. Before moving to Watertown in 1988, he served
two congregations of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) located in
Houston, Texas, and Chicago, Ill. In
addition to the principalship, Moeller has taught grades seven and eight, and
served as organist at Trinity Church. He
still teaches some math classes and serves as administrator of the joint school
operated by Trinity and St. Luke's congregations. He also serves as parish schools coordinator
for the Western Wisconsin District of the WELS. WDT
2017
07 26 REV.
GARTNER ACCEPTED CALL
The Rev. Mark Gartner
will preach his last sermon at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church Thursday at 7 p.m.
and Sunday at 7:45 and 9:30 a.m. A
dinner will be held in the church’s fellowship hall at 11:45 a.m. on Sunday in
celebration of Gartner’s 25 years in the ministry and appreciation for his 19
years of service at St. Luke’s. Gartner
has accepted a call to St. John’s Lutheran Church in Appleton. WDT
2019
06 23 PASTOR
RECOGNIZED FOR 40 YEARS
The Rev. Anthony
Schultz, pastor at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Watertown, was honored with a
special service on June 23 to commemorate his 40 years in the preaching
ministry and his retirement from that full-time ministry.
Nearly 500 members of
the congregation and friends of Schultz attended the service and the dinner and
program in his honor which followed.
The Rev. Mark Gartner,
who served with Schultz in the public ministry at St. Luke’s, delivered the
sermon, emphasizing that it was God’s grace that changed Schultz’s heart and
life to become a minister, and subsequently through his ministry God changed
many people’s hearts and lives.
Gartner offered many insights
into the broad scope of Schultz’s ministry but also brought those thoughts back
to the theme of God’s grace.
Schultz is well-known
in Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod ministry well beyond his church work at
St. Luke’s.
One of his popular ministries
has been the Kids Connection devotions which he did for 25 years, reaching out
in church and video settings to the youngest followers. He also portrayed “Mr. Whistle” who presented
the Gospel in the simplest of terms.
He also served as a
professor at the church’s seminary in Nigeria and visited orphans in Haiti in
addition to many ministries in Watertown and the surrounding area.
The dinner following
the service included a program where several members of Schultz’s family
offered their recollections of his long ministry.
The Rev. Mark
Schroeder, a member of the congregation and president of the WELS, also offered
comments on Schultz’s ministry as did the Rev. Tim Dolan, president of the
congregation.
Schultz is a public
high school graduate and then went on to Northwestern
College in Watertown where he received his bachelor’s degree. He then went on to Wisconsin Lutheran
Seminary in Mequon where he graduated with a master of divinity degree.
He served a vicar year
at Trinity Lutheran Church in Waukesha and then was ordained and installed at
Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Loves Park, Illinois, on July 1,
1979. He served that congregation four
years before accepting a call to Trinity Lutheran Church of Dundee. He continued at Dundee for nine years and
then accepted the call to St. Luke’s in 1992 and continued in that capacity
until his retirement from the full-time ministry.
He will continue to serve
the congregation as a parttime minister for visiting the sick and shut-in
members of the church. He will begin
serving in that roll immediately.
St. Luke’s Lutheran is
currently served by the Rev. Justin Cloute.
A call for a second full-time minister has been made and the
congregation is awaiting a decision on that call.
St.
Luke’s, located at South Third and Clark streets, has about 1,100 members.
Cross-References:
Image available, 1928, 75th anniversary
of City of Watertown, PC_133
Image available, 1955, Caretaker’s home
adjacent to church, WHS_005_002
Image available, 1960, Demolition in
progress
In 1981 the joint school operation was
established. School was named Trinity-St.
Luke's Lutheran School, or TLS.
Trinity-St. Luke’s Lutheran School
History of Watertown, Wisconsin