Lutheran Churches of Waupaca 1908

 

Waupaca Record

June 11, 1908

 

THE LUTHERAN CHURCHS OF THE CITY OF WAUPACA

THE DANISH PEOPLE HAVE TWO OF THE FINEST CHURCH BUILDINGS IN OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY

BOTH CHURCHES ARE IN A VERY FLOURISHING CONDITION

A Short History of the Early Days of the Holy Ghost’s and Our Savior’s Lutheran Churches Telling of Their Origin and Struggles and Their Condition Today

 

            The Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church in this city was established on September 25, 1871.  A meeting was called of all the Danish people in this city and vicinity on that date and a code of laws adopted, the name of the congregation recorded and the following elected trustees:  Hans Peterson, Jacob Nelson, Ole Hanson Kamper, Fred Larsen, Christina Jacobson, Peter Hansen.

            About Christmas time a student from the Augsberg Theological Seminary of Dane County, R. Anderson, was sent here and was unanimously elected pastor.  He was ordained on June 26, 1872, and remained in charge of this congregation for six years.

            The old Presbyterian church was the home of these people for one year.  They laid the corner stone for heir new church on June , 1873, Pentecost Sunday, hence the name, Holy Ghosts Church.  The autumn services were held in the church, tho it was not completed until sometime later.  The dedication took place on October 18, 1874.  The dedication was deferred to this date awaiting the arrival of Rev. Rosenstand of Denmark, who officiated at the dedicatory ceremony.  When the church was completed the entire debt was paid at once, leaving a balance in the treasury of 60 cents.

            Rev. Anderson resigned his pastorship and for a time services were conducted in the Danish language by Rev. Sorenson, rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal church.

            Rev. soholm was the second pastor of The Holy Ghost’s Church and was with them from 1878 to 1897.  In 1887 there arose a dissention in the congregation caused by a similar dissention in the Synod over the Grundtveg theories.  With the hopes that the congregation would be reunited Rev. Soholm and Rev. Nelsen of the rival church resigned and for a brief space of six months Rev. Lang administered to both congregations, and, but for his death, they might have been reunited.

            In 1898 Rev. Th. N. Jersild was called here and remained until 1902, when he was succeeded by Rev. N.P. Simonsen, who resigned his work here this spring and Rev. C.H. Jensen of Racine accepted a call form the congregation and entered upon his duties May 31.

            The Corner stone of the new Holy Ghost’s Church was laid on May 7, 1905, with due ceremony.  The foundation of the building is native stone and the structure of brick.  The auditorium is 32 x 52 feet and the chancel 14 x 20 feet with a seating capacity of 300.  The dedication took place on September 3, 1905, and the ceremony was conducted by Rev. Jensen of Racine, the present pastor, and Rev. Jersild of Neenah.

            The trustees of the Holy Ghost’s Church are:

                        President – C.W. Nelson

                        Vice President – P.C.A. Pedersen

                        Secretary – Fred Jensen

                        Treasurer – M.E. Hansen

                        Louis Larsen

                        John Dorfler

                        Jens Rasmussen

            Jens Rasmussen is superintendent of the Sunday school and C.W. Nelson, Miss Carrie Lund and Miss Jensen as teachers.

            Miss Emma Nelson is organist and the choir consists of the following members:  Mrs. S.S. Anderson, leader, Miss Carrie Anderson, Miss Margaret Anderson, Miss Helen Hansen, Miss Carrie Lund, Miss Nina Peterson and Messrs Walter Peterson, Alvin Madson, Sorenson.

                                                            Our Savior’s Lutheran Church

            Our Savior’s Scandinavia Evangelical Lutheran Church of Waupaca was organized January 11, 1879, by the following:  Jacob Nelsen, Christian Johnson, Knud W. Jensen, O.A. Olsen, Boe Peterson, Jens Jensen, peder Larsen and  Gabriel Gabrielsen.

            Their first place of worship was a small school house which they purchased and fitted for use as a chapel until such a time as they could build a church.

            This little school house was situated in the Third Ward a little south of the depot, on the present residence property of Mr. Simon Larsen; and is now a part of his residence.

            For the two years beginning their history this little congregation was ministered to by Rev. Dahl of Green Bay and Rev. Wahl of Winchester, who paid occasional visits to this city.  The first resident minister was Rev. O. Amundsen.  He was succeeded by Rev. P.J. Ostergaard, Rev. N.S. Nelsen and Rev. L. Johnson in the order as above.  The present minister, Rev. M.N. Andreasen, has been in charge of this pastorate for the past three years.

            The present board of trustees are composed of seven members:  N.P. Peterson, H.S. Mortensen, S.J. Danielsen, Ing. Ovrom, H.M. Mortensen, Carl Jensen and Gust Lewis of which N.P. Petersen is President, H.S. Mortensen, Vice President, S.J. Danielsen, Treasurer and Ing Ovrom, Secretary.

            The Ladies’ Aid Society consists of 51 members with Mrs. M.N. Andreasen as President, Mrs.John Ekstrom as Secretary and Mrs. Gust Lewis as Treasurer.

            The Young People’s Society has 40 members with Miss Anna Yorkson as President, Miss Sarah Ruder as Secretary and Mr. Henry Lewis as Treasurer.

            There is an enrollment in the Sunday School of 90 pupils with Rev. M.N. Andreasen as Superintendent and Ing Ovrom as Secretary.

            A two months’ summer school will be held in the basement of the church with Miss Tea Jensen as teacher, where the children will be instructed in the Danish language.

            The choir consists of ten members with Miss Edith Hansen as organist and Ing Ovrom as leader.  The members are:  Mr. and Mrs. S.P. Sorenson, Mrs. M.N. Andreasen, Miss Wilhelmine Peterson, Miss Florence Hansen, Miss Sarah Ruder, Messrs. Walter Mortensen and Elmer Christensen.

            At first they rented a small church but as the organization grew stronger they bot the church paying for it $1,000.  It was repaired and generally fixed up, and stables were built for the accommodation of members’ teams, who had to drive from the surrounding country.  May 10th, 1899, the W.R. Claussen property was purchased for $1,400 and it was decided to expend $400 more on repairs.  The old building was deemed entirely inadequate for use and a meeting was held December 2, 1901, and it was decided to rebuild the structure in the form of a Roman cross.  As nearly as it could be estimated $2,000 would cover the cost and subscriptions were called for, which resulted in raising over $3,00 in short order.  With this amount of money it was thot much wiser to build a new church than to try to repair or rebuild the old.

            During the pastorate of Rev. L. Johnson, who served this congregation for about eight years, the present beautiful church was built in 1902, and is 36 x 56, 22 feet high, with a rear annex 22 x 14, the whole surmounted by a tower 12 x 12, 82 feet high.  The congregation now owns about $10,000 worth of property, including the parsonage, and is entirely free of debt.