For 125 years, St. Paul Lutheran Church in Utica has served the area.
It will celebrate its 125th anniversary Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14 and 15, with a family festival from 4-8 p.m. on Saturday and services and dinner Sunday.
The church, affiliated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, held its first services in November of 1898. The Rev. C.H. Seltz was the first pastor, and many of the congregants came from St. John Lutheran Church in Waco.
The German Evangelical Lutheran Church St. Paul Congregation at Utica met first May 28, 1899. Carl Sternberg, John Sternberg, William Mundt, Charles Bereuter, Carl Friedrichs and Herman Rabe were the charter members.
The original congregation held services at the Utica Presbyterian Church until their own space, a 28-foot by 36-foot building, was completed. It was dedicated Nov. 12, 1899.
The Rev. Paul Reuter was the first resident pastor, installed July 29, 1900. The first Christian day school opened during his tenure with Reuter as its teacher.
He also preached the first English service Nov. 14, 1900, and held the first Confirmation March 31, 1901.
The Ladies Aid began meeting Feb. 21, 1907, in the homes of its ladies.
On May 13, 1908, a bell, which was donated by the community, was dedicated.
According to the church history, “six members from the church decided to give a gift to the congregation in the form of a bell.”
“People thought we should have one,” Carol Erks said. Erks is a longtime member of the St. Paul congregation. “It came by rail and was all in German.”
It was manufactured by Hy Stuckstede B.F. Company of St. Louis, Missouri. In 2013, a bell tower was constructed at the new church to house the bell.
According to memories written by Rupert Bereuter, the bell played an important role. It rang Saturdays and Sunday to remind people to attend church and tolled when a congregation member died.
“It would toll as many times as the age of the deceased,” Bereuter wrote. “People would listen and count. They could conclude whom it might be especially if they knew of some sickness. This was an early means of communication as many people didn’t have telephones at that time.”
A new school building was built and dedicated Oct. 23, 1910.
On Jan. 5, 1926, members voted to build a new church building. The cornerstone was laid April 11, and the building was dedicated Dec. 12, 1926. Total cost for construction, according to the church history, was approximately $30,000.
The church reached 100 voting members in 1947 and became a member of the LCMS.
Throughout these decades, attendance at the school continued to grow, and the building needed to grow with it.
In 1960, St. Paul became a dual parish with Immanuel, Gresham. The arrangement ended in 1974 when the Gresham church voted to disband.
As the congregation continued to grow, plans were made for a new building to replace the century old brick structure. In 2003, the current building, on the south end of D Street where the teacherage used to be, was built and dedicated.
“We were outgrowing the old building,” Erks said. “We had two services. We couldn’t hold all in one.”
Because of the size of the congregation, Christmas Eve services were held at Centennial Public School, and close to 700 people would attend, she said. Some of the larger confirmation classes were also hosted at CPS.
The brick church had steps to all its doors, which made access difficult for those with physical challenges. Erks said 13 steps led to the sanctuary, and shorter flights led to the north addition.
“Some congregants had to be physically carried up the stairs,” Erks said.
The basement included a small stage for programs.
She also remembered the balcony where the choir sang and she played the old organ with the glass bulbs.
“We had a tiny little cry room that could fit one rocking chair,” she said.
The new building is one level and ADA accessible, she said.
Erks said covid hurt in-person church attendance as people got used to seeing services online.
“It’s not the same as in-person,” she said.
St. Paul held a couple services in its parking lot, complete with in-car speakers and large video screens, during the pandemic.
In the past, the church recorded its services and took the VHS tapes to the nursing home for residents to watch and to the cable access channel.
Erks said the congregation has been generous when it comes to projects to be one. She remembered one Christmas Eve she’d come in to practice the music on the organ and discovered a broken water pipe.
“People came with wet vacs and towels,” she said. “We had to block off a section of the church.”
The 4 p.m. service still went on, she said.
Memories like that will be shared during the celebration weekend.
The Rev. Drew Oswald was called to the congregation this year and is the 20th pastor in the church’s history. He said the weekend is a chance to remember all of the good things God has done over the past 125 years.
“As the world changes, God’s word doesn’t,” he said.
He described his role as helping form the congregation, which averages about 200 people each Sunday, as people being merciful and rooted in the promises of God.
Oswald grew up in Madison and graduated from Lutheran High Northeast in Norfolk and Concordia University in Seward. After teaching for four years, he attended seminary for five. St. Paul is his first pastoral assignment.
His wife, Jennifer, is from Norfolk, and they have four children.
“We’re both from the country and we liked the city,” he said. “But we were placed here. God needed a pastor here. It’s way better than we planned.”
He’s looking forward to getting to know the people and the history of the church.
“I want to encourage members to be who God called them to be,” he said. “We are so excited to be here. We haven’t been disappointed.”
