Reseburg St. Paul’s Lutheran Church 50^th

Contributed by Stan Schwarze.

Source: Thorp Courier (Thorp, Clark Co., Wis.) 09/08/1938

A large number of people gathered at St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church at Reseburg (Clark Co., Wis.) on Sunday last to take part in the 50^th anniversary celebration.  A dinner was served at 12:00 o’clock.  Speakers of the day were: Rev. W. L. Kohn, Merrill, president of the district; Rev. B. H. Schrein, Chippewa Falls, and Rev. K. C. Bubeck of Cadott.  Rev. F. H. Sprengler is the present pastor of the local parish.

Following is a history of St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church of this vicinity:

At the request of one of the early Lutheran settlers, Mr. Herman Dudonsky, a Lutheran missionary visited this community for the first time in the year 1887.  During the same year another missionary, by the name of Wm. Brink, began to serve regularly the few scattered Lutherans in the community.  Under his leadership St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Congregation was organized and incorporated on May 12, 1888.  The church board of the newly organized congregation consisted of the following: President, Christ Gorsegner; Secretary, Herm Pribbenow; Treasurer, August Pagel; Trustees, Albert Rusch, Hy. Calbaum and Ed Zunke.

From 1891 until 189?, the Rev. Geo. Plehn served the congregation.  Thereupon Rev. J. Fiehler served St. Paul’s until 1894 when the congregation of Cadott, Edson (now Boyd) and Reseburg called the Rev. K. C. Bubeck, who still is pastor of the two former congregations.

Because of the size of the field, the group of congregations was again divided in the year 1902.  Rev. Bubeck remained to serve Cadott and Boyd, while the congregations at Stanley, Thorp, Reseburg and Withee called their own minister, the Rev. E. Buenger.  In the year 1907 the pastor of this field accepted a call to Granton, whereupon the four small congregations called the Rev. B. H. Schrein from the State of Kansas.  Rev. Schrein accepted a call to Chippewa Falls in the year 1912.  The Rev. F. A. Schwertfeger served St. Paul’s Congregation from 1912 to 1917, when he accepted a call to Golden Lake, Wis.  The Rev. H. H. Laabs, the next man to served the Congregation, resigned in 1919 on account of ill health.  During the years 1919 to 1928 the Rev. A. C. Staper, no of Spencer, ministered to the spiritual needs of St. Paul’s Congregation.  The next pastor, Rev. Theo. Laesch, accepted a call to Niles, Mich., in 1931.  Since then the present pastor has been serving St. Paul’s, as well and the Thorp and Stanley Congregations.

During the years 1891 and 1892 the Congregation built their own House of Worship, a shanty of rough boards on the property of Mr. Ernest Zunke.  Blocks of wood set on the bare ground served as pews for these poor, but sincere early Lutheran settlers.  A home made table served as altar and pulpit.  Indeed, a humble shack it was, even when compared to most of the barns of today.  Though not a Temple of Solomon, it was the best they could afford, and to them it was the Lord’s House.  By their attendance they proved that they lived this lowly habitation of  God.  To them it truly was the place where the honor of the Lord dwelt, and therefore they esteemed it very highly.

However, by the grace of God, and under the leadership of the Rev. B.H. Schrein they were able to build a new and more elaborate House of Worship in the year 1908, on a plot of ground presented to the Congregation by Mr. Philip Mattes, Sr.  Later on in the year 1928, the property was improved by the addition of a basement.

The officers at the time when the new church was built were: Wm. Krause, Sr., president; Carl Raether, Secretary-Treasurer; John Beckman, Christ Gorsegner and Ernest Daniels, trustees.  The building committee was composed of the following: Fred Boelter, Christ Gorsegner and Wm. Krause, Sr.  At the time the Congregation numbered about 65 communicant and 17 voting members.  There has not been a phenomenal growth of the Congregation at any time since its organization, but by the grace of God it has grown steadily until today it number 31 voting members, 143 communicants and 218 baptized members.

During the history of the church, there has been 398 baptisms, 274 confirmations, 51 marriages, and 61 funerals.

Looking back over the years, we must admit: God certainly has been with St. Paul’s Congregation.  Therefore let us offer fervent prayers of thanksgiving unto Him, and plead with Him, that He might continue to bless us in the future.

Rev. F. H. Sprengler

Related Links

Reseburg Cemetery