1888-1893

1888

The revised constitution was accepted in March and recommendation was made to start a new membership list so all members, in rotation, would be due to visit all the sick and to keep a death watch when relatives wished.

Christian Duerr was ordered to haul coal, ashes, and cinders to the school yard.

The trustees spent $2 for repair of a fence and $5.50 to mend the altar and chancel Bibles.

1890

In January, the church council advised the congregation that the old custom of male members wearing their hats while attending funeral services would be abolished since there was no good reason to continue the practice.

1891

A suggestion was made to buy a motor to operate the church organ, but it was not purchased.

The pastor was paid $100 for teaching school up until that point.

1892

In January, it was decided to let the teacher, Mr. Riehl, play the organ in the future and put him in charge of having the bellows pumped to create air for the organ. It was also decided that the teacher should ask or order, if necessary, older students to pump the bellows, with the boys receiving five cents after each Sunday service.

The decision was made to hire a male teacher and an organist. It was also decided to hire a female teacher for second grade.

Pastor Frank reported that, as soon as the correct date was checked, we would celebrate the 50th anniversary of the church's existence. In December, it was announced that our church anniversary would be celebrated the first Sunday in August, 1893.

1893

The Walther League, a youth organization, was established and the slogan, "For Church and Home," was adopted by the organization.

In June, Due to financial difficulties, the wages of the pastor and the teacher were cut by $100 per year. Since the teacher, Mr. Riehl, did not belong to our Synod, he was to be rehired only on a temporary basis for the coming year.

Dr. Frank left and, from a list of candidates, it was decided to offer $900 a year to the successful applicant. Rev. John Wefel of Pomeroy, Ohio, accepted the Call.

During Rev. Wefel's Pastorate, the first Sunday School was organized.

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*A Note of Interest
In the first part of our Synod's history, Sunday Schools were rare and any congregation that introduced them was severely criticized. In 1911, attitudes began to change when Concordia Publishing House started printing leaflets called Little Lambs. The first Concordia Sunday School lessons appeared in 1911. These were issued for different age levels and became standard for just about all Sunday Schools in the Synod.