Racine & Me: 175th Anniversary Celebration at First Evangelical Lutheran Church
RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Racine is celebrating 175 years of service to the community.
They released the following information about their church and celebrations:
"We are celebrating First Evangelical Lutheran Racine's 175th anniversary under the theme "175 Years of God's Gifts." This year-long celebration looks back at our past blessings, the crossroads at which we now sit, and the glorious promises God has given us. We kicked off the yearlong 175th anniversary celebration on Sunday, December 10, 2023, with a special, bilingual worship service followed by a trio of special events combined into one in its neighboring First Evan Center. The worship service was packed as members of the congregation formed a special musical group to provide instrumental pre-service music. A special choir and the children from neighboring Wisconsin Lutheran School sang hymns of praise to God for the blessings He has bestowed on the congregation for the past 175 years. Worshippers thanked God for His many blessings with hymns and prayers. The pastors hearkened back to the language that was used in the congregation at its founding by speaking parts of the liturgy in German, with English translation in the congregation members' worship folders. After the worship service, the German traditions continued. The congregation moved over to the First Evan Center for a Christkindlmarkt. This tradition consists of a craft sale of Christmas or other useful creations of our members.
The event also featured a Cookie Walk, with tables full of cookies baked by ladies of the congregation. Buyers could choose from a wide assortment of those delicious cookies, taking a few of any kind they wanted and paying for their selections at the end by the pound. The main part of the event, however, was a traditional German spanferkel, a pig roast. Two whole pigs were roasted and served with sauerkraut, carrots, spaetzel (German-style dumplings), and Black Forest cake. Samples of German-style wines and craft beers were also provided for diners. Music for the event was provided by Blaskapelle Milwaukee, a well-known traditional German band. Throughout the year we are haveing monthly services that will feature guest preachers who have served as former pastors or vicars of First Racine, sons of the congregation who now serve in the ministry, or Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod(WELS) officials. On April 21 we had the Laudamus Lutheran Chorale of Southeastern Wisconsin concert; followed by a brat dinner downstairs. Pastor Nathan Pope is writing a book "Those Villa Street Lutherans" and is hoping to release it in Decenmber. This book relates the complete history of First Evan, from the surprising diversity of its founders, to the big role it played in the tumultuous early years of the Wisconsin Synod(WELS), to today, with plenty of fascinating stories of events along the way for example, one pastor almost caused a riot outside the church doors. achurch member was the victim in one of Racine’s most notorious murder trials of a jealous lover who shot her when she rejected his Valentine. a member was the beer baron of Racine. and one was a tycoon who once owned Island Park and brought back a mummy from Egypt As a preview to the book he is writing, Pastor Nathan Pope, hosted a tour and talk at Mound Cemetery in Racine, Wisconsin on Sunday afternoon, June 30, 2024. The congregation asked him to write the book in commemoration of the 175th anniversary. https://youtu.be/o3h5PXRIZSA?si=HUS-5Z03t4ib2oHf Upcoming event for the year will be the church picnic on September 29th we will continue to celebrate our strong German heritage with an Oktoberfest style picnic. We will have german stlye food and entertainment. Other musical event we are planning will be the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary(WLS prepares men to begin pastoral ministry by providing the spiritual, theological, and professional training needed to enter that ministry) Choir on October 27th, they will provide special music for our Sunday worship service. 175th Anniversary Banquet will be December 8th. In keeping with the gift of diversity of our current membership, our closing event will feature a multicultural theme. Both our congregation and our Synod now has ties around the world, and our final celebration will reflect that amazing gift from God. Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod President Mark Schroeder will be preaching followed by our Anniversary Banquet to close our year-long celebration.
December 22nd we will have worship service concert Charles Bownow playing the organ. Charles Bonow, a former parish pastor in our Wisconsin Synod, now has as his ministry the presentation of his service concerts in our churches each Sunday in all parts of our country. The presentation of these service concerts is Charles Bonow’s life’s work and the means of support for himself and his family."