Peace Ev. Lutheran celebrates 100th anniversary

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Peace Ev. Lutheran Church, Chester, is celebrating their 100th anniversary in 2008. Actually, the congregation was formed on September 4, 1907. Pastor Fr. Fuerst, pastor of St. Peter's Lutheran Church at Wine Hill held mission services for several months at the Baptist Church on Franklin St. in Chester in the rear of the Episcopalian Church (which we believe is now the Christian Church behind the courthouse). After we discontinued services there, it was remodeled into a home. Very shortly before the congregation was organized they held services in our present building at 125 Opdyke Street which was vacant at that time. This church was then owned by the German Methodist Congregation and known as the German Methodist Church. (This was done in early 1908, to the best of recollections.)

Pastor Fuerst was asked by a few families in Chester to organize a congregation. The following were the persons present at this first meeting: Pastor Fuerst, Henry Sonnenberg, Peter F. Heuer, Fritz Heuer, Henry C. Welge, Herman F. Wiebusch, Detlef Ahrens, Wiegund F. Ochs, Charles Brandes, William Ebers, Charles F. Welge, and Rudolph Welge. All agreed to sign the Constitution which was written in German. The first two meetings were held at the home of Rudolph Welge on Swanwick Street, Chester.

Pastors who have served the congregation are: Pastor Fr. Fuerst-supply pastor-(of St. Peter's, Wine Hill) September 1907-April 1909; Pastor R. B. Garten-supply pastor-(of St. John's, Bremen) June 1909-April 1913; Pastor Frederick R. Gensichen-supply pastor-(of St. John's, Bremen) July, August or September 1913-April 1915; Pr. J. R. Frenzel-resident pastor-May 1915-April 1919; Pr. M. A. Jensen-resident pastor-March 1920-September 1925; Pr. E. Schmidt-resident pastor-December 1925-April 1926; Pr. J. C. Fitting-resident pastor-May 1926-March 1929; Pr. H. H. Pontow-(of St. John's, Bremen) and Pr. F. W. Schneider (of Peace, Steeleville) - supply pastors - served alternately April 1929-September 1929. They were paid $2.50 per Sunday; Pr. F. Schmidt-resident pastor-served October 1929-January 1931. He was paid $10.00 per Sunday, more members, more pay; Pr. H. H. Pontow (of St. John's, Bremen) and Pr. F. W. Schneider (of Peace, Steeleville) again served alternately from February 1931-April 1931; Pr. C. C. Joern-resident pastor-served from May 1931-August 1931; No pastor served Peace, Chester from September 1931 through December 1931; Pr. Walter Luther-resident pastor-served from January 1932-May 1933; Pr. Wm. Boatman-(from Murphysboro) served two Sunday evenings, August 19, 1933 and September 3, 1933. During this time, information was being gathered about the "Illinois Synod"; Pr. Walter E. Kaitschuk-supply pastor-(of Peace, Steeleville) served from October 1933-January 1940. He was paid $40.00 a month until we could pay more; Pr. O. M. Meyer-resident pastor-served from 1940 until his retirement in 1979. He performed hundreds of baptisms, weddings, confirmations and funerals. He had a radio program on KSGM.AM for many years.

In 1980 Peace Lutheran Church, Chester, and St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Wine Hill, entered into a joint ministry arrangement to call a pastor together.

Pr. Dan Flaxbart-resident pastor-was the first to serve the two congregations. He served from 1980 through 1985. He and his wife, Sue, currently reside in St. Louis, MO; Pr. William Sass-resident pastor-served from 1985-April 1992. He married a local Chester resident, Susan Heinks, while serving here. They and their son, Matthew, now reside and serve a congregation in Minnesota; Rev. Pamela Schroeder and Rev. Bradley Miller (husband and wife)-resident pastors-served from May 1992-April 1995. They currently reside in Iowa; many supply pastors served Peace Lutheran from April 1995-December 1995: Rev. Ian Klipzig, Rev. William Sass, David Heyen (seminary candidate), Rev. Harold Weber of Zion, Walsh, Rev. William West, Rev. Al Nyland, and Rev. Edwin Reuter; Pr. Deborah Geweke-supply pastor resident-served from May 1995 through October 1995. She currently resides in Florida; Pr. Al Nyland-pulpit supply-served from February 1996- May 1996; other pastors providing pulpit supply from January 1996-September 1996 were Pr. Harold Weber, Pr. William West, Pr. Ray Heilener, Pr. Edwin Reuter, Pr. Fred Schmucker, Pr. Robert Grabowski, and Nanette Ellis (Licensed Lay Pastor); Pr. Marcy Ludvigsen Wieties-resident pastor-served Peace and St. Peter's from September 1996-April 1997; Pr. Charlene Rachuy Cox-temporary resident pastor-served both congregations from May 1997-August 1997; Pr. Kathryn Bielfeldt (St. John's, Post Oak, Campbell Hill) and Pr. Edwin Reuter (St. John's, Bremen) began to serve Peace and St. Peter's in August 1997 under a new contractual arrangement with their called congregations. This arrangement is still in place. Pr. Bielfeldt and Pr. Reuter alternate their pulpit supply month to month, both serve at weddings and funerals. They both consult with our church councils, and both visit the sick and shut-ins in our congregation.

In 1950, it was decided to renovate the church building. The original church was white frame building which sat closer to Opdyke Street. The building was raised up and moved back and placed on a permanent basement. The outer walls were then covered with brick and the church was completed as it looks today. Dedication was in 1953.

Peace continues to be active participants in the Wartburg Cluster (which consists of Peace, Chester; St. John's, Bremen; Peace, Steeleville; Zion, Walsh; St. John's, Post Oak; St. Luke's, Campbell Hill; and St. Peter's, Wine Hill).

Peace Ev. Lutheran Church is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Region 5, Central/Southern Illinois Synod, Southern Conference District. God has richly blessed Peace and its members over the last 100 years. We ask for your prayers and rejoicing for our continued ministry here in Chester and everywhere in God's Kingdom here on earth.

We will be having a celebration service on Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 3 p.m. Bishop Warren Freiheit will be our guest speaker. He is Bishop of the Central/Southern Illinois Synod, located in Springfield, IL.

We have sent out invitations to all who were confirmed here at Peace (for whom we have current names and addresses. If there is anyone who was confirmed here at Peace and did not get an invitation, and you would like to come to the service and meal afterwards, please contact Eunice Singer, at 618-965-9627 or 618-317-1936 by October 1.