The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-10-19
MANY RESPOND TO TOAsTs
New Minister Declares that Ills Duty
Must be to the Community as Well
as to the Congregation - Greetings
from Other Churches.

Methodists in Kenosha had a great
family reunion at Park Avenue ID. e..
church on Friday evening when more
than four hundred of the members and
friends Of the church gathered to ex-
tend welcome to the Rev. Peter F..
Stair, the new minister of the congre-
cation, who recently came to Kenosha
after being pastor of the Algoma
church at Oshkosh. There was no doubt
as to the cordiality Of the greeting and
no minister of Park Avenue church
ever entered on passionate under more
suspicious circumstances. The recep-
ton was in the form of banquet.
Tables had been set for 800 guests, but
it was necessary to set a seconds table
in order to take care of all the guests
who had come to extend greetings to
the new pastor, his wife and two little
daughters.
After dinner was over there was a
program Of speeches. Emery L. Grant,
one of the trustees of the congregation,
acted as POSTMASTER and for more than
an hour members of the church and min
listers from other denominations toast
ed the new minister and laid plans for
more extended work of the church.
Charles Richards responded to the toast
"The Ladies' and paid tribute to the
great work OF the women OF Metho-
dism In Kenosha in advancing the many
features of the church work. j.. S.
Maddox spoke of the coming genera
ton of Methodists dwelling particularly
on the work being done to advance
the church work among the young peo-
pie. Wenzel A. Matzke responded to
the toast FESome Failures of the Past
and pointed to the remedy against such
failures in the future. I. W. Huff spoke
on the toast "Good Things Of the Past
Which Should be Repeated and De-
velop.' In his toast Mr.. Huff made a
strong plea for the revival of interest
in the old fashioned Methodist class
meetings and the mid-week season of
prayer and declared that these institu-
tions were among the greatest features
of the church.
Greetings from other churches in the
city to the new minister were brought
by the Rev. HI. K. Gebhart, pastor of
Grace English Lutheran church: the
Rev. E. T. Farrill, pastor of the First
Congregational church, and tbs Rev.
Fred Ingley, rector of st. Matthews
church. All bespoke to Mr.. Stair a
hearty welcome to ministerial circles
in Kenosha.
The new pastor was introduced to
the company by Prof. Heaney who gave
to the congregation some intimate facts
in regard to the life and work of Mr..
Stair before coming to Kenosna. Mr..
Stair responded in a very happy vein.
He declared that the cordial reception
which had been given him was the best
possible evidence that he had come to
serve a live church in live city. exc
nosha is to be my home,'' said Mr..
Stair, and ] am not only going to be
your minister but | am going to be a
citizen of Kenosha. 1 want to make
my work helpful not only to the mem
bers of Park Avenue church, but to the
entire community and it shall be nv
aim to be in Kenosha representative
of Christian citizenship.
Following the toasts the reception
became informal and members Of the
congregation spent an hour getting bet
ter acquainted with the ne minister.