Evening star., 1933-01-15
|, ONCORDIA LUTHERAN EVAN
GELICAL CHURCH, Twentieth
and G streets, is looking back
this week on a century of prog
raeco rart.frv ", which sic

resS-a century in which Its
congregation has played large part in
the history of the Capitnl.
On January II, 1888, 68 men anc
women gathered in the home of I.
Lehmanowsky to organize a church
Adherents to both Lutheran and Re-
formed confessions were in the group
but confessional differences proved nc
barrier, and O union church was or
ganized under the name of the Concor-
dia German Evangelical Church. Rev
Ungerer was called as first pastor, ano
| under his leadership the new congre-
CATION Immediately set itself the task
Of securing house of worship.
Many years before certain Jacob
Funck had made an attempt to -. -
a new town on his farm, located i'll the
section now bounded by Eighteenth and
Twenty fourth streets and by H street
and the Potomac River. In 1853 he
had sold two lots for church purposes
one for Lutheran and the other for a
Reformed iChurch. No use had beer
made Of these up to 1888, and since the
new congregation was union of the
two faiths, it claimed both lots. 1t built
its church on the corner designated fol-
Lutheran Church, the southeast cor
ner Of Twentieth and G streets.
Rev. Mr.. Ungerer was followed by
Rev. Mr.. Maertens. Rev. Henry Borchers
and Rev. Mr. Biewend, each Of whom
served but short time.
In l843 group Of members, who de-
sired English services, left the congre-
cation and helped to organize the st.
Pauls Lutheran Church. Friendly re-
lations continued between the two
churches, and for some years the new
congregation worshiped in Concordia
Church on Sunday afternoons.
Served for % Years.
A pastorate of % years began. when
in January of 1847 Rev. Samuel D.
Finckel became pastor. During his
pastorate the first parsonage was built
in back of the church. facing Twentieth
street; the church building was en-
larged by an addition of about IL feet
and the seating capacity increased by
erection of gallery.
The records show the congregation
took an interest in public affairs BY
contributing to erection OF the Wash
ington Monument and by furnishing
supplies for wounded soldiers and giving
relief to needy dependents Of soldiers
during the Civil War
Under leadership of Rev Gustave
Rietz, who served the Concordia Church
from 1870-1879, the Sunday school was
reorganized and the Ladies Aid Society
was founded.
To Rev Martin Kraft, pastor from
1879 to 1881, belongs the credit for
founding the German Orphan Asylum,
whose first supporters and original
members were all members of Concordia
Church, which continues to give aid to
this institution through the active>in-
terest of its members.
From 1882 to 1888, Rev Louis H.
Schneider served as pastor. During his
pastorate the new parsonage was built
at 1920 G street and fund Of $4,000
for a new church accumulated. Because
Of litigation, which threatened the loss
of the church property, the congrega-
ton reorganiZed and changed its name
to German Lutheran Evangelical Gen.
cordia Church"
New Church Erected.
The brief pastorate Of Rev. Johannes
Mueller, l888-1890, was of Importance
because of the growth of the Sunday
school and the building Of the chapel
on the site Of the old parsonage to meet
the school needs.
The plans to build a new church
we're carried out in the first years of the
pastorate Of Rev. Ernst Drewitz. who
was pastor from 1890 to 1896, and the
new building was dedicated on Sunday,
May 15 1892.
Rev Paul A. Menzel served Concordia
Church longer than any other pastor
to date. His ministry extended from
October, 1885, to November, 1919.
In May, 1897, the Concordia Mission