The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-10-29
Church

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away from the heavily travelled
Michigan Avenue. The lot had a
frontage Of sc feet on River Boule.
ward and is $50 feet deep. The new
ly appointed committee began their
work with earnestness and zest
Immediately and reported their
plan to the congregation at a spe-
cial meeting on June 2s. 1921. Their
plan vas adopted and the commit
tee instructed 10 proceed with the
work Of raising the funds.
The committee must have found
that the members OF the church
were In favor of building a new
structure because they reported
back TO the congregation al spe-
cial meeting on October p. 1921,
that they saw their way clear for
the financing of the new house OF
worship. A resolution was adopted
by the congregation that building
operations should begin on or be-
fore April. 1922. A building commit
tee was appointed consisting OF
Emil Lidke. Louis p. Stein, Charles
Hipp, Joseph Beach. Ottmar Koch,
Louis Wolter. Albert Esslinger.
John Maggie. John Engel, Mrs.
Anna Schaner. Mrs. John Magic,
Mrs. Louis Stein. Miss Clara +.
Schmid and Rev. Hugo Fenker.
In April. 1922, the work of eX-
cavating was started and one Sun.
day, August 2S, 1922 at 2:3O in the
afternoon the cornerstone was laid.
Rev. Robert S. Born of Napoleon,
Ohio, preached the sermon and Rev.
L. c. Stellhorn. Ann Arbor, Rev
Walter Schuette. president Of the
then Eastern District and Prof.
Paul Buehring of Columbus, Ohio
assisted Pastor Fenker in the serv-
ice.
The work on the new church
was very slow in the beginning and
in January, 1928. It stopped COM
pletely for several months The
story is told that Pastor Fenker
and other loyal members of the
congregation would make daily
trips to the building site and pray
that the day would not be far Off
when work would again be started.
Their prayers were answered and
this beautiful house OF worship was
rushed to completion and dedicated
to the services Of our Lord on De.
cember 20. 1923.
Many societies and organiza-
tons lent their hand to the sue
cessful completion of this new edi-
flee.
The Vestry at that time consist
ed of the following: Elders: Emil
Lidke, Sr. George link, Frank
Blossey. Deacons: p. l.. Stein. John
Magic, August Tackman. Albert
Klavitter. Trustees: Charles Hipp,
Leo Koeller. Louis Wolter, Karl
Scheffler. Sr.. Emerson Forester,
Albert Gochnour. Secretary was
Ottmar Koch. Treasurer was Chris
tian Hornberger.
The Ladies' Aid played a very
important part in that they were
the first organization to start a
Building Fund for the new church.
Besides this they purchased the
beautiful window Christ The Good
Shepherd" and also furnished most
of the kitchen equipment. The. off.
GERS of this society twenty years
ago we're: Mrs. Lillian Root, presi
dent; Mrs. Joseph Hughes. vice
president; Mrs. Albert Esslinger.
secretary; Mrs. Lena Lidke, finan-
cial secretary; Mrs. Louis Stein,
treasurer.
Other members al that time |
were: Mrs. Martha Scoyill, Mrs. /
Philip Schantz. Mrs. II. Kruger, !
Mrs. William Richter, Mrs. John
Magic, Mrs. Harvey Reddaway. |
Mrs. Christian Hornberger. Mrs. /
Wallace Loeffler. Mrs. Selma Foer
ster, Mrs. Minnie Helzerman, Mrs. /
Elizabeth Fenker, Mrs. Christian
Elizabeth Fenker. Mrs. Christine .
Sophia Braun, Mrs. Esther Flanna.
gan, Mrs. Leo Koeller Mrs. Emma .
Douglas. Mrs. Clinton Wellbrook.
The following have passed to .
their reward: Mrs. John Thumm,
Mrs. August Kicherer, Mrs. L. Z.
Forester Mrs. Andrew Forester,
Mrs. Rosa Smith, Mrs. Joseph Kor.
bel Mrs. Mary Max. Mrs. Anna
Schaner, Mrs. Tillie Tackman. Mrs.
Tekla Weinmann, Mrs. Kathrlne
Magic
About the same time the Ladies'
Aid started their building fund, the
Luther League did likewise. They
also furnished the altar chairs and
the drinking fountain. Their Off
GERS were: Ottmar Koch. presi
dent: Albert Tackman, vice presi.
dent: Edith Lidke, secretary; and
Martha Richter, treasurer.
Other members were: George |
Richter, Frank Lidke. Jr, Louis
Root. Edward Miller. Luther Fenk-
er, Mary Gardner, Mary Thumm,
Emma Thumm. Carl Magic, Harold |
Miller. Phillip Schantz. Harold .
Campbell, Howard stein, Louis |
Wolter, Robert Esslinger.
The following have passed |
away: Arthur Tackman, Gladys |
Schade. Elizabeth Magic. Eda |
Schmidt, Lille Weinmann, Eliza. |
beth Magic. (there were twol, |
Clara E. Schmidt. Lillian Lidke. |
Marie Richter Harden.
The Deaconess Girls who are |
now known as the Altar Guild. al |
though small in number played an
important part in the church. They |
supplied the furniture for the rest |
room just off the narthex. Their |
officers were: Mrs. Hugo Fenker. |
leader; Lillian Lidke. president; |
Carol link. secretary; Chloe Bat. !
terson. treasurer.
Other members were Lucille |
Pinck Holmes. Hazel Miller |
Youngs, Marie Rice. Betty Fenker. |