320.963.3592
7809 County Road 35 W
Middleville Township
Annandale, Minnesota
1913 -1941
In August of 1913 the congregation purchased 2 additional acres of land. In 1913 Pastor Alfred Streufert came to Bethlehem.
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The work being done in the English language dates back to the early days of Pastor Streufert's ministry here. As a rule, the confirmation instruction was given in German, but also in English whenever necessary since the year 1914.
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In January 1915 the congregation gave Pastor Streufert the privilege to conduct 4 to 6 services a year in the English language.
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Also in 1915 the present parsonage was built. The building committee members were: Otto Reich, Herman Marohn, Friedrich Banke, Frank Riech and Pastor Streufert. The parsonage was designed by Pastor Streufert and was erected at a cost of only about $2,700. In 1917 our congregation joined the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. In 1919 a furnace was installed in the church basement. Pews were also installed up on the balcony of the church.
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Pastor Streutfert assumed the additional burden of teaching the Christian Day School in which elementary, secular and also religious subjects were taught. However, since 1920 the congregation has regularly granted help to the pastor by engaging in either ministerial students or students of our Church's Normal Schools to teach on a temporary basis the regular secular subjects and the Catechism and Bible History to the younger children, while the pastor taught the religious subjects in the upper grades.
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In the year 1928 the congregation requested that one English service per month be held. This was to be the last Sunday of the month. There were nine ministerial students who taught school during Pastor Streufert's time.
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Pastor Alfred R. Streufert
Sunday September 9, 1928 Bethlehem Lutheran Church celebrated its 50th Anniversary. On that glorious day in 1928, there were more services held and lots of food served (how could a few ladies prepare enough food for 2000 people is beyond us), but they also had fun. There were games for the children and children at hear. The band played, there were games for the adults, fellowship with the other churches, and of course, reminiscing. To have 1500 to 2000 at a celebration today would be a huge feat but to have that many at a celebration in the 1920's was truly divine.
In 1930 Pastor Streufert accepted a call to Gaylord, Minnesota, ending the longest tenure of any pastor of this congregation.
Pastor Streufert in his own words, describes Bethlehem's 50th Anniversary Celebration:
"Fifty years of divine blessings on its work, the congregation prepared to let this day go down in history. Not only were the members of the parish present, but fellow Lutherans of Howard Lake, Fair Haven, Corrina (now Zion of Annandale), and Buffalo dismissed services for the day to help Bethlehem celebrate it's Golden Anniversary! At noon, 1500 people were served dinner by our ladies of the congregation free of charge and at supper nearly 2000 were present.
The morning service was conducted by Pastor William Meyer (Pastor at Bethlehem from 1901 to 1909) of McFarland, Kansas, who spoke of the remarkable blessings which our congregation has experienced in the first half century.
Pastor Kolbe, the son of former Pastor F. Kolbe, delivered the sermon in the afternoon. He specially emphasized that the local Lutheran congregation and its Pastors fulfilled their duty also in the vicinity in preaching the Gospel which alone can save men's souls.
In the evening service, Pastor Streufert addressed the congregation. He urged his people to continue as they had done the past fifty years to give the children a sound religious training, as this is the only means to build a congregation.
A stirring moment it was when the aged Pastor J. S. Hertrich (Pastor at Bethlehem from 1891 to 1896) of Plato, Minnesota got up to address the congregation. Although 85 years old, his voice rang out clearly while the congregation listened in utter silence. He asked members to continue in their work. He expressed his astonishment in gratitude to the Lord that his efforts had been crowded with remarkable success."
In 1930 Pastor Wm. D. Kanning was called from Fergus Falls, Minnesota. In 1933 during the depression, the church council, after consulting with Pastor Kanning, asked the pastor to give the teacher free board in order to save the congregation $120. The congregation was paying $51 a month for the teacher's room and board.
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In 1934 the baptismal font that is being used to this day was purchased by the Young Peoples Society (the youth group as they were called in the early days). In 1937 the first ushers were elected. They were Leonard Strohshein, Walter Goerke and Elmer Bobrowky.
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For a number of years the congregation felt the need of redecorating the church, beginning with a basement and working up. The basement had to be dug by hand. Some of the smaller members of the church were volunteered to do this job. Bucket by bucket the dirt was cleared. While the basement was being dug it was resolved in a special meeting to get a new heating plant. A full basement with a new oil furnace and air circulator, a large lighted assembly room, and a kitchen adjoining it, were the results. After the walls were done in the basement it was time to set the church on its new foundation. This was done by horses on each corner and eyeballed by one person. The lifting and setting of church was a big job but was successfully handled with the help of the congregation. While the basement project was going on, the sanctuary arch was remodeled and direct lighting of the sanctuary was installed. New plaster was applied to the walls; the ceiling was covered with variegated Nu Wood tile laid diagonally. New Gothic type lighting fixtures were installed in the church. The statue of Christ by Hoffmann picturing the Savior with hands uplifted in blessing, that adorns our altar, was a gift of Mrs. Augusta Zeidler, Ida Beckman, Lydia Beckman, and Mabel Milteski made lace by hand for the altar and pulpit.
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Pastor William D. Kanning
In order to hold down the cost of these projects many of our members willingly sacrificed much of their time to do what work they could do. Members serving on the committee were the elders: Wm. Uecker, Ed Lampert and Gust Boltz. Appointed by the congregation were: Albert Strohschein, Wm. Jans, Wm. Zeidler and Robert Marohn. Mr. August Kloss was superintendent of the entire project and Mr. Hubert Uecker was foreman of the job.
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On July 30, 1939 Bethlehem Lutheran Church celebrated the cornerstone laying and the 40th Anniversary of the dedication of its house of worship. At 10:00 a.m. a cornerstone laying service was conducted by Pastor Kanning at the northeast corner of the church. Then the congregation entered the church to hear a sermon preached by Pastor Eugene Seltz. Again in the afternoon and evening, services were held. Pastor Alfred R. Streufert (Pastor at Bethlehem 1913-1930) and Pastor Walter Strohschein delivered the sermons.
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Our first school board was elected in May 1939. The members of the first school board were Theo. Goerke, Ad. Streich and Wm. Ladda. We began our Sunday school classes during Pastor Kanning's pastorate.
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On May 25, 1941 a meeting was called to consider the call which Pastor Kanning had received from the Army and Navy Commission. Pastor Kanning was given his release.
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There were 11 teachers that served under Pastor Kanning. Our first female teacher came in the late 1930's.