OUR HISTORY

Pre-Lutheran

Lutheran ministers did not serve St. Paul's Church, in Thornton, Illinois, from the beginning of its existence. The German families that settled in Thornton in about the middle of the 19th century had a Lutheran background. But since there was no Lutheran minister in or near Thornton, they were served by Methodist ministers from the year 1859 to the year 1864. In 1865, the Rev. Theodore Klein of the Evangelical Church in Homewood served the German families in Thornton. It was in that year (1865) that a congregation was organized under the name of St. Paul's Evangelical Congregation. The services were held in the Village Hall of Thornton. The Village of Thornton permitted St. Paul's Congregation to use the Village Hall free of charge. However, there was, at that time, a growing desire for their own house of worship. In May of 1873, a resolution was passed to build a church. This resolution was promptly carried out. On October 10, 1873, the church building was completed at the cost of $2,050.00.

Individual members of the congregation conducted a Christian school. But, in a meeting on April 1, 1878, the congregation passed a resolution to take over the school and to assume the responsibility of the operation and expense of the school.

The last of the Evangelical ministers to serve St. Paul's Church was the Rev. G. Hornbostel. Although he was connected with the Evangelical Church, he leaned strongly toward the Lutheran Church. And, after giving up his ministry in Thornton, he joined a Lutheran congregation in Chicago. Pastor Hornbostel brought the fact, that the members of St. Paul's Church in Thornton had been brought up in the Lutheran Church and should be served by a Lutheran pastor, to the attention of the President of the Illinois District of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. The President saw to it that a student, W. Lauer, enrolled at the Seminary in Springfield, Illinois, was sent out to serve the members of St. Paul's Church in Thornton. This was in the year 1881. And this was the beginning of St. Paul's Church as a Lutheran congregation.

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1881 - 1899

Student Lauer served the congregation (as nearly as can be ascertained from the minutes) from October, 1881, to August, 1882. The first officers elected under Lutheran leadership (January 1, 1882) were: Fred Schultz, Treasurer; Philip Waldeck, Secretary; John Lange, Christian Drews, and Gustav Lorenz, Elders.

In a regular meeting on January 15, 1882, the congregation decided to extend a call for a ministerial candidate from the seminary in Springfield, Illinois, and stipulated the salary at $360.00 annually. Candidate K. F. Keller of the 1882-graduating class was given and accepted the call and thus became the first permanently called resident pastor of St. Paul's Ev. Lutheran Congregation in Thornton. Besides attending to his ministerial duties, Pastor Keller also served as teacher of the parish school. Up to the beginning of the year 1883, the members, who sent children to the parochial school, were required to pay tuition. But, in the January meeting of 1883, the congregation decided to admit the children of the members of the congregation, without tuition. In this meeting, it was also resolved to revise the constitution of the congregation. The necessity of this revision is understandable in view of the fact that St. Paul's church was now a Lutheran congregation. In the next quarterly meeting, April 1, 1883, a resolution was passed to build a parsonage. The building committee elected for this important project consisted of Fred Beetz, T. Guersesen, and Philip Waldeck. The congregation borrowed $500.00 to help them finance the building of the new parsonage.

In a meeting on July 24, 1887, the following resolution was passed: "Resolved that this congregation be incorporated under the laws of the State of Illinois, and that the name of such incorporated church be: Die deutsche evangelisch-lutherishe St. Pauls-Gemeinde ungeaenderter augsburgischer Confession (the German Evangelical Lutheran St. Paul's Congregation of the unaltered Augsburg Confession) of Thornton, Cook, Co., Illinois."

The trustees were instructed to carry out this resolution.

The congregation asked for permission to use the Village Hall for school purposes. The Village Board was willing to let the congregation use the Village Hall for children from Thornton Township, but not for children from Bloom Township. But since the congregation could not exclude the children from Bloom Township, they decided to build a school of their own, next to the parsonage on S. Hunter Street. A resolution to this effect was passed on July 7, 1889. On the 13th of October of the same year, the building committee, consisting of Carl Krohn, Sr., Philip Waldeck, and Fred Beetz, reported that the school building was completed at a cost of $430.57. The equipment committee reported that the necessary furnishings for the school cost $73.15. And the collection committee reported that $354.40 had been collected for the school building. A resolution was passed to take a special collection to liquidate the remaining debt.

In 1890, the congregation raised their pastor's salary to $400.00 annually, to be paid in quarterly installments. In the meantime, Pastor Keller had received three calls, one to Michigan and two to New York, which he did not accept. In each case, the congregation asked Pastor Keller to stay with them.

Pastor Keller evidently was alert to mission opportunities. In February of 1893, he asked the congregation for permission to hold services for a group of Christians in Chicago Heights. From this bit of past history, we learn that St. Paul's Ev. Lutheran Church in Chicago Heights is a daughter congregation of St. Paul's Church in Thornton.

In January, 1896, a resolution was passed to use envelopes for special collections. This shows that the use of offering envelopes is a custom of long-standing in this congregation. The parsonage was enlarged at a total cost of $264.95 during that year.

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1900 - 1920

It is interesting to note that, at the turn of the century, the total receipts of the congregation, for the year, were $759.86 and the total expenses were $530.48.

In a special meeting on February 15, 1903, Pastor Keller presented a call, which he had received, to Longtown, Perry Co., Missouri. Again as three times before, the congregation did not see fit to give their pastor a release. This is evidence of the fine relationship that still existed between pastor and congregation after working together for 21 years.

At this time, God tested the faith and courage of the members of the St. Paul's Congregation. The church building, which had been erected in 1873, was damaged by lightning in 1903, after serving the congregation as their house of worship for 30 years. Major repairs had to be made. These repairs and other improvements on the building had hardly been completed, when the newly repaired and renovated building was totally destroyed by a tornado that passed over Thornton on March 24, 1904. This happened on a Friday before Palm Sunday. With sad hearts and tear-filled eyes, the pastor and the other members of St. Paul's Congregation stood beside the ruins of their house of worship, on which they had just spent so much time and money. But God, who had chastened them and tested their patience and courage, did not forsake them. When the news of their misfortune spread to sister-congregations in Illinois, offerings for a new church began to flow into the district treasury. In a few months, $5,000.00 had been received for a new church in Thornton. Since only about $3,000.00 was needed for a church, the remainder of the money could be used to help other needy congregations. The members of St. Paul's Congregation lost no time in erecting a new house of worship. In a special meeting on March 25, they appointed a planning committee of three men, Fred Zander, Karl Frenk, and Martin Bruegmann, to submit a suitable building plan. In another meeting on April 10, they appointed a building committee to carry out the building plan. The members of the building committee were Louis Krueger, William Polkow, and Karl Frenk. The building progressed rapidly. In a meeting on July 3, John Beetz, John Schultz, and John Griese were appointed as a committee to select a furnace, pews, and light-fixtures for the new church. With thankful hearts, the members of St. Paul's Congregation dedicated their new house of worship to the glory of God, on August 28, 1904. How thankful the members were for their new church and how willing they were to bring sacrifices is indicated by the fact that, even before the dedication, almost $4,000.00 had been collected for the new church, which enabled them to return the money that had been extended to them by the Illinois District of the Missouri Synod.

In October of 1906, Pastor Keller, after serving the congregation for about 24 years and declining four previous calls, was given a peaceful release to follow a call to a congregation in Strassburg, Illinois, this being recognized by both pastor and congregation as God's will. The Rev. Schroeder of Chicago was engaged to serve the congregation during the vacancy, by conducting the services in church and by teaching school four days a week. A call was extended to, and accepted by, the Rev. V. Hornung, at a salary of $450.00 per annum, to be paid quarterly. But, in the January meeting of 1907, the congregation raised the pastor's salary to $480.00 and resolved to pay it in monthly installments.

In a special meeting on May 5, 1907, the congregation studied the Synodical Constitution and decided to join Synod as a member congregation. And from the subsequent minutes, it is evident that St. Paul's Congregation took an active part in the work of the church at large by sending delegates to the district conventions and by financially supporting the work of Synod.

In 1907, a so-called "lodge paragraph" was added to the congregation's constitution, stating that a member of an anti-Christian secret society could not be a member of the congregation. From previous minutes, however, we learn that it was, even before then, the practice of the congregation not to permit members of anti-Christian lodges to hold membership in the congregation. The congregation's willingness and courage to practice church discipline, according to God's Word, is seen also from the fact that they dealt with those who neglected the use of the means of grace. Those, who, after due admonition, refused to attend church and to partake of the Lord's Supper, were regarded as such who forfeited their membership.

As early as 1908, it was customary to give a monthly financial report in the quarterly congregational meetings, that is, to report to the voters' assembly the receipts and expenditures for each month.

Lutheran Christians, if they live up to what their Church teaches and practices, are good, patriotic citizens. Accordingly, a committee was appointed in 1918 to sell Liberty Bonds, to help in the cause of successful warfare and ultimate victory.

After Pastor Hornung had resigned in October of 1920, the Rev. C. Waech of Crete was asked to serve the congregation during the vacancy.

Up to this point in the history of St. Paul's Congregation, regular services were conducted only in the German language. But in a meeting on November 4, 1920, a resolution was passed to have also English services on the first and third Sundays of each month. In this same year, the Synodical hymn-books were purchased for use in the congregation. And the bylaws were gathered from the past minutes and translated from German into English.

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1921 - 1940

In 1921, several resolutions were passed which involved some important changes. The constitution was translated from the German language into the English and printed in both languages. The minutes of the congregational meetings were, beginning with February 6, 1921, written in both languages.

The first mention of a Sunday School is found in the minutes of a meeting on March 6, 1921, when it was decided to have the Sunday School begin at 7:00 p.m. and the regular church service at 7:45 p.m. This was during the vacancy, when the Rev. C. Waech had charge of the congregation.

In the fall of 1921, the parsonage was wired for electric lights.

During March and April of 1922, the Rev. T. W. Strieter served the congregation as vacancy pastor. After that, the Rev. Arthur Brauer of Chicago Heights helped out until the congregation received their next permanent resident pastor in the person of the Rev. Henry Meyer who was installed in June of 1922.

In the fall of 1922, the church was raised and a furnace was installed. The school was wired for lights. The next spring, 1923, the church basement was also wired.

The congregation accepted the offer by the Men's Club to install gas in the church basement for cooking purposes.

Offering envelopes for regular church contributions were introduced in 1925.

Beginning with this year (1925), the congregation alternated German and English services. And from this time on, the minutes of the congregational meetings were written only in English.

The congregation became financially completely self-supporting when they decided, on January 3, 1926, to accept no more subsidy from the District Mission Board toward their pastor's salary.

On April 21, 1929, Pastor Meyer was given a peaceful release to follow a call to St. John's Congregation (Cooper's Grove) Tiniey Park, Illinois, with the understanding that, after moving to Cooper's Grove, he would continue to serve St. Paul's Church in Thornton as vacancy pastor, until they would get another resident pastor. The congregation did not have to wait long for a shepherd of their own. In June of that year, the Rev. A. Kasischke accepted the call to Thornton and became the pastor of St. Paul's Church.

The minutes of a congregational meeting on June 26, 1932, reveal that the congregation passed a resolution to observe the golden jubilee of the congregation on September 25 of that year, with a special service in German in the afternoon and a special service in English in the evening. Evidently, the members, at that time, took the year 1882 as the beginning of St. Paul's Ev. Lutheran Church, instead of the year 1881, when they had their first Lutheran preacher in the person of Student Lauer from our Springfield Seminary.

After Pastor Kasischke had left the congregation in 1938, the service of Candidate Win. Schilling was obtained on a temporary basis. However, after a few months, on March 9, 1939, a permanent call was given him and he became the next pastor of St. Paul's Church.

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1941 - 1960

Divine services in the German language were discontinued in 1941, when it became apparent that there was no longer any need for them.

The church property was further improved by building a garage at the parsonage.

After serving the congregation for over four years, Pastor Schilling accepted a call to Trinity Congregation in Newberry, Michigan. He preached his farewell sermon on July 25, 1943.

Under the supervision of the Circuit Visitor, the Rev. Herbert Harthun of Lansing, a call was issued to the Rev. Norman Streufert who accepted the call. And once again, St. Paul's Church had a resident pastor, after a vacancy. Pastor Streufert was called at a salary of $140.00 per month.

With special services of thanksgiving, the congregation observed the 40th anniversary of the dedication of their house of worship, in 1944.

In the fall of 1945, the congregation decided to close its parochial school, because there were so few children attending it. The next spring, the schoolhouse was offered for sale. Up to this time, St. Paul's Church had a day school which was taught by the pastor of the congregation. All of the foregoing pastors served as school teachers as well as pastors of the congregation.

On July 21, 1947, the congregation decided to purchase a new electric Hammond organ for the church to beautify the church services.

Pastor Streufert served the congregation till the fall of 1948, when he accepted a call to a congregation in Normandy, Missouri. The Rev. Harthun secured a number of ministers to help out during the vacancy. The Rev. Walter Spruth conducted the church services regularly for a longer period of time. The Rev. Frank Treskow was engaged to instruct the confirmation classes.

The congregation was vacant from August, 1948, to May, 1949, when the Rev. Henry Hardt of Red Wing, Minnesota, accepted the call to our congregation. He was installed on May 22, 1949. Pastor Hardt was called at a salary of $200.00 a month. The congregation also paid the pastor's share of the premium for participation in the Synodical Pension Fund and the premium on a hospitalization insurance policy for the pastor and his wife.

The pastor was given permission, in the fall of 1949, to start a Saturday School for all grade-school children, except those in the confirmation classes. Vacation Bible School has also been conducted since 1950.

In response to an appeal in April, 1951, the congregation decided to take an annual collection, as long as necessary and feasible, to help pay for the building of the new Home and Services for the Aged in Arlington Heights.

The 50th anniversary of the dedication of the church building on Hunter Street was celebrated on September 26, 1954, by a special service of praise and thanksgiving in which the former Pastor Henry Meyer was the guest speaker and the former Pastor Schilling served as liturgist.

In the summer of 1954, the church and the parsonage were painted at a cost of $750.00. From the minutes of the congregational meetings, it becomes evident that the congregation painted its buildings frequently and otherwise kept its property in good repair during its past history, which is commendable.

In the spring of 1956 the kitchen in the church basement was enlarged and equipped with new cabinets. The kitchen in the parsonage was remodeled by building cabinets into it, to the delight of the pastor and his wife. Mr. John Zander was engaged to do the carpenter work in both the kitchen in the church basement and in the parsonage.

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1961 - Present

In the summer of 1961, the Voter's Assembly unanimously resolved to erect a new Parish Hall, which was dedicated on May 6, 1962. In 1963, the congregation acquired the parsonage on Queens Lane.

A Planning and Survey Committee was called to life in 1968, and after studying the needs of the congregation they recommended to build a new church. Land was bought and dedicated in 1974.

The Constitution of the congregation was changed in 1975 to allow women to participate and vote in congregational matters.

On August 30, 1992, the congregation broke ground for the new house of worship at 510 Chicago Road. The property on Hunter Street that had been the home of St. Paul since 1873, would be sold to the Village of Thornton to house the Thornton Historical Society.

By the fall of 1992, construction of the new church building was underway. On November 13, 1992, strong winds blew down the roof trusses and much of the wall framing that had just been erected. There were no serious injuries, and construction resumed immediately. God has blessed us with many talented and devoted members who worked hard to see the new building become a reality. On May 23, 1993, the Cornerstone Laying Ceremony took place. A month later, the celebration of the Dedication began on June 26, with a candlelight walk from the old church to the new. One June 27, 1993, the Dedication Service took place, with many friends, old and new, attending.

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