Church: Greenwood Zion UCC 50th Anniv. 6/19/1955
Transcriber: Janet

Surnames: SCHMALZ KIPPENHAN HOFFMAN BRAUN NOETZEL KLEINSCHMIDT BUKER BAUMANN PRELLWITZ SAEWET VRIESEN PFEIFFER FRESENBORG KOCH HORN LUDWIG MEYER OLSON SCHNEIDER WESSEL BRAATZ DUSSO HENDRICKSON

----Source: Greenwood Gleaner

To accommodate some of the retired farmers of Immanuel's Reformed Church who had moved to Greenwood to reside, also to provide church services for those who from time to time were employed at various places in the city and had no opportunity to get to the country church, Rev. John Schmalz conducted a church service on the 5^th of January, 1902.

Services were conducted after this every four weeks in various halls which could be rented. The Consistory of Immanuel Reformed Church decided on November 24, 1904, to grant the petition of its members residing in Greenwood to organize as a congregation.

Immediately after the service held on January 15, 1905, a meeting was called, and those present decided to organize as a congregation under the name of "Deutsch-Evangelisch-Reformierte Zions Gemeinde" in the City of Greenwood, Clark County, Wisconsin.

A constitution was adopted January 29, 1905, and signed by ten men: Ch. Kippenhan, C.H. Hoffman, Christian Braun, A.H. Noetzel, L.C Kleinschmidt, Ed Buker, Aug. H. Baumann, Carl Kleinschmidt, J.C.J. Baumann and Otto A. Prellwitz.

At a meeting on May 14, 1905, the congregation decided to have church services and Sunday school every two weeks. Rev. John Schmalz served the congregation until October 6, 1908.

Rev. Otto J.E. Saewert began his work here immediately after Rev. Schmalz left and remained till May 1, 1916.

At the annual meeting held March 27, 1909, the congregation joined the Sheboygan Classis.

The Presbyterian Church, in which they had been holding their services for some time, was purchased for $1,000 in January, 1916.

Rev. Saewert left his work on the first of May, and his successor, Rev. F. Hall, took up the work on August 6, 1916, and remained till March 1921.

Rev. Otto J. Vriesen began his work here the 14^th of September, 1921. During his pastorate the membership increased and the Zion Reformed Church and the Salem Reformed Church of the Town of Longwood were separated from Immanuel Church to form a separate charge. At the annual meeting held January 31, 1926, Rev. Erwin G. Pfeiffer, of Oshkosh, Wis., was elected pastor, and Rev. Vriesen closed his work here with the confirmation of a class of four on March 14, 1926.

Rev. E.G. Pfeiffer took up the work March 15, 1926. At a congregational meeting held on June 6, 1926, the congregation decided to build a parsonage. It was built at a cost of $4,580. Rev. Pfeiffer served Zion and Salem Churches until the spring of 1941.

Rev. B. M. Fresenborg began his work in the fall of 1941. After faithfully serving the two congregations for 10 years he left in August of 1951.

At this time Immanuel Church was also without a pastor. At the suggestion of the Synodical Council and the Board of National Missions (for Zion and Salem Church were receiving Mission support) it was decided to reconstitute the three congregations into one charge. As a result services were discontinued at Salem Church and the member merged with Immanuel and Zion. Today the pastor lives in the Immanuel parsonage and at present the Zion parsonage is being rented.

Rev. Charles A. Koch took up the work of the merged churches on January 1, 1952. During the present pastorate new furnaces were installed in both church and parsonage. The church has been renovated and new Memorial Art Glass Windows were installed. A new Memorial electric organ was purchased. Much of this work has been done in anticipation of the 50^th anniversary.

At the present time, June 19, 1955, Zion Church has a membership of 116 Communicants and 31 baptized children. The Women's Guild, Sunday school, Choir and combined Youth Fellowship supplement the work of the church.

The following are members of the Anniversary Committee: Mrs. Harold Horn, Mrs. Charles Ludwig, Mr. Gilbert Meyer, Mrs. Dan Olson, Mr. Robert Schneider, Mrs. Adolph Wessel and Rev. Koch.

Present officers of the congregation are Ted Abel and Leonard Braatz, Elders; Ed Braun, Lorris Dusso and Arthur Hendrickson, Deacons; and Rev. C. Koch, Pastor.

As we conclude the history of the first 50 years of Zion Congregation, we return thanks unto God for his grace and love shown unto us in Christ; for the inspiration of His Holy Word: we thank Him for faithful souls who have labored unceasingly in the work of the Kingdom. We implore Him to lead, guide, guard and protect us in the years to come.