Church: Chili, Wis. - Christ Lutheran (Golden - 1957)

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 
 

Surnames: Oswald, Lauterbach, Degener, Bosselmann, Gotter, Duchow, Reisner, Montag, Steffen, Bandt, Nelson, Wundrow, Dankemyer, Monger, Bartsch  
 

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.)  1957 
 

Christ Lutheran of Chili, Wis. (Golden - 1957) 
 

Christ Lutheran Congregation at Chili will celebrate the 50^th anniversary of its organization with three special services on Sunday.  Guest speaker in the 9:00 and 10:30 services will be the Rev. Arthur H. Oswald, pastor of St. Martini Lutheran Church in Milwaukee and a member of the Board of Directors of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.  He is the father of the Rev. Arthur A. Oswald, pastor of the Chili church.  
 

In the afternoon service, which will begin at 2:30, the guest speaker will be the Rev. Wm. A. Lauterbach, Mayville.  The Rev. Mr. Lauterbach served as pastor of Christ Church from 1944-1949. 
 

Activities also will include an anniversary dinner served by the ladies of the Church. 
 

The Chili congregation was organized April 28, 1907, when the church constitution was signed by Albert Degener, Emil Bosselmann, Albert Gotter and Edward Duchow.  Mr. Degener, who now lives in Neillsville, is the only charter voting member still living.  He and Mrs. Degener, Mrs. Anna Duchow, and Mrs. Emma Reisner will be honored guests on Sunday. 
 

Mr. Degener recalls that before the congregation had its own church building another church was rented for 50 cents a week. 
 

"Our beginning was small," he stated, "but the Lord God was on our side." 
 

The congregation now numbers more than 200 baptized members. 
 

In recent years the church building has been enlarged and extensively remodeled.  As a 50^th anniversary thank-offering new art windows have been installed. 
 

This year also marks the 30^th anniversary of the Ladies Aid Society.  It was organized in 1927 at the home of Mrs. Anna Montag, with 11 members. 
 

Present officers of the congregation are: Elmer Steffen, secretary; Melvin Bandt, treasurer, Gerald Nelson and Rueben Wundrow, deacons; and Gerald Dankemyer, Marvin Monger and Oscar Bartsch, Trustees.