Church: Green Grove St. Luke's (50th - 25 Aug 1963)

Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Timmerman, Wohlfeil, Schulz, Behrendt, Molle

----Source: Tribune/Phonograph (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 08/29/1963

The fiftieth anniversary of St. Luke's Lutheran Church, South Green Grove, in urral Unity (Clark Co., Wis.), was observed Sunday, Aug. 25, 1963, with special services at 9 and 10:30 a.m., and at 3 p.m.

The Rev. Howard A. Timmerman, associate pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Eau Claire, was the festival preacher. The liturgist was the St. Luke's pastor, the Rev. Jerome Wohlfeil. The church choir and Mrs. Calvin Schulz, organist, provided music.

St. Luke's had its beginnings in 1911 when a group in the southern part of the town of Green Grove and the northern part of the town of Beaver met to plan for the building of their own church. In the spring of 1912, construction of a church was started on land donated by Mr. and Mrs. Fred Molle. It was completed late fall that year.

The first constitution was signed by 21 men, who formed a nucleus for the congregation.

The Rev. August Behrendt was the first pastor, who served from Jan. 1912 until August 1914. Several older pastors served the parish and from 1922 until 1939, the parish shared pastors with Abbotsford and North Spencer, Withee and Greenwood. In 1939, a change in church alignment was made and the parish has since shared pastors with St. Paul's at North Green Grove and Curtiss.

The present pastor, Rev. Jerome Wohlfiel, came in July 1962.

In 1939, the old structure was struck by lightning, and it was remodeled extensively. In 1960, the front of the church was modernized, and again in 1963, more work was done with the renovation of the basement.

In recent years the parish also purchased a new organ.