The Golden Anniversary Jubilee

St. John's Lutheran Church

Neillsville, Wisconsin--September 6, 1936

On November 3, 1935, the congregation passed the following Golden Jubilee resolutions:

1. Jubilee Services to be held on Sunday, September 6, 1936.

2. Former ministers or their kin to be guest speakers.

3. A history of the congregation is to be published in booklet form.

4. A Jubilee Committee is to make recommendations how we may, in a God-pleasing manner, show our thankfulness.

5. The Committee consists of the following members: Wm. Duge, Herbert Borde, Paul Bartell, Martin Bohn, Emil Schoenfeld, Frank Knoop and F. W. Kluhsman.

JUBILEE COMMITTEE

Sitting: Emil Schoenfeld, Frank Knoop, Herbert Borde, William Duge

Second Row: Paul Bartell, Martin Bohm, F. W. Kluhsmann

On May 3, 1936, the semi-annual congregational meeting was held.  The pastor based his opening remarks on Joshua 4: 1-8.  The venerable president, Mr. Wm. Naedler, who has the distinction that he also served as the Silver Jubilee president, led the meeting in a fine Christian spirit. To show in a measure the spirit of thankfulness for the past blessings the congregation decided to undertake the following in this Jubilee year:

1.  To remodel the school house.

2   To re-shingle the church and paint the interior.

3.  To create a Golden Jubilee fund for a new church building.

Grateful acknowledgement is herewith made to the Anniversary Committee.  Prompted by that beautiful Christian thought; “What shall we do, so that our children may say, ‘That is the memorial stone our fathers erected in the fear of the Lord at the time of the Golden Jubilee’?” the committee was unanimous in all its recommendations to the congregation.

Why a Jubilee?  Because we have reached a milestone in the blessings of God.  As the children of Israel erected a monument to remind future generations of the wonderful guidance of God, so our celebration is to create a lasting impression upon our children and children’s children.  The monument that we wish to erect is the testimony of the all-powerful and all-sufficient grace of God revealed to us in Christ Jesus. This day shall also be to us a special day of blessing as Moses says in his hymn of triumph and victory, “Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father and he will show thee: thy elders and they will tell thee.”  The Psalmist nicely expresses the purpose of such a celebration, “I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember thy wonders of old.  I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.”

Let us in closing draw nigh unto God with the prayer of David: “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and  to inquire in His temple.”  Yea, may our house of worship be to all a court to the eternal temple above, and we all be numbered with the hosts that celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Church Triumphant in the Hymn of Praise:

“Amen, blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever, Amen.”

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