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Book Excerpt: Saviour, Like a Shepherd Lead Us -- The 75-Year History of Church of Our Saviour

Following is the "prelude" or preface to the 75-year history of Church of Our Saviour. Copies of the entire book and video tape are available for sale in the church office.

Prelude

It was the early 1900s. This brand new era held much promise. It was a time of progress. The automobile would soon become an all too common sight. Airplanes were astounding even the most creative of dreamers. A civilized world slowly became industrialized. And small communities gave way to productive cities and towns. The world was caught up in a whirlwind of change. However, progress was not always peaceful.

Fond du Lac County was right there with the rest of the world - carrying on with the business of life. The community had spent the past year sending more than 3,500 soldiers off to war. Women had enlisted too. But the real battle for most of the county's residents took place on the home front. And the enemy took on many forms...influenza, food rationing, and prejudice against local Germans. The year was 1918. The war was at a close. Returning soldiers came home to a hero's welcome. Women were beginning to find a voice beyond the hearth and home. It was the eve of prohibition and the County would find its residents active in both sides of that war. Agriculture was big business. As for the social climate...a storm was brewing. For, the meek mild-like days of play were now anything but lamb-like. And much like a lion, they 'roared' right into the 20s.

It was at this time that a young man fresh out of College was looking forward to a promising new career in the field of law. This energetic, young man nicknamed B.J. was about to learn just who was really running the show. He summarized that discovery in the following words:

"For a long time during my college days I was agnostic. I took the position that I would not, and could not accept anything that could not be proven. At that time I intended to become a criminal lawyer. There came that day of awakening when I found out that some things must be accepted on the basis of faith. It was then that I changed my whole life and its ways, and began my preparation for the ministry."

Rev. Bernard "B.J." Stecker

It was the early 20's...and Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin was prospering and growing. The area had much diversity - rich in agriculture, industry and places of worship. The population of Lutherans was very strong at this time. They were, in large, people of German descent, and relatively newcomers to America. Therefore, it was commonplace to attend a Lutheran worship service and hear the liturgy delivered in the German language.

During this time, a small group of worshippers surfaced out of this large Lutheran Community. They were a restless group -- searching for a worship community less severe, less conservative and English speaking by nature. To satisfy the needs of the growing group of people, Pastor William Drahn of St. John's Lutheran Church of Oshkosh found himself driving the distance to feed this new flock. His synodical background found its roots in the 'Pennsylvania Dutch' tradition of Lutheranism, whose body of worshippers was comprised of Germans who had been on this continent from as early as the seventeenth century. They had long ago abandoned the German language, both in common use and in liturgy.

So it came to pass that Pastor Drahn conducted the first services of this small mission of Lutherans in the Trades and Labor Hall in April of 1923. At this time also, the Reverend William Stump, a Field Missionary, began to survey the area to determine whether or not a new church body was a viable option. The groundwork was being laid. And if a new church were to come into being, its flock would need a shepherd - one to answer their call, one to meet their needs.

They would need a shepherd of great vision.

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Also see:

History Timeline

Book & Video: Saviour, Like a Shepherd Lead Us -- The 75-Year History of Church of Our Saviour

Pastors / Eras in the Life of Our Saviour's