Home Pastors Page   Christian Education Youth Groups Wednesday All-Stars   Committies / Staff Organizations   Opportunities For Service Opportunities For Worship Activities   Church History Food Pantry Church Calendar		(back) Peace Lutheran Church Church History PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH HISTORY Our history began with eleven men of great faith in God. Services were conducted as early as 1875, but the congregation did not organize until 1896, when Dr. J.L. Neve, Pastor of St. John’s, Bremen, Illinois began preaching in Steeleville. On August 9, 1896 a meeting was held in which a constitution was adopted and Articles of Incorporation were prepared. The Rev. George Schulz, was elected as first pastor. A Church Council was elected and instructed to find property for a church. On August 16th they bought three acres of ground for $375.00. On September 13th they awarded a building contract for $1858.05, including furnishings. They laid the cornerstone on September 27th, and dedicated the completed building on December 6, 1896, with 27 charter members. The congregation built a School House in 1897. For the next 25 years young people from the congregation received religious education five days a week during their 7th and 8th grades. They dropped out of public school to complete their confirmation instruction. In 1898 the Church Cemetery was started at N. Sparta Street. The land cost $60.00. In July of 1898 the first parsonage was built at a cost of $720.00. This building was later sold and moved to 110 E. Hancock Street. In a brief two years the Congregation had acquired the land and building that would serve it for many years. The following are some of the highlights of Peace since that founding year of 1896. 1896 3 acres of land purchased. Cornerstone laid. Church building dedicated. 1897 School house built. 1898 Cemetery land purchased. Parsonage built. 1906 10-year celebration held. Ladies Aid organized. 1918 English language added. 1919 The Busy Girls Club was organized. Their purpose was to create fellowship and to assist the church in raising needed funds. 1920 Rev. Schulz resigns after 24 years of service. Rev. W. Wuestenberg is called as Pastor. 1921 Church building is renovated. Peace celebrates its 25th Anniversary. 1922 Rev. Wuestenberg resigns. 1923 Rev. P. Roediger accepts call to become Pastor. Choir is organized. Sunday School program is initiated. 1925 Rev. Roediger resigns. Rev. William Meineke is called as Pastor. 1927 Rev. Meineke resigns. Rev. F. W. Schneider becomes Pastor. Luther League was organized. 1931 Peace observes its 35th Anniversary. 1933 Pastor Schneider dies. Rev. Walter Kaitschuk is called as Pastor. Peace joins the Wartburg Synod. 1934 The Brotherhood is organized. 1935 Ground is broken for new church building. Cornerstone is laid. New church building is dedicated. This fine structure was built at the cost of $42,000. Congregation now has 103 voting members. 1936 Peace observes its 40th Anniversary. 1939 Missionary Society organized with the purpose to support mission work of the church. 1940 Wicks Pipe Organ with chimes was added. During this period, services in the German Language were discontinued. Beginning about 1917 a controversy arose over the use of the German or English language. For a brief period in 1917 to 1918 the Minutes of the Congregation were recorded in English. They reverted to German from 1919 until 1933 after which time they appear in English. Various combinations of English and German Services were used from 1917 until 1950, after which all services were in American English. 1941 New parsonage is dedicated. 1942 Darwin Dovemuehle, a son of this congregation was ordained. He was the first from this congregation to enter the ministry. Eldred Trede, another son of the congregation, was ordained in 1945. 1946 Church building is renovated. 50th Anniversary is celebrated 1950 Tragic death of Pastor Kaitschuk. New organ dedicated. 1951 Rev. E. W. Belter is called as Pastor. Women’s Missionary Society is formed. Two youth choirs are formed. Peace begins to have two worship services. 1953 Basement addition is dedicated; this provided classrooms and offices at the cost of $40,000. Worship service is now broadcast over the radio. 1955 Cemetery is enlarged. 1957 Pastor Belter resigns. Rev. Edward Hammer is called as Pastor in 1958. 1960 Church building is renovated. 1962 Pastor Hammer resigns. Rev. Kenneth Schroeder is called as Pastor. Two sons of the congregation, John Kaitschuk and William Mueller, were ordained into the ministry. 1963 Peace becomes a congregation of the Illinois Synod of the Lutheran Church in America 1965 Balcony is renovated. New organ and pews are installed. Parsonage is air conditioned and carpeted. 1969 - 1970 Chancel is renovated. Christian Education unit is added at the cost of $197,000. 1971 Peace observes 75th Anniversary. 1972 Pastor Schroeder resigns. 1973 Rev. Paul Holmer is called as Pastor. 1977 Intern program begins with Joseph Hughes as our first Intern. Thursday Bible Study began. 1978 Peace now has Saturday evening services, for a total of three for the weekend. Children’s sermons are given twice a month. Lutheran Book of Worship is introduced. Second Intern Edward Hintz joins our ministry. 1979 New Library is constructed in the Conference Room. Third Intern James McCormick, Jr. joins our ministry. 1980 Fourth Intern Paul Park arrives. Pastor Holmer resigns. Ramp for handicapped access is built at the front entrance of the church. 1981 Rev. William N. Ahlfeldt is called as Pastor. 1982 Annual Sunday School Promotion Day and picnic began. Saturday evening services discontinued. 1983 Margaret Bergmann retires after faithfully serving as Organist for years. Handbell Choir formed. McClure property purchased. 1984 New parking lot built on McClure property. 1985 Intern program is discontinued. 1986 Celebrated the 90th Anniversary of the founding of Peace. 1987 Prayer Group began. Altar Guild formed. Pastor Ahlfeldt resigns. 1988 The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) was formed by the merger of the Lutheran Church in America (LCA), the American Lutheran Church (ALC) and the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (AELC). Peace becomes a part of the Central/Southern Illinois Synod, and the Rev. Dr. John P. Kaitschuk, a son of Peace, was elected the first Bishop of this Synod. Pastor Harold Bolm is called as Pastor. A church bus was purchased by the youth. 1989 Christian Community Aid Alliance formed with other churches in Steeleville. Afternoon Maundy Thursday Communion Service began with a lunch was for senior citizens attending . 1990 Sanctuary redecorated. 1991 Semi Annual Congregation Meetings started. Observed 125th Anniversary of LSSI by contributing $21,560.00 to it’s “Keep a Light Shining” campaign. Six youth and Pastor and Jan Bolm attend ELCA Youth Gathering in Dallas. 1992 Stained glass windows dedicated. 1993 Pastor Bolm retires. Rev. Dr. James Lillie is called as Pastor. Combined choirs of St. Mark’s and Peace gave a concert of “Handel’s Messiah” at each church. 1994 Saturday Evening Services are reinstated. 16 youth, 4 adults and Pastor Lillie attended the ELCA Youth Gathering in Atlanta. Congregation embarked on a major renovation of the lower level of the Church. This included installing an elevator and restrooms for the physically challenged. 1995 New Wick’s pipe organ is installed. Lower level renovation is completed and dedicated. 1996 100th Anniversary is observed; Bishop Alton Zenker of the Central/Southern Illinois Synod conducts services. 1997 Weekday Pre-School for 3-and 4-year-olds started. Senior youth attended the ELCA National Youth Gathering in New Orleans. 1999 Nan Ellis was hired as Clinical Pastoral Education Intern. Ambassadors for Christ program was formed. 2000 Ambassadors for Christ began serving as Eucharistic Ministers to shut-ins. Pre-School Committee purchases new playground equipment. Food Pantry started. 15 youth & 3 adults attended ELCA National Youth Gathering in St. Louis. 2001 Nan Ellis was hired as Parish Ministry Assistant. Pastor Lillie resigns. Wednesday All Stars program started. 2002 “Fun Night With Friends” is begun on the 3rd Sunday of the month. Rev. Frank Langholf is called as Pastor. New Sunday School workshop rotation program “Kids’ Karavan in God’s Promised Land” started. The above have only been a few of the highlights of the wonderful years of Peace. No matter what highlights may have been listed, the most important piece of history is that the reason Peace exists is because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. May that same Christ always give you Peace! “Peace Has A Heart to Care For You”