| The First German Evangelical Lutheran Congregation, of Racine, was organized in 1848, by Rev. John Weinmann, a native of Wurtemberg, who lost his life at the burning of the steamship Austria, September 13, 1858. For the period of one year the congregation worshiped in a district schoolhouse until the Sunday following Christmas in the year 1859, when their church edifice was dedicated. At that time, the congregation numbered twenty families. The first Trustees were George Wustum, C. F. Bliss, Ernst Hueffner, Henry Anthes, Michael Schulz. This Church belongs to the Wisconsin Synod, which at one time, was a war with the Missouri Synod in reference to articles of faith. The Missouri Synod gained the preponderance, and today harmony exists in the matter, although each Synod is entirely independent of the other. This is the mother Church of all present German Protestant congregations of Racine, inasmuch as they all came into existance by separations therefrom at various intervals. Rev. Frederic Waldt, of Strasburg, Alsace, Germany, is the present Pastor. The present Trustees are as follows: Simon Goetz, Conrad Wiegand, George Hartweg, Christian Raps, Charles Eckert. The congregation at present numbers 102 families. Connected with the Church is a Sunday school with an average attendance of 100 children. The Pastor acts as Superintendent of it. The congregation also supports a day school, with an average attendance of seventy scholars. Both the English and German languages are taught. Henry Rissman is the present teacher. The entire church propeorty, including parsonage and schoolhouse, is valued at $8,000. |