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St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, Hustisford

150th anniversary

1859 - 2009

2008

Watertown Daily Times, 09 23 2008

St. Michael's Lutheran Church, Hustisford, will mark the beginning of a year-long celebration of the church's 150th anniversary on Sunday.

The church is located at N4911 Gray Road, approximately four miles northeast of Hustisford at the intersection with County Highway R.

The Rev. Richard Schwandt, a son of the congregation, will return to share memories and the message during the 10:30 a.m. service. Schwandt is currently pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, Hickory, N.C., and he and his wife Jean have two grown children

A special hymn, written by congregation members Jill and Jacob Anderson, will be sung during the service, and Heidi Anderson will perform a liturgical dance to correlate with the theme, "Celebrate the Journey."

Following the service, a pig roast meal will be served by the Altar Guild. According to the committee organizing the celebration, it will be a time to share fellowship and memories of St. Michael's.

The church is planning monthly special events during the upcoming year, with former pastors as guest speakers. The church will also trace architectural and historical moments in the church's 150 year existence, including an old fashioned Christmas, former church customs, and potluck dinners.

St. Michael's 150th anniversary observance will culminate on St. Michael's Sunday in 2009 with a confirmation reunion, and a bishop as a guest speaker.

The church has undergone several renovations and additions during its history, but in each instance, the church has maintained the character of the original building and its heritage, blending the new with the old. One of the original items from the church's beginning is its baptismal font. Still in use today, the font was hand crafted from butternut trees harvested on the St. Michael's Church site.

In 2005 the church dedicated a new 85 foot by 75 foot addition which tripled the size of the former parish hall. In addition to the parish hall, the addition included classrooms, an administrative area, a conference room, and a narthex.

The church operates a preschool, and dedicated classrooms for both the preschool and the church's Sunday school are housed in the addition.

2009

Watertown Daily Times, 09 17 2009

The confirmation reunion service at 10:30 a.m. will conclude a yearlong celebration at the church. The guest speaker will be Bishop of the South Central ELCA The Rev. Bruce Burnside.

The church history began with King Friedrich Wilhelm III’s decision to unite the Reformed and Lutheran Churches in Prussia. In the 1840s a large number of German immigrants came to Wisconsin, many settling in Dodge County.

The first Lutheran Church in the Hustisford area formed in 1849 and was known as Evangelical Lutheran Congregation. It was located on what is now St. Michael’s Cemetery or Wendorf Cemetery, located on Cedar Road, two miles southwest of Iron Ridge.

The congregation was led by the Rev. Fredrich Beckel who served until 1854. The Rev. John Brose succeeded Beckel and served from 1854 to 1858. In 1857, discord in the membership occurred which resulted in the congregation dividing into three.

St. Paul’s was formed that year, and established a building near County Highway R and Brown Road, but dissolved in 1890. Another part formed Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church, and was organized in 1858. Finally, St. Michael’s Lutheran Church was formed in 1859.

St. Michael’s Lutheran Church was formed on St. Michael’s Day, Sept. 29, 1859. The congregation was served by the Rev. Friederick Wilhelm Hass, who was also the pastor at Bethany until 1862. After four years of meeting in a small wood structure, plans were made to erect a church building. The present building was begun in 1863 under the direction of the Rev. Philip Wetzel.

In 1964, the church building was completed at the present location, the corner of Perch and Gray roads in the town of Hubbard.

The structure was built on a one acre parcel at a cost of $2,200. The baptismal font remains in use today.

The original church was 32 by 50 feet and had a steeple built in the Russian Orthodox style. The steeple is thought to be the only one on a Lutheran church building in the state and possibly the only one on a Lutheran church building in the United States.

St. Michael’s is sometimes referred to as “Machus Church.” The nickname comes from the imprint of the Rev. F. F. Machus who served as pastor of St. Michael’s for 30 years, beginning 1871.

In 1875, a plot of land across Gray Road was acquired and a two-story brick house and school building was constructed. Machus was the first resident pastor and school teacher.

The red brick school building still remains.

From 1862 until 1913, St. Michael’s was served by pastors called solely to the congregation. The congregation operated as an independent church until shortly after the turn of the century when the Rev. Theodore F. Fink brought about affiliation with the Iowa Synod. In 1930, the Iowa Synod became part of the American Lutheran Church, which, through further Lutheran unity in 1960, became the American Lutheran Church.

In 1987, the American Lutheran Church, the Lutheran Church of America and the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Church joined together to become the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Some of the past clergy include the Rev. William Staehling of Waupun, the Rev. Kahre of Ixonia, the Rev. Schlachtenhaufen of Ixonia, the Rev. Bloede of Lebanon, the Rev. Buth of Ixonia and the Rev. George Beckman.

The church has undergone several renovations and additions during its history, but in each instance, the church maintained the character of the original building and its heritage, blending the new with the old.

Remodeling or improvements occurred in 1918 and in 1969. In 1977, a fellowship hall was constructed and running water and indoor plumbing was added.

In 1989, a renovation expanded the nave, the stained glass window tops were opened up and the original barrel vault ceiling was restored.

In 2005, the church dedicated a new 85 by 75 foot addition, which increased the size of the parish hall, added classrooms, an administrative area, conference room and a larger narthex.

The church operates a preschool and has classrooms for both the preschool and Sunday school.

Watertown Daily Times, 09 23 2009

St. Michael’s to note 150th year

St. Michael’s Lutheran Church in Hustisford will conclude its yearlong 150th celebration Sunday with a confirmation reunion.

The service will be held at 10:30 a.m. with a meal to follow. The guest speaker will be the bishop of the South Central ELCA.

The church has been celebrating its founding for the past year with the theme “Celebrate the Journey.”

St. Michael’s Lutheran Church was formed on St. Michael’s Day, Sept. 29, 1859. The congregation was first served by the Rev. Frederick Wilhelm Hass. After four years of meeting in a small wood structure, plans were made to erect a church building. The original church steeple remains standing today.

The “Celebrate the Journey” activities began in September of last year with a pig roast. The guest speaker was the Rev. Richard Schwandt, who is the “son” of St. Michael’s from Hickory, N.C.

In October of 2008, architectural moments in history were held every Sunday for five minutes.

In November, guest speaker the Rev. Richard Collier, formerly of St. Michael’s, addressed the congregation.

In December 2008, an old fashioned Christmas tree was decorated with more than 500 German star ornaments made by members of St. Michael’s.

In January, a baptism event was held. There was a display of photographs and baptismal gowns, and a St. Michael’s potluck was held. Members brought a dish to pass from one of the three St. Michael’s cookbooks.

In May, the church held a Join Hands Day and members cleaned up St. Michael’s Cemetery. A wedding event was also held with wedding photos and wedding dresses on display from the past. There was a bridal fashion show of the some of the dresses.

A mother/daughter banquet was held and fellowship of wedding cake and punch was organized.

The church has undergone several renovations and additions during its history, but in each instance, the church has maintained the character of the original building and its heritage, blending the new with the old.

The church operates a preschool and has classrooms for both the preschool and the church’s Sunday school.