The congregation of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, California, will celebrate its 150th anniversary on Sunday, Oct. 24.
The celebration will include a German-themed lunch after the morning service with a special program to begin at 12:30 p.m. A special Power Point presentation of about 200 hundred photos representing the history of the church will take place before the program begins.
The first service of the newly founded congregation was conducted on Oct. 28, 1860, by Pastor Juengel of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Pleasant Grove. The United States President was James Buchanan. Abraham Lincoln was elected President in a three-way race a mere 10 days later and took office in March of the following year.
Before the congregation built its own building, it met first at the Methodist Church, founded in 1840, and then the First Baptist Church, founded in 1833. It then moved to the courthouse and a school before being able to worship in its own facility.
Guests are welcome for the special program over which Dr. Paul Jungmeyer, chairman of the 150th Anniversary Committee will preside. Opening remarks will be made by Dr. Peter Kurowski, pastor of St. Paul's, and a welcome by David Jungmeyer, president of the congregation.
Among the other activities of the program will be an organ presentation "Prelude and Fugue in C Major" by Bach, played by former member Jerome Schwab, recognitions of oldest members and others will be given, recollections from former members and comments by current members and a hymn accompanied on a 130-year-old reed organ.
The Rev. Sam Powell, a "son of the congregation" ordained this past year will speak briefly followed by "St. Paul's Trivia" and a statement of the "Youth of the Church.
Anyone interested in being a guest of the congregation for the German meal of brats, hamburgers, slaw and German potato salad after the service, please contact the church office at 573-796-2735 by Friday, Oct. 22.