Concordia College - Corona Borealis Yearbook (Edmonton, Alberta Canada)

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dddliis 1953 (Concordia Idjearlool? is respectjuHy dedicated to the ei . Ol L r r and It is (3, onyrecj-a it ' WJetailiwin, AtLrta The Yearbook Staff.

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orona iafnte Jler Cjraciovii 1 Ylajei QUEEN ELIZABETH Long Live Our Gracious Queen

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ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH WETASKIWIN, ALBERTA Zion Lutheran Congregation, Wetaskiwin, Al¬ berta, was organized on the 20th day of May, 1904, by Pastor Victor Grueber of Bismark, Alberta, with eight members signing the constitution. Pastor Grueber served the congregation for one year. In 1905, Pastor Geo. Meyer was called and he remained until 1909. His successor was the Rev. 0. H. Schmidt, now Synod’s Executive Secretary of the Board for Missions in Foreign Countries, who served this congregation until 1916. In 1911 the congregation, which by this time had 16 voting members, undertook the building of a new church with the help of the Church Exten¬ sion Fund. The cornerstone was laid September 10 and the church was dedicated to the service of the Lord on November 5 of the same year. In 1913 the congregation opened a Christian Day School. The Pastor taught school and Student Carl Wyppich assisted him in his pastoral work. In 1915 all Christian Day Schools were closed in Alberta, and consequently also this one. In 1916 Dr. Schmidt left for Minneapolis and the congregation called the Rev. A. H. Schwermann from Mellowdale, Alberta. He served the congregation until 1921 when he was called to Edmonton to be Director at our newly established Concordia College, where he is still active. During his pastorage (1920) the congregation bought its own parsonage for the price of $2,400.00. After the Rev. A. H. Schwermann left, the congregation called Rev. C. Thies, then serving at Duchess, Alberta, who was installed in September of 1921. Pastor H. J. Elling from Brightview served as Vacancy Pastor, during the hrief vacancy. Pastor Thies remained until 1926, when he became Missions Secretary of the District and moved to Edmonton. Pastor A. Appelt from Creston, B.C., was the next pastor. He was installed in this congregation by Rev. C. Thies on December 5, 1926, and served until the fall of 1945, when he retired and moved to Edmonton. Rev. J. Ohlinger of Wembley was then called and began his pastorate on November 18, 1945. During the last seven years the Lord has been especially gracious to our congre¬ gation and has richly blessed it. It was found necessary to enlarge the church to seat about 250. A basement was also put under the church, which has served a very good purpose as a meeting place for our young people, Ladies’ Aids, Sunday School, and other groups. At the present time, the congregation is thinking about a new parsonage. As of January 1 of this year (1953) the congregation numbers 372 souls, 211 communicants, and 67 voters. There are over 80 children in Sunday School. The Lord hath helped us hitherto by His sur- passhg favor; His mercies every morn were new, His kindness did not waver. God hitherto hath been our Guide, hath pleasures hitherto supplied And hitherto hath helped us. 3