Prince of Peace History

GOD WAS DIRECTING

A dream—vague at first—was shared for many years by the Hie Busboom and Henry Ehmen families—the dream of a Lutheran Church in the St. Joseph area.  Years passed and there seemed no possibility of the dream becoming a reality.

Hie passed away in 1952; his widow remarried and became Mrs. Glenn Anderson.  But the dream remained until it became a bit disturbing-THERE SHOULD BE A LUTHERAN CHURCH IN ST. JOSEPH!

As time went by, the dream was shared by a few others, particularly George and Doris Hoveln and Cecil and Bonnie Busboom.

GOD WAS DIRECTING!

One snowy morning in November, 1963, after her son encouraged her by saying, “Why not talk to the people around St. Joseph about it?”, Minnie Ehmen called on Margaret Anderson and asked her opinion as to whether they should discuss with others in the area the possibility of a Lutheran Church.  Margaret promptly endorsed the idea.  So the Busbooms, Hovelns, and Margaret Anderson met at the Ehmen’s and the idea was discussed further around the table over a cup of coffee.  Since all were members of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Urbana, Illinois, except Margaret and Glenn, it was decided that the Hovelns, Busbooms, and Ehmens would call upon their pastor, Rev. Dennis Griffin, after Thanksgiving Day services and explain their intentions.

At about this time, the George Hovelns suggested that Brad and Anetta Henry would probably be very interested in this project.  So they joined the group; their enthusiasm matched that of the others as they, too, had discussed this possibility in their home a time or two, and their help proved invaluable.

It was decided to wait until after the New Year to talk to residents of the community.  After January 1, 1964, people were contacted personally and by telephone.  The enthusiasm was contagious.  People called and discussed the idea with the ‘self-appointed initiators’ and their phones were kept very busy indeed.

BUT WHERE TO GO FROM HERE?

The names of all who showed interest had been faithfully recorded in a notebook.  The next step became obvious almost immediately one Saturday evening as Margaret Anderson was reading the evening newspaper and saw that Pastor Elmer Nelson, Illinois District President, was speaking in Rantoul the next day.  (Note that GOD WAS DIRECTING!)  She consulted others and she and Glenn decided to attend services in Rantoul and talk to Pastor Nelson, taking with them the notebook with the names and the number of people in each family.  Pastor Nelson was interested immediately and promised to contact the American Lutheran Mission Board.

As a result, only a little more than two months after the first calls were made, members of the Mission Board met with the people of St. Joseph in the Grade School on March 3, 1964, at 7:30 p.m., with Pastor L. Myron Lindblom presiding.

Shortly thereafter, a representative of the Mission Board, Rev. Reinhold G. Magel of Pontiac, Illiniois came to St. Joseph and consulted with a group of interested residents as to where ground for the church and parsonage might be purchased.

40 YEARS AGO...

On Pentecost Sunday, June 6, 1965, the first worship service was held in the original sanctuary, what we currently refer to as our west Fellowship Hall, with 197 people in attendance.

Members of the first church council were elected:  Dale Busboom, Lowell Cooper, William Ehmen, Ehm Franzen, Brad Henry, George Hoveln, Erwin Osterbur, Dan Seastrand, and Dick Watson.

On Sunday, October 10, 1965, Pastor Robert Dirks was installed as first pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.

First Church Building

Happy Birthday

Prince of Peace!