ktgluth.html

The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., April 10, 1975, page 7
Includes photograph of this church.

Grace Lutheran Celebrates 50 Years
KLICKITAT CHURCH NOTES OCCASION
By Geraldine Maupin
Klickitat Correspondent

On Apr. 20 at 4 p.m. a special church service will be held at Grace Lutheran Church to mark the 50th anniversary of the church's founding. The Rev. Dr. Emil G. Jaech, the president of the Northwest District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synog will be guest speaker for the Golden Jubilee festival service.
The first Lutheran services were held starting in 1924 in Hubbard's Hall by a group who had arrived here with the J. Neils Lumber Company from Cass Lake, Minn. in 1923. Pastor W.F. Georg was in charge.
Grace Lutheran Church was not organized until Apr. 22, 1925. It was at that time that a group of six men, G.F. Neils, Walter Rathert, Hugo Schmidt, Gust Steindorf, Clem Ulbricht and Herman Wickman Sr., signed the charter that made the church a reality. With the exception of the last name, the men are all still living. Steindorf is the only original charter member left in the local church.
After using Hubbard Hall for a time, services were held in a fifth grade classroom until 1928. In that year a dwelling was moved from its original location to the spot where the present church stands near the local schools. It was converted into a church with the addition of some homemade pews, an altar, pulpit, reed organ and the partitioning of a vestry.
The little chapel's first pastor was the Rev. John M. Kempf, now deceased, who served from Apr. 22 1925 to Nov. 30, 1928. In February 1929, the Rev. Richard A. Tschirley (Spokane) took over the pulpit until Nov. 12, 1933. At that time, candidate Eugene R. Schramm was called. He filled the pulpit as a vacancy pastor until February 1934 when he was ordained and installed as pastor of the congregation.
In 1944 after Pastor Schramm was called to Bremerton, Pastor Clarence Wildermuth of Hood River served until the Rev. D.C. Schroeder, now executive secretary of missions, Northwest District of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, was installed on Jan. 14, 1945. Rev. Schroeder served the church until 1950, leaving her in October of that year. On Nov. 4, 1950, the Reverend Elmer F. Muhly (deceased) was installed. He served until March 17, 1957 when he was called to California.
For the next four months until the Rev. Hugo Larson arrived from North Dakota, a vacancy pastor was in charge. Rev. Larson served until December 1971 when he moved to Bingen just a short time before he retired from the ministry. Again the church depended on vacancy pastors until the present pastor, Henry B. Wong was installed on Apr. 30, 1972. After the Apr. 20 anniversary service, the church will again be without a pastor as Rev. Wong will be leaving Apr. 21 for a new pastorate in Cottage Grove, Ore.
Through the years of the church has grown. In October 1956, a new addition which was added onto the small Cape Cod-style church, was dedicated. Just a few steps from the church is the parsonage which was built and dedicated in September 1949.
The church was only three years old when Mrs. G.F. Neils, Mrs. Walter Rathert, Mrs. Hugo Schmidt, Mrs. Clem Ulbricht, Mrs. Gust Steindorf, Mrs. Henry Wickman Sr. and Mrs. Tschirley met and formed Grace Lutheran Ladies Aid. Through the years the Aid has remained active and the women have taken an active part in the Sunday School and summer vacation Bible school.
Two sons of Grace serve in the holy ministry, the Rev. Frederick R. Riess of St. Johns Lutheran in Sutherlin, Ore. and the Rev. Dr. David E. Schramm, professor, Concordia Senior College, Ft. Wayne, Ind. Dr. Gary Cooke, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio, was also educated in church schools.
The special anniversary services are open to the public and all are cordially invited to attend. Refreshments will be served after the services in the church parlors.

The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., April 17, 1975, page 11

Grace Lutheran Celebrating 50 Years
CHURCH AFFAIR SET IN KLICKITAT
by Geraldine Maupin
Klickitat correspondent, Ph. 369-3521

Interested persons are invited to attend the services to be held at 4 p.m., Apr.20 at Grace Lutheran Church. The services will mark the Golden Anniversary of the church's founding. The Rev. Emil C. Jaech, president of the Northwest District of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, will he guest speaker. At the regular morning church service on Apr.20, Rev Henry B. Wong, pastor of Grace Lutheran the past three years, will deliver his farewell sermon. Pastor and Mrs. Wong will be leaving Klickitat for Cottage Grove, Ore., where he has accepted a pastorate, on Apr. 21.