First English History

First English Lutheran Church was organized on June 27, 1907, the first completely English speaking Lutheran congregation in Oshkosh. Worship services were initially held in a small frame church located on the present site. The present worship facility was dedicated on June 25, 1921.

The timeline below lists some significant milestones in the life of our congregation:

1907First English Lutheran Congregation organized June 26.
1907First English Lutheran Sunday School organized.
1908 An abandoned church located at 11th and Minnesota Streets was rented, then purchased.
1908Ladies Aid Society organized.
1909Luther League organized.
1910First choir organized.
1913Addition erected to the church.
1916First parsonage erected.
1919Major portion of the church destroyed by fire.
1920April, excavation started for new church.
1920August, cornerstone laid.
1921Last Sunday in June, new church dedicated.
1926August, Pastor Kuhlmann accepted call to Oil City Pennsylvania.
1926October 24, Pastor E. A. Koch installed.
1927Men’s Brotherhood organized.
1928Additional choirs organized.
1928April 1, bell rung for first time. Donated by Otto Harrmann and Herman Buehring.
1930Ladies Missionary society organized.
1939Christian Fellowship Society organized.
1939Boy Scout Troop organized.
1941Church debt liquidated.
1944Educational Building Fund started.
1951First intern engaged.
1951August, ground broken for educational building.
1952November, Memorial Educational Building dedicated.
1957July 28, Pastor Robert Herder installed.
1961First English Lutheran Church Women organized.
1962January 21, dedication of narthex and addition to educational building.
1964October, congregation begins sponsoring Missionary Thomas.
1966July 24, Pastor Donald Gauerke installed.
1966August 1, Pastor Koch retires and becomes Pastor Emeritus.
1967February, congregations begins radio broadcast of Sunday service.
1967June 25, 60th Anniversary celebrated.
1969Pastor Roald Harswick installed.
1970January, renovation dedicated.
1971Sunshine Nursery School organized.
1972Neighborhood Center organized.
1973January 21, Pastor Ralph Hanusa installed.
1976Pastor Koch retires after 50 years at First English.
1980January 21, Pastor Jeff Williams installed.
1980First English Trust Fund established.
1980Wheelchair lift installed.
1982June 19-27, 75th Anniversary celebration.
1983Pastor Mark Baum installed.
1984Emerson Neuenfeldt retires as treasurer after 38 years.
1986Pastor Christine Blice-Baum installed.
1986Choir Director Merrill Lewis retires.
1987Pastor Edward A. Koch passes away.
1988First year as member of ELCA.
198835th Ordination Anniversary of Pastor Hanusa.
1989Pastor Kurtiss K. Hoffman installed.
1990Hinderman Endowment Fund established.
1990New position of Associate In Ministry begins.
1991New sound system installed.
1992August 15, Mary Ellen Bakken, Associate in Ministry, installed
1993Pastor Ralph Hanusa retires.
1994Pastor Todd B. Murken installed.
1995Saturday "Good News at 5" service begins.
1997June 22, 90th Anniversary celebration.
1999February 7, Pastor Byron Bunge installed.
1999June 27, Pastor Jeff Tomberlin installed.
2002September 8, Spirit of Hope, First English’s new outreach ministry, begins at Carl Traeger School.
2002Full-time youth director, Julie Dommer, joins First English staff.
2004September, First English embarks on a visioning process with interim pastors Chuck Fluegel and Joyce Gulliford
2004The Real Thing, a monthly community youth worship event led by youth director Julie Dommer, begins
2005March, First English adopts new vision: Bringing Faith Alive