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:
1907 First English Lutheran Congregation organized June 26.
1907 First English Lutheran Sunday School organized.
1908 An abandoned church located at 11th and Minnesota Streets was rented, then purchased.
1908 Ladies Aid Society organized.
1909 Luther League organized.
1910 First choir organized.
1913 Addition erected to the church.
1916 First parsonage erected.
1919 Major portion of the church destroyed by fire.
1920 April, excavation started for new church.
1920 August, cornerstone laid.
1921 Last Sunday in June, new church dedicated.
1926 August, Pastor Kuhlmann accepted call to Oil City Pennsylvania.
1926 October 24, Pastor E. A. Koch installed.
1927 Men’s Brotherhood organized.
1928 Additional choirs organized.
1928 April 1, bell rung for first time. Donated by Otto Harrmann and Herman Buehring.
1930 Ladies Missionary society organized.
1939 Christian Fellowship Society organized.
1939 Boy Scout Troop organized.
1941 Church debt liquidated.
1944 Educational Building Fund started.
1951 First intern engaged.
1951 August, ground broken for educational building.
1952 November, Memorial Educational Building dedicated.
1957 July 28, Pastor Robert Herder installed.
1961 First English Lutheran Church Women organized.
1962 January 21, dedication of narthex and addition to educational building.
1964 October, congregation begins sponsoring Missionary Thomas.
1966 July 24, Pastor Donald Gauerke installed.
1966 August 1, Pastor Koch retires and becomes Pastor Emeritus.
1967 February, congregations begins radio broadcast of Sunday service.
1967 June 25, 60th Anniversary celebrated.
1969 Pastor Roald Harswick installed.
1970 January, renovation dedicated.
1971 Sunshine Nursery School organized.
1972 Neighborhood Center organized.
1973 January 21, Pastor Ralph Hanusa installed.
1976 Pastor Koch retires after 50 years at First English.
1980 January 21, Pastor Jeff Williams installed.
1980 First English Trust Fund established.
1980 Wheelchair lift installed.
1982 June 19-27, 75th Anniversary celebration.
1983 Pastor Mark Baum installed.
1984 Emerson Neuenfeldt retires as treasurer after 38 years.
1986 Pastor Christine Blice-Baum installed.
1986 Choir Director Merrill Lewis retires.
1987 Pastor Edward A. Koch passes away.
1988 First year as member of ELCA.
1988 35th Ordination Anniversary of Pastor Hanusa.
1989 Pastor Kurtiss K. Hoffman installed.
1990 Hinderman Endowment Fund established.
1990 New position of Associate In Ministry begins.
1991 New sound system installed.
1992 August 15, Mary Ellen Bakken, Associate in Ministry, installed
1993 Pastor Ralph Hanusa retires.
1994 Pastor Todd B. Murken installed.
1995 Saturday "Good News at 5" service begins.
1997 June 22, 90th Anniversary celebration.
1999 February 7, Pastor Byron Bunge installed.
1999 June 27, Pastor Jeff Tomberlin installed.
2002 September 8, Spirit of Hope, First English’s new outreach ministry, begins at Carl Traeger School.
2002 Full-time youth director, Julie Dommer, joins First English staff.
2004 September, First English embarks on a visioning process with interim pastors Chuck Fluegel and Joyce Gulliford
2004 The Real Thing, a monthly community youth worship event led by youth director Julie Dommer, begins
2005 March, First English adopts new vision: Bringing Faith Alive
2005 Summer - Spirit of Hope returns to main site and becomes known as the Contemporary service.
2005 Summer - The chapel is remodeled and renamed the Gathering Grounds
2005 Wheelchair lift is replaced with a ramp.
2005 Rothenbach property is sold.
2005 40 Days of Purpose program held in the spring.
2005 Good News at 5 service moves into the sanctuary.
2005 October 16, FELC & PLC Parish is formed
2006 Troy Taylor is appointed Coordinator of Youth Ministries
2006, June 25, Pastor Timothy Greenwald, Lead Parish Pastor is installed.
2007 100th Anniversary Year Long Celebration begins
2007 February 4, Pastor Nancy Krueger, Team Pastor is installed
2007, June 24 - 100th Anniversary is Celebrated.
Brief History of Parish Development
First English Lutheran Church & Peace Lutheran Church
2004 Both Churches VOTE on Parish Concept
2004 Both Churches ESTABLISH Call Committee
2005 Both Churches CALL Lead Parish Pastor - May
2005 Both Churches ESTABLISH a Parish Council, a Parish Budget
2006 Both Churches CALL Team Parish Pastor – February
2007 Both Churches attend two seminars to ESTABLISH the direction of the parish.
2007 PURCHASE cell phones and laptops
2007 HOLD discussions on adding more staff to the Parish
2007 APPROVES Mission & Vision Statements
2008 Parish Council APPOINTS Parish Youth Directors – July
2008 Both Councils APPROVE Parish Youth Ministry Concept – September
2008 Parish President CONSULTS Both Youth Committees – October
- Presents Parish Youth Ministry Concept
2. Solicits Names for Parish Youth Committee
2009 Parish Council PASSES Proposal Outlining Structure of PYM – May
2009 Parish Council Reps PRESENT New Structure to Both Youth Committees – June 2010
ANNOUNCES “United Lutheran Parish” Name at Annual Meetings - January
2010 Parish Council RECONFIGURES Parish Youth Position –Jan/Feb
2010 Parish Council ESTABLISHES personnel handbooks
2010 Parish Council CREATES personnel files
2010 Parish Council BECOMES Internship site
2010 HOLDS Strategic planning retreat to set up goals
