St.Paul's Lutheran Church
	Watertown,Minnesota

The History of St. Paul's Lutheran Church

St. Paul's Lutheran Church has its roots as far back as 1875 when a small group of German Lutherans held services at the Swedish Lutheran Church in Watertown. The first pastor to serve the group was Rev. W. Fredrich from Waconia, who held services for the group once a month. When the Swedish Lutheran Church installed their first pipe organ, it forced them to move to the Free Mission Church because they had no one who could play the pipe organ. In 1888 St. Peter's called their first pastor and he conducted services for the early members of St. Paul's twice a month on Sunday afternoons. Baptisms, Weddings, Communion, and Funerals were conducted in Watertown, however, the children had to walk 3 miles to St. Peter's school for the two years of Confirmation instruction.

About 1920 the members of St. Paul's moved back to the Swedish Lutheran Church. Later while Pastor Karl Rudolph conducted the services, he suggested they adopt the name of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. In the later 1940's, the group under the pastorate of Rev. John S. Spomer, began holding services in the Community Church (now a private residence). St. Paul's Lutheran Church was incorporated on March 5, 1949. At that time we shared Pastor John Spomer with St. Peter's Lutheran Church of rural Watertown.

With a membership of 215 people, ground was broken on June 7,1949 for a school building with church facilities on the lower level and two classrooms on the upper level. In September 1949, the newly formed congregation opened its first Christian Day School. The building was not ready to be occupied, so classes were held in the Village Hall. Mr. Earl Ortlip of Waconia was the first teacher with 45 children enrolled. Dedication of the building was on January 22,1950. Before a year had passed, St. Paul's had acquired a teacherage for our first principal, Benjamin Buck.

In 1950 a Kindergarten class was started. This class met for six weeks in the spring. The first Sunday School classes were started in November 1952. Members of the congregation were also active on the Planning committee for Mayer Lutheran High School at this time. Pastor Spomer served until 1956 when he accepted a call to Chicago.

Pastor Louis Wetzel was called from Atwater, Minnesota to serve both St. Paul's and St. Peter's Churches. During the 1960's many church planning meetings were held and in 1968 a church steering committee was formed to plan the building of a church. In 1965 Pastor Wetzel accepted a call to Florida. By this time St. Paul's had grown to the point where one pastor could no longer adequately serve both St. Peter's and St. Paul's congregations.

Therefore Pastor Henry Mueller was called from Nebraska and became the first pastor who solely served St. Paul's. A parsonage in Watertown was purchased at that time at 505 Franklin Avenue, which was later sold in 1998. In 1969, St. Peter's congregation joined St. Paul's congregation to organize and consolidate the schools. The result of this was the St. Paul's and St. Peter's Interparish School. A full time half day Kindergarten was added in 1972.

On August 17, 1969, a ground breaking ceremony was held for the present church building. Some of the building project highlights were watching the beams being raised into place and finishing the roof on Christmas Eve. The new church building was dedicated on July 26,1970 with a membership of 495 people.

In December 1971, Pastor Mueller accepted a call to Whitehall, Michigan. Pastor Donald Taylor was installed on February 6, 1972. In the 1970's, several changes took place. In 1974, confirmation was changed from Palm Sunday to the first Sunday in May. In June 1976, we started having two services each Sunday. In 1980, handicapped facilities were added to the school building. This included a wheelchair lift, bathroom facilities, and a new store room. Pastor Taylor served St. Paul's until he received a call in October 1985. He accepted an executive position with the Minnesota South District Office of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod to which St. Paul's belongs.

Pastor Paul Bickel was installed as pastor in August 1986 and served St. Paul's until July 1993. After a vacancy that lasted a year and a half, Pastor Bruce Laabs was installed as Pastor of St. Paul's in January of 1995. During Pastor Laab's tenure, a visitation Pastor, Rev. Jeff Harter, was added to St. Paul's staff to better serve the spiritual and human care needs of its members, especially the sick, shut-ins, and families coping with grief. Pastor Laabs left as Pastor of St Paul's in June of 1997.

On August 23, 1998 Rev. Paul Krentz, former pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church in Beemer, Nebraska was installed as the new pastor of St. Paul's and is still serving the congregation.

Recently St. Paul's refinished the woodwork throughout the sanctuary, narthex, and offices, installed new carpet in the sanctuary, re-padded the pews, and added choir risers to the left of the Altar. This was done to beautify our church in glory and honor of our Savior Jesus who laid his life down to deliver us from our sins. The congregation also voted to purchase land on the Southeast side of Watertown for the building of a new school. It is hoped that new school facilities will help us better educate those children who attend and further our efforts to fulfill the mission our God has given us to reach out to all people with the good news of forgiveness and salvation given us in Christ.

Today St. Paul's has a membership of approximately 770 people. We continue to operate an Interparish School with St. Peter's Lutheran Church of rural Watertown. The new Christ Community Lutheran School (K-8th) was completed in 2001. St Paul's is also a member of the Lutheran High Association and supporter of Lutheran High School in Mayer, Minnesota.

It is our sincere hope and prayer that as we continue to "help all people know intimately the love of Christ" by proclaiming God's word, the Holy Spirit will bless our efforts, many will come to faith in Jesus Christ, grow closer to Him as their Savior, and that our Lord's kingdom will continue to grow until He gathers us as one in His heavenly kingdom.