Our Humble Beginning
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Holy Cross of Christ at Lake Creek is the mother church of all Lutheran congregations in Benton, Morgan and Pettis Counties, Missouri. In 1839, a number of families emigrated from Hanover, Germany, and settled in the Northeastern part of Benton County and surrounding territory. At first, they were served by an itinerant preacher of the Methodist Church, named Walkenhorst.
On January 30, 1843, an elected committee submitted seventeen regulations for the establishment and maintenance of a congregation. Briefly these regulations provided that any family living in the settlement could become a member of said congregation by signing these regulations. Those entering the congregation prior to February 10th were to pay a two dollar entrance fee. This fee would apply also to future immigrants, provided that they affiliated with the congregation within three months after their arrival. Those joining later were to pay five dollars. Members were required to pay into the congregational treasury fees as stipulated: baptism, two dollars; wedding, two dollars; funeral, one dollar, and two dollars a year for each child sent to school. Non-members were assessed as follows: baptism, three dollars; wedding, six dollars; funeral, three dollars, and one dollar a month for each sent to school.
Members obligated themselves to help with and pay for the erection of the church, the school, and the parsonage; the congregation promised to acquired the furniture and books necessary for the school and divine services. Membership would be for life, provided the member fulfilled his obligations set forth in the regulations. However, one could sever his connections with the congregation at any time by giving notice to the elders on one's intentions three months prior to the year's end. A building on the Henry Windler farm was to serve as a temporary church and school; but there was a provision that for the convenience of many of the settlers, divine worship services would at times be conducted in various areas of the settlement. Five elders were elected: Jacob Timken,Claus Boeschen,Henry Wymuth, Ulrich Freund, and Peter Mueller. At the end of this meeting and during the remainder of the year of 1842, sixty - five heads of families signed the regulations. As a result the congregation at Lake Creek came into existence.
But one drawback soon became apparent. The regulations which were originally drawn up made no provisions or requirements in regard to a profession of faith from those joining the congregation. The first Pastor, the Rev. Wege, was not satisfied with this condition, and finally he persuaded the congregation to consider the adoption of a constitution which would require adherence to the doctrines of Scripture as taught by the Lutheran Church. The first meeting on record, in which such a constitution was considered, was held on October 27, 1847, the year of the official organization of the Missouri Synod. On August 10, 1848, an acceptable constitution was adopted by the twenty-six members remaining in the congregation. This constitution declared that the congregation was to be purely Lutheran in doctrine and life, form and usages. Pastor Wege, who at this time had received a call to another congregation, was recalled as pastor on the basis of the newly adopted constitution, and thus the first chapter of the congregation's existence was ended.
The first meeting after the reorganization took place on August 28, 1848. Peter Meuller, Henry Holtzen and Henry Schroeder were elected to the "jury" or council of the congregation. Harm Heimsoth and Joachim Gruben were elected elders.
The congregation received the name of "Cross" or "To The Cross of Christ" on August 10, 1848. Prior to that time it was known as the "Lutheran Church on the Prairie." On May 8, 1891, it was incorporated under the official name of "Holy Cross Congregation of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession."
At the end of 1855 Pastor Wege received another call which he accepted but continued to serve the congregation until his successor, Pastor John Hahn arrived in July of 1856. Pastor Hahn accepted a call to Staunton, Illinois in 1871. Subsequent pastors were:
Henry Bremer 1872 - 1877
O. Spehr 1879 - 1881
Frederick A. W. Heyne 1882 - 1890
Frederick W. G. Matuschka 1890 - 1918
Martin W. Pott 1918 - 1926
Walter C.O. Schroeder 1926 - 1945
Ernest G. Bultman 1946 - 1949
John Deye 1951 - 1956
Albert J. F. Meier 1957 - 1961
William F. Schultz 1965 - 1975
Richard Lindeman 1976 -
In February of 1963, Holy Cross and Mt. Hulda joined together in a dual parish. This was accomplished out of necessity, due to the shortage of pastors. Pastor Schultz was installed as the first Pastor of this Dual Parish on March 6, 1966. This Dual Parish dissolved in October 1973 and Holy Cross later joined with St. John's forming a new Dual Parish later in 1973 and continuing to the present.
Approximately twenty-five pastors originated from this congregation, including Pastor Arnold Heimsoth who returned in later years to serve as a vacancy pastor during the last interim. At least thirteen members of this congregation have prepared for full-time teaching ministry in the Lutheran Church.
In 1840 the first log cabin church was built, the second church was built in 1858, and the third church was built in 1887 in order to provided the congregation with a more centrally located place of worship. This church was seventy feet in length, forty feet in width, the walls stood twenty feet high, and the steeple reached ninety-eight feet into the sky.
A sad day for the congregation was during the evening of September 1, 1936 when lightning struck the third house of worship and within the hour it was completely consumed by fire. This was a hard blow for the members who had also been heavily hit by the depression of the preceding years. But the gracious Lord made the hearts of the members willing to sacrifice anew and build another church. Dedication of the present church took place on Reformation Day October 31, 1937. A total of fourteen hundred people were estimated to have attended the two services of that day. The present church is sixty feet in length, thirty six feet in width, the walls are sixteen feet in height, and the church steeple is seventy feet in height. A bell was purchased immediately, and the pipe organ was purchased and dedicated in the summer of 1938.
The date when the first school was initially opened is not known at the present, but all indications point to the fall of 1842. The minutes of the January 30, 1842 congregational meeting stated that there was a desire for an English and German School. The regulations of the congregation at that time stated that "the parents are to pay tuition for their children." The regulations also state that school was to be held "throughout the whole year except during the months of sowing and harvesting." The school terms were known as Winter and Summer School and conducted at least until 1873. At first Winter School was held five days a week for nine months and Summer School three or four days a week. In 1870 it was decided that Winter School should be from October to Easter and Summer School from Easter to October. In 1874 the congregation decided on a summer vacation of one month, which was gradually lengthened.
At first, school was conducted in the church building. In 1867 a building was constructed to accommodate as many as 130 pupils. This building was divided into two rooms by means of sliding doors.
The first teacher mentioned was Henry Schroeder a member of the congregation. He taught until his death in 1861 and was replaced by Mr. Bunge which he taught for two years. Subsequent teachers were:
Mr. Jost Meyer
Student Ohm
Mr. Herman Schnakenberg
Mr. Christian Kraus
Mr. John Herman
Mr. L. Knocke
Student Boritzke
Mr. C. E. Krueger,
W. L. Graebner
Mr. R. Kalbfleisch
Mr. W. R. Krenning
Mr. August Charle
Mr. W. H. C. Pflug
Mr. H. Barr
Mr. George W. Nolting
Fr. A. C. von Niebelschuetz
Mr. Julius Kaiser
Mr. A. P. Wolters
Mr. Erich W. O. Rotermund
During vacancies pastors and various members also taught. Among these were the following:
Mr. Anton Ehlers
Miss Martha Matuschka
Teacher Richter
Miss Frieda Gross
Student Otto Schnakenberg
In 1881 two school districts were created, one known as the Haw Creek District and the other as the Lake Creek District. This arrangement continued until 1926 when it was resolved to unite the two schools into one since the number of children in the congregation had decreased.
Mr. Richard Kalbfleisch who had served the congregation from 1903 until he retired in 1950 was called as teacher of this one school. In 1950 the school was temporarily discontinued but reopened in 1959 when Mr. John Fadler was called. He was a graduate of Concordia Teachers College of Seward, Nebraska. In 1961 Holy Cross joined with St. John's and Trinity to form the Lutheran School Association located in Cole Camp. Mr. Fadler became a member of the Associations faculty.
The congregation for some years had an LLL affiliated Men's Club, and at present has a choir or choirs, Sunday School, Ladies Aid, Walther League or Youth Group, and a Young Couples Club.
Statistics up until 1967 show:
1770 Baptisms
973 Confirmations
391 Marriages
694 Burials.
The congregation has had a cemetery from its beginning. The oldest identifiable tombstone is that of Cord Meyer dated September 14, 1843. The present cemetery was first used in 1848, and its oldest identifiable tombstone is that of Tibke Meyer, dated November 28, 1850.
On January 30, 1843, an elected committee submitted seventeen regulations for the establishment and maintenance of a congregation. Briefly these regulations provided that any family living in the settlement could become a member of said congregation by signing these regulations. Those entering the congregation prior to February 10th were to pay a two dollar entrance fee. This fee would apply also to future immigrants, provided that they affiliated with the congregation within three months after their arrival. Those joining later were to pay five dollars. Members were required to pay into the congregational treasury fees as stipulated: baptism, two dollars; wedding, two dollars; funeral, one dollar, and two dollars a year for each child sent to school. Non-members were assessed as follows: baptism, three dollars; wedding, six dollars; funeral, three dollars, and one dollar a month for each sent to school.
Members obligated themselves to help with and pay for the erection of the church, the school, and the parsonage; the congregation promised to acquired the furniture and books necessary for the school and divine services. Membership would be for life, provided the member fulfilled his obligations set forth in the regulations. However, one could sever his connections with the congregation at any time by giving notice to the elders on one's intentions three months prior to the year's end. A building on the Henry Windler farm was to serve as a temporary church and school; but there was a provision that for the convenience of many of the settlers, divine worship services would at times be conducted in various areas of the settlement. Five elders were elected: Jacob Timken,Claus Boeschen,Henry Wymuth, Ulrich Freund, and Peter Mueller. At the end of this meeting and during the remainder of the year of 1842, sixty - five heads of families signed the regulations. As a result the congregation at Lake Creek came into existence.
But one drawback soon became apparent. The regulations which were originally drawn up made no provisions or requirements in regard to a profession of faith from those joining the congregation. The first Pastor, the Rev. Wege, was not satisfied with this condition, and finally he persuaded the congregation to consider the adoption of a constitution which would require adherence to the doctrines of Scripture as taught by the Lutheran Church. The first meeting on record, in which such a constitution was considered, was held on October 27, 1847, the year of the official organization of the Missouri Synod. On August 10, 1848, an acceptable constitution was adopted by the twenty-six members remaining in the congregation. This constitution declared that the congregation was to be purely Lutheran in doctrine and life, form and usages. Pastor Wege, who at this time had received a call to another congregation, was recalled as pastor on the basis of the newly adopted constitution, and thus the first chapter of the congregation's existence was ended.
The first meeting after the reorganization took place on August 28, 1848. Peter Meuller, Henry Holtzen and Henry Schroeder were elected to the "jury" or council of the congregation. Harm Heimsoth and Joachim Gruben were elected elders.
The congregation received the name of "Cross" or "To The Cross of Christ" on August 10, 1848. Prior to that time it was known as the "Lutheran Church on the Prairie." On May 8, 1891, it was incorporated under the official name of "Holy Cross Congregation of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession."
At the end of 1855 Pastor Wege received another call which he accepted but continued to serve the congregation until his successor, Pastor John Hahn arrived in July of 1856. Pastor Hahn accepted a call to Staunton, Illinois in 1871. Subsequent pastors were:
Henry Bremer 1872 - 1877
O. Spehr 1879 - 1881
Frederick A. W. Heyne 1882 - 1890
Frederick W. G. Matuschka 1890 - 1918
Martin W. Pott 1918 - 1926
Walter C.O. Schroeder 1926 - 1945
Ernest G. Bultman 1946 - 1949
John Deye 1951 - 1956
Albert J. F. Meier 1957 - 1961
William F. Schultz 1965 - 1975
Richard Lindeman 1976 -
In February of 1963, Holy Cross and Mt. Hulda joined together in a dual parish. This was accomplished out of necessity, due to the shortage of pastors. Pastor Schultz was installed as the first Pastor of this Dual Parish on March 6, 1966. This Dual Parish dissolved in October 1973 and Holy Cross later joined with St. John's forming a new Dual Parish later in 1973 and continuing to the present.
Approximately twenty-five pastors originated from this congregation, including Pastor Arnold Heimsoth who returned in later years to serve as a vacancy pastor during the last interim. At least thirteen members of this congregation have prepared for full-time teaching ministry in the Lutheran Church.
In 1840 the first log cabin church was built, the second church was built in 1858, and the third church was built in 1887 in order to provided the congregation with a more centrally located place of worship. This church was seventy feet in length, forty feet in width, the walls stood twenty feet high, and the steeple reached ninety-eight feet into the sky.
A sad day for the congregation was during the evening of September 1, 1936 when lightning struck the third house of worship and within the hour it was completely consumed by fire. This was a hard blow for the members who had also been heavily hit by the depression of the preceding years. But the gracious Lord made the hearts of the members willing to sacrifice anew and build another church. Dedication of the present church took place on Reformation Day October 31, 1937. A total of fourteen hundred people were estimated to have attended the two services of that day. The present church is sixty feet in length, thirty six feet in width, the walls are sixteen feet in height, and the church steeple is seventy feet in height. A bell was purchased immediately, and the pipe organ was purchased and dedicated in the summer of 1938.
The date when the first school was initially opened is not known at the present, but all indications point to the fall of 1842. The minutes of the January 30, 1842 congregational meeting stated that there was a desire for an English and German School. The regulations of the congregation at that time stated that "the parents are to pay tuition for their children." The regulations also state that school was to be held "throughout the whole year except during the months of sowing and harvesting." The school terms were known as Winter and Summer School and conducted at least until 1873. At first Winter School was held five days a week for nine months and Summer School three or four days a week. In 1870 it was decided that Winter School should be from October to Easter and Summer School from Easter to October. In 1874 the congregation decided on a summer vacation of one month, which was gradually lengthened.
At first, school was conducted in the church building. In 1867 a building was constructed to accommodate as many as 130 pupils. This building was divided into two rooms by means of sliding doors.
The first teacher mentioned was Henry Schroeder a member of the congregation. He taught until his death in 1861 and was replaced by Mr. Bunge which he taught for two years. Subsequent teachers were:
Mr. Jost Meyer
Student Ohm
Mr. Herman Schnakenberg
Mr. Christian Kraus
Mr. John Herman
Mr. L. Knocke
Student Boritzke
Mr. C. E. Krueger,
W. L. Graebner
Mr. R. Kalbfleisch
Mr. W. R. Krenning
Mr. August Charle
Mr. W. H. C. Pflug
Mr. H. Barr
Mr. George W. Nolting
Fr. A. C. von Niebelschuetz
Mr. Julius Kaiser
Mr. A. P. Wolters
Mr. Erich W. O. Rotermund
During vacancies pastors and various members also taught. Among these were the following:
Mr. Anton Ehlers
Miss Martha Matuschka
Teacher Richter
Miss Frieda Gross
Student Otto Schnakenberg
In 1881 two school districts were created, one known as the Haw Creek District and the other as the Lake Creek District. This arrangement continued until 1926 when it was resolved to unite the two schools into one since the number of children in the congregation had decreased.
Mr. Richard Kalbfleisch who had served the congregation from 1903 until he retired in 1950 was called as teacher of this one school. In 1950 the school was temporarily discontinued but reopened in 1959 when Mr. John Fadler was called. He was a graduate of Concordia Teachers College of Seward, Nebraska. In 1961 Holy Cross joined with St. John's and Trinity to form the Lutheran School Association located in Cole Camp. Mr. Fadler became a member of the Associations faculty.
The congregation for some years had an LLL affiliated Men's Club, and at present has a choir or choirs, Sunday School, Ladies Aid, Walther League or Youth Group, and a Young Couples Club.
Statistics up until 1967 show:
1770 Baptisms
973 Confirmations
391 Marriages
694 Burials.
The congregation has had a cemetery from its beginning. The oldest identifiable tombstone is that of Cord Meyer dated September 14, 1843. The present cemetery was first used in 1848, and its oldest identifiable tombstone is that of Tibke Meyer, dated November 28, 1850.
This information acquired from the Cole Camp History Book
and this information is based off the 125th Anniversary Booklet.
and this information is based off the 125th Anniversary Booklet.