160-year-old Joliet Lutheran church keeping the faith, planning ahead

JOLIET – Each Sunday, Karyl Holmstrom drives from Plainfield to attend church on Broadway Street in Joliet.

Holmstrom can't envision belonging anywhere but St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church, which will celebrate its 160th anniversary May 20 and May 21.

Her family membership dates back to the 19th century. Holmstrom herself recalls Sunday school classes so large, dividers were put up each week to divide the classes. She fondly remembers the annual Christmas programs.

"This is my second home," Holmstrom said.

Phyllis Powell, 82, of Crest Hill, feels the same way. She was baptized, confirmed and married at St. Peter's. She raised her two children there. Powell, too, called St. Peter's "home" and spoke highly of all the pastors she's known, especially the Rev. Karl Hess, the current pastor.

"He listens," Powell said.

An aging congregation, dwindling attendance and changing demographics are St. Peter's current challenges, although many mainstream denominations are also facing the same issues, Hess said.

"Most of our members remember the day when the church was at its strongest numerically. I've been here 10 years and attendance has declined by half," Hess said. "When you think how many large- to medium-size churches have closed just in my lifetime in Joliet, we should be grateful."

Responding to those challenges is part of how the church seeks direction. Certainly outreach is part of the ministry. Hess said some members tutor kids after school at Evergreen Terrace and volunteer with the community garden.

A fair number of youth living at Evergreen Terrace also participate in St. Peter's vacation Bible school. St. Peter's also supports the food pantry at St. John the Baptist Church in Joliet, Hess said.

"We don't have plans to pack up and go someplace else," he said. "I think most people at St. Peter see our mission and our place as being where we are close to downtown Joliet. If you're getting funding from a denominational organization, it's a little bit easier, but we're not. Still, this is where most people see our home."

Mark Kroll, St. Peter's historian, said the church's first members were all German-speaking, although not necessarily German-born. The first worship services were German, with English gradually working its way into the hymnals in the early 1900s.

"The first English services were in 1912 and they picked up after the first world war," Kroll said. "After 1942, there were occasional German services at Christmas and Good Friday, that sort of thing, but not on a regular basis."

Kroll said one longtime tradition has endured and that's St. Peter's longstanding relationship with WJOL.

"Back in the '20s, WJOL broadcast a choir concert of St. Peter's. Shortly after that, in April 1926, it started broadcasting our Sunday morning services," Kroll said. "We think we have the oldest continuous Sunday morning religious broadcast in the country that's still being broadcasted, although it's not live anymore; we tape it."

But even as St. Peter's broadens its outreach, Hess feels it's important for St. Peter's to remember its first mission – to offer a traditional Lutheran experience for those who desire it.

Hess said one young 20-something member from Plainfield is loyal to St. Peter's for this reason – and is concerned his own children will never experience traditional Lutheranism.

Powell, for one, intends to keep doing her part to ensure St. Peter's endures. She doesn't belong to any one organization in the church. Instead, she volunteers for all the events, from the annual turkey dinner to the Christmas bazaar.

"If you love your church," Powell said, "that's what you do."

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Timeline of St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church

• 1857 — Congregation founded in Bluff Street fire station on May 24.

• 1858 — Frame building erected in April on present site; school begun in October.

• 1869 — First recorded lay teacher for St. Peter’s school in December; school in continuous existence ever since.

• 1870 — Split in congregation; some families leave to form First Lutheran Church.

• 1875 — New constitution establishes the congregation on the basis of the Augsburg Confession.

• 1884 — Current church building dedicated Jan. 20.

• 1891 — Congregation officially becomes a member of the Missouri Synod.

• 1903 — Old limestone school (one block south on Broadway Street) dedicated Jan. 4.

• 1912 — First church services in the English language.

• 1919 — Church interior extensively remodeled; pipe organ installed.

• 1926 — Radio broadcasting of services begun; it's believed to be the oldest continuous Sunday morning religious radio broadcast in the nation.

• 1936 — Church remodeled; post supports removed from under balcony.

• 1942 — Weekly German services discontinued.

• 1944 — Lighted revolving tower cross installed.

• 1947 — New painting of Christ placed behind altar; this painting has been on the south wall of the concourse since 2007.

• 1954 — Replacement of tower bells.

• 1957 — Centennial of congregation; work begun on current school building.

• 1958 — Current school building dedicated.

• 1964 — Final German service ever held on Christmas Day.

• 1975 — Present sanctuary dedicated in February after six months of renovation.

• 1981 — Pipe organ replaced with electronic instrument.

• 1994 — Congregational picnic revived.

• 2007 — Sesquicentennial of congregation; organ replaced by another electronic instrument.

• 2017 — Day school scheduled to close at end of current school year.

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IF YOU GO

WHAT: St. Peter Lutheran Church 160th anniversary dinner

WHEN: 4 p.m. May 20

WHERE: St. Peter Lutheran Church, 310 N. Broadway St., Joliet

ETC: Dinner catered by Bob & Sis. Program consists of history memorabilia and past videos to be shown, along with musical entertainment.

TICKETS: $5 (adults) and $3 (ages 10 and under). Benefits church roof building fund. RSVP deadline is May 14.

INFO: Call the church at 815-722-3567.

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IF YOU GO

WHAT: St. Peter Lutheran Church 160th anniversary worship services

WHEN: 8 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.

WHERE: St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church, 310 N. Broadway St., Joliet

ETC: Panoramic picture of the congregation on the front porch and steps of the church to be taken at 9:30 a.m.

INFO: Call the church at 815-722-3567.