Today I am going to read a short letter from the Lutheran past that was written to memorialize the events that took place as the Immanuel congregation decided to move from the countryside into the town of Mokena. I will follow that by reading part of a newspaper article written just 6 years after the move had been made, to give you an idea of how quickly events were taking place in the worldwide effort behind the spreading of the Lutheran Church.
“The Evangelical Lutheran congregation at the town of Frankfort was founded about 40 years ago and was served by Pastor Elias Hieber. Since 1915, this congregation has held their church services in Mokena, Will County, Illinois. Pastor H. G. Sandvoss of Joliet was the first Lutheran pastor who preached in Mokena. Also, Pastor E. Zucker preached a few times. Palm Sunday has the above-mentioned pastors leading, for the first time, the church services in the new place. Since Easter Sunday, the congregation bid farewell to the old building in which Past Hieber the many years served souls. Also was held on this Sunday the festival of Holy Communion.
On the 22nd day of August, 1915, the congregation decided to build a new church building. As building committee, the following men were chosen: Lorence Schweser, Phillip Werner, N, J. Geuther, George Stellwagen, and John Schilling.
The congregation on this date consisted of 17 members. The following brothers are authorized: John Schweser, Phillip Werner, Heinrich Schroth, John Wannamacher, Nick J. Geuther, Daniel Lauffer, Conrad Bormet, George Stellwagen, Henry Yunker, Christ Kohl, Henry Kehres, August Teske, Friedrich Feldt, John Schilling, August Hentsch, and Heinrich Geuther.
The following gentlemen were church wardens: Henry Schroth, Daniel Lauffer, and Lawrence Schweser.
But God the father gives the grace that His Word pure and loud is preached, and the Holy Sacraments unfalsified are administered. He holds his protecting hand over his little heap (small group) and gives many immortal souls can be led to a truly good shepherd, Jesus Christ.
God rules, Amen.
Mokena, Will County, Illinois on 10 October, 1915
Raymond R. Reinke
Ev. Luth Pastor”
Now, six years later this article was published in the Mokena News Bulletin under the heading of “Lutheran Body Grew Rapidly.”
“On April 26, 1847, twelve ministers of the Gospel gathered in Chicago at a meeting which was destined to mark the beginning of one of the most remarkable movements in the history of the Christian Church in the United States, and formed what is now known as the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and other states, the church-body which this year celebrates its 75th anniversary. (This synod was formed just three years before our church was formed.)
During the three-quarters of a century which have passed since Dr. C. F. W. Walther, the consecrated leader of the Saxon immigrants in Missouri, assumed the presidency of this Synod, this church body has experienced a growth that is nothing short of phenomenal. Its pastors have increased from the original 12 to 2,900; its congregations from the sixteen represented in Chicago on the day of the organization to 3,300 with 1,000 additional preaching stations. Its membership embraces more than one million souls in all parts of the United States and Canada, and together with other Synods affiliated in the Synodical Conference it forms the largest Lutheran church body in the world.”
SO, members of Immanuel, you can see that God works through us in many ways to expand the knowledge of Christ Jesus in the world. I am certain that the original families that gathered together to start our congregation had no inkling of what changes were going to come out of starting this one little church in the country. 90 years after our founding, we had families living in the New Lenox area and worshipping in Mokena, that started their own building project that is now Trinity Lutheran. After another 15 years, we had families living in Frankfort and worshipping in Mokena, that started their own building project that is now Good Shepherd Lutheran. One church has become three houses of worship. And there is more work to do, more people to reach and bring the word of God and the life of Jesus Christ, to bring them salvation.