History - Changing Times
Changing
Times
There is evidence to
indicate that among the leaders of the church
there were those who realized that St. Peter's Church needed a new kind
of leadership. The changing times presented new challenges.
The church was on the verge of achieving new status as it
faced
new opportunities in a growing town. The fact that World War
1
and the changes which it brought about created a new situation.
Names of outstanding pastors as cnadidates were recommended.
However, the low salary standard and the conservatism of the
whole church program offered no challenge to prospective pastors.
The church was fortunate in view of these facts to be able to
elect the Reverend Paul Repke as its new pastor. He was an
ideal
pastor, able to relate well to all sorts of people in their need.
He was a strong evangelical preacher and his sermons touched
the
hearts of people. Moreover, he was equally able in both the
German and the English language, a distinct asset. Before
long
English evening services were held regularly. The English
language was used in the Sunday School, and an Adult Bible Class was
formed. Younger leadership began to be enlisted int he
church,
the young people received renewed attention and a youth program was
developed.
One of the most
startling changes was the petition of a group of women
of the Ladies' Aid Society in 1917 asking for the right of membership
in the congregation, including the right to vote. Ever since
the
founding of the church only the male heads of families were members.
The congregation could hardly refuse this petition.
It was
granted in principle, and a change in the constitution was ordered.
But it was not until 1921 that the first requests for
membership
on the part of women were received. Radical change comes
slowly.
As the church prospered,
the members began to call for a new church
building. In the annual meeting of 1919 a committee was
appointed
to prepare for a new church. In 1922 the committee reported
that
only $33,000 of a $50,000 goal was pledged by the congregation.
Many people wished to see action and promised then to
contribute.
Thereupon a committee was appointed to secure building plans.
It was also decided to build on the present location of the
church and if possible to purchase some adjoining property.
Meanwhile another
problem presented itself. The attendance of the
parochial school was declining steadily. Finally in the
summer of
1921 the congregation voted to close the parochial school. In
the
midst of the changing scene, with the slow progress and the delays in
the new church building program, Pastor Repke resigned in the summer of
1922.
Now if ever was the time
for St. Peter's Church to move in new
directions. The Repke pastorate had prepared the way by
introducing a larger use of the English language, by enlisting new and
younger lay leadership by modernizing the Sunday School, by the
prootion of effort in the direction of a new church buiilding.
Moreover, the early 1920'swere the time of "Coolidge
prosperity,"
when new subdivisions were being built in cities and towns.
Elmhurst as a suburb was growing and prospering.
Again the church council
earnestly desired to find an outstanding
pastor to give leadership to the people and again was unable to provide
the conditions which would offer a challenge. At this time a
fortunate circumstance presented itself. After a few years at
the
college, Reverend Karl Chworowsky, an instructor, manifested a
lively interest in becoming the pastor of St. Peter's. He was
the
type of man who would attract notice in the community, not only in the
religious area but also in the cultural life of the town. He
was
a liberal in social and political outlook and often lectured on these
topics. He was also a close friend of two very brilliant
citizens
of Elmhurst, namely Carl Sandburg, the poet and Lincoln scholar who
resided here, and the Reverend Fred Harrison at the Christ Church, now
the Congregational Church.
He began his work with
energy and enthusiasm. He recommended that
there be English as well as German services each Sunday morning.
Then he introduced a more structured order of worship and
introduced the Evangelical Hymnal to replace the Sunday School songs
which had been used in the English services. He brought a new
vision to the whole Sunday School program, reorganizing it on
departmental lines. Previously it had been a one-room Sunday
School. It was not until the new church was built that he
could
render his greatest service. He built St. Peter's Sunday
School
into one o fhte most modern and progressive schools in the whole
denomination.
With all of these modern
developements, it is strange to note that
minutes of church council and congregational meetings were kept in the
German language beyond 1924, although most of the business must have
been in English. Change comes slowly.
The biggest challenge
facing the new pastor and the new lay leadership
was the desperate need for a new church building. A sincere
effort had been made previously, but in the end it was ineffective.
Now the church engaged the services of an architect, and
efforts
were made to secure adjoining property. The first estimate of
the
architect was that a new church, with Sunday School rooms, a fellowship
hall, kitchen and offices, would cost $100,000. This
frightened
the congregation and another architect was secured and finally an
attractive and practical plan won the approval of the congregation.
A campaign was then organied to finally finish the task of
securing subscriptions, and to approach every member of the church with
the challenge. On Sunday evening, October 14th, 1923, there
was a
mass meeting to hear the results, and it was good to know that enough
pledges were gathered to make the building program possible.
The choice of Mr. Elmer
C. Roberts as architect was fortunate. He
designed the building in the Early English Gothic style, modern in
everyway, and an architectural gem. The builders were Ehlers
Brothers, members of the congregation. Action followed at a
fast
pace. On March 23, 1924, the farewell service was held in the
old
church. The old structure was razed the very next day, and
then
excavation began for the new building. The cornerstone for
the
new structure was laid on August 3, 1924. Meanwhile, the
services
of the church were held in the Hawthorne School, until they were moved
to the beautiful old Chapel of Elmhurst College in Irion Hall.
The total cost of the
new church bulding was approximately $120,000, an
astounding sum compared with the $3,900 which was the cost of the first
church in 1877. It was therefore a joyful occasion when the
new
church was dedicated with a week of special services beginning on
Pentecost Sunday, May 31, 1925. A large assembly moved from
the
Chapel at Elmhurst College to the doors of the new church, and then
filled the sanctuary to overflowing. The Ladies Aid Society
provided dinner and support for the many people who came.
Professor C.G.Stanger, the church organist, played the
splendid
new Moeller pipe organ, a gift of the Ladie's Aid Society, for which
they had worked so hard for many years. Altar, pulpit,
windows,
and pews, were given as memorials by families in the church.
The
new St. Peter's Church is the church were we worship today.
It was and continues to be one of the most beautiful and
serviceable church in Elmhurst.