CEYLON CHURCHES
June 30, July 1-2, 2000

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• Our Savior's Lutheran Church 99 Years in Service.
  Rev. Russel D. Reimers----Vacancy Pastor
  The beginning of our Savior's Evangelical Congregation at Ceylon, Mn., formerly known as St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, dates back as far as can be ascertained, to the year 1870. Little is known concerning the history of this church until 1884. in that year Pastor P. Masse from Algona Ia. explored the territory and found three families which desired his services. In 1896, the Wilbert congregation called its second resident pastor, Rev. F, Schmiege, who then served a small group of members in Ceylon. In 1900, a constitution was adopted and signed by the following: F. Prust, J. Wiedow, W. Busse, W. Reiman, A Koehler, H. Hillman, O. Miedke. It resolved to build a House of God. In 1926, Pastor Paul G. Mueler was installed . At this time the new church was built and dedication took place Nov. 27, 1927. Our current Pastor will be installed at Our Saviors, Ceylon, August 8, 1999. He is Pastor David Wetmore and will be serving both our Saviors and St. Johns, Dunnell.
  
  
• St. Peter's Lutheran Church 104Years in Service
  Rev. Matt Boedecker
• The first church services was held Oct.18, 1885 by Rev. E.G. Eisenberg of Welcome in District 32, The Stone Schoolhouse located 1 mile west and 2 miles north of Ceylon. This served eight or nine families. More German families arrived Illinois and joined the group.
• St Peter's constitution was drawn up August 12, 1895 ans signed by August Schueler,Herman Schueler,Dietrich Stelter, Dietrich Dickman Fritz Poppe and 13 other charter members.
• In the fall of 1895 the church was built on the north shore of Clear Lake on land donated by August Schueler.
• A parsonage with a schoolroom upstairs was built in 1897. The first resident pastor was Rev. H. Zaph in 1897.
• In 1905 a schoolhouse was built as well as a horse barn.
• 1915 the church was enlarged and a belltower added.Before the church's 25th anniversary a bell was installed. This bell has been in the new church tower since 1962.
• June l5, 1919 Walter Nassen, son of Fred Nassen was ordained by Pastor Guetzlaff.
• Sunday school was organized in 1924. Ladies Aid Society was organized in 1925 and Luther League
• Choir services were conducted in both English and German . German services was reduced to one service a month then disappeared.
• 1931 the pipe organ was installed, a light plant was purchased for the parsonage and church and later REA was available. The horse barns were torn down making parking room for autos.The church members celebrated the church's 50th anniversary with a huge picnic on the church lawn Aug 26, l945.
• l948 the L. Larson house in Ceylon was purchased for a parsonage and a lot just west was purchased to build a new church.
• Construction of the brick building began in April, the cornerstone laid July 22, l951 and dedication was July 8, 1952.
• l957 a brotherhood was organized . Pastors from this church also serves the Dolliver Lutheran Church. Bible study groups meet and Vacation Bible school is held every summer.
• Pastors serving the church were: C.G,Eisenberg,Henry Zaph, Paul Liedtke, A.W.E. Goetzlaff, S.F Bredow,W.O.Langholz, Harold C. Kaphingst, Waldemor Storm, Sanford Sill, Mark Bents, Gerold Sevig, Randy Chrissis, Jerry Lanes . .
• The church mortgage was burned June 1961. A new parsonage was built and dedicated March 20, l966.
• 1998 the church office was moved from the parsonage to the church basement.
• At present Pastor Matthew Boedecker is serving the congregation.



• United Methodist of Church 98 Years in Service
  Rev. Gordon Patterson
  
  • In 1870 the Methodist Church Conference sent circuit pastors who walked mostly to Rolling Green, Tenhassen and Lake Belt Townships to preach in various homes It was decided to build a Methodist Episcopal Church in l902.
  • The trustees met and chose Herb Poageas chairman,C.R Belknap as secretary, T.W. Hawthorne as treasure. They planned to solicate funds in the amount of $2,000 to build a church.
  • Church and Sunday School services were held in Clark's Hall until the church was built. The Ladies Aid met in the parsonage.
  • Building of the church began in l904 . The new church was finished in time to conduct the Christmas services.
  • 1925 Rev Julius Hitcock has the basement enlarged to full size.
  • Theodore Mondale had charge from 1927 to l932. Mrs Mondale organized the chior of many voices.
  • 1944 Rev. Lane revived the youth groupand confirmed a large group in 1945.
  • In 1951 the parsonage was moved from the east end of town to it's present location.
  • 1954 the ne organ was installed, Gladys Krosch was organist and chior director.
  • Student pastors Karl and Sandra Schiltz served as pastors when the church celebrated their 75th anniversary in 1977,
  • Recently the church members decided they has no use for the parsonage and it was purchased by Glen and Clara McMurtury.
  • METHODIST MINISTERS 0F CEYLON
  • Dec.1902 - 1903 Rev. J.W. McPeak
  • 1903 - 1907 - Rev. Robert Phillips
  • 1907-Rev. Nelson Brown
  • 1907-Rev. J.L Mckelvey
  • 1907-Rev. Herbert Deck
  • 1911-Rev.- George Lee
  • 1911-Rev. Irvin R. Stephen
  • 1912 -1913 - Rev. Jenkins
  • 1913 - 1916 - Rev. E. Spencer Earl
  • l916 - l 923 - Rev.George Williams
  • 1923 - 1925 - Rev. J.W. Walker
  • 1925 - 1927 - Rev. Julius Hitchcock
  • 1927 - 1932 - Rev. Theodore Mondale
  • 1932 - 1935 - Rev. John Holm
  • 1935 - 1940 - Rev. Lee Wilson
  • June 1940 - 1944 - Rev. George Powell
  • Oct. 1944 - l945 - Rev. Louis Lane
  • June 1946- 1949. Rev. Fred Kain
  • Nov. 1949 - 1955 Rev. Wilbert Traver
  • 1955 - 1960 - Rev. David Stanley McGuire
  • 1960 - 1961 - Rev. John Rossiter
  • 1961 - 1964 - Rev. Norman Lawton
  • 1964 - 1967 - Rev. Harvey Anderson
  • 1967 - 1969 - Rev. Norman Laughman
  • 1969 - 1970 - Supply Minister
  • 1970 - 1973 - C. Lewis Miller
  • 1973 - 1977 - Rev. Ken & Dale Trana
  • 1977 - 1982 - Rev. Karl & Sandra Schiltz
  • 1982 - 1985 - Rev. Dan Doughty
  • 1984 - 1988 - Rev. John Morris
  • 1988 - 1991 - Rev. Gary Walpole
  • 1991 - 1993 - Rev. John Marburger
  • 1993 - 1995 - Rev. Del Coleman
  • 1994 - 1998 - Rev. Gordon Patterson
  
  
  
• St. John's United Church of Christ 104 Years of Service
  Pastor Harwood Shaffer
  On August 15, 1895 a meeting was held at the home of Henry Rosrnberg Sr. in Tenhassen township to form a church. The following officers were elected. President : Henry Rosenberg Sr., Secretary: , Fred Rosenberg, Treasure: Conrad Brutsch. Those also present were Kossuth Hoffman, Walter Hoffmeyer, Ed Hoffmeyer, Gottfried Schmidt, August Rosenberg and Charles Bartling. They affiliated with the Evangelical Synod of North America and was named St John's Evangelical Church.
• On Auguat 30 1895 the first service was conducted by Rev.L. Mack. The Ceylon church shared a Pastor with the Fairmont congregation until 1906.
• The church was built in 1896 in Tenhassen Township . In February 1905 the church was moved from Tenhassen township to Ceylon. Because of the narrow bridge the church had to be moved across the ice on Tuttle Lake.
• Beginning in 1906 the Ceylon and Welcome churches shared the same ministers until 1941.
• The Evangelical and reformed Church formed in 1934.
• In 1936 the church records were lost in a tornado.
• In 1940 the church was turned to face the south. A full basement was dug, a new chancel.and vestibule were built into the church and the church interior was remodeled. In 1941 the Ceylon church called it's first resident minister.
• On October 12, 1939 the Ladies Aid was organized with the assistance of Pastor and Mrs. Meier. The firs meeting was held at the home of Mrs. Bill Abel, Mrs, Howard Champine, Mrs. Allen Christensen, Mrs.Walter H. Hoffmeyer Jr. Mrs. Walter Hoffmeyer Sr .Mrs. Kossuth Hoffmeyer, Mrs. Ted McMurtry, Mrs. Harold Plath, Mrs. Ernest Rosenberg, Mrs. Gottfried Schmidt, Mrs. Henry Schmidt, Mrs. Ralph Schmidt, Mrs. William Schmidt, Mrs Alfred Sorenson, and Mrs B.K. Swink.
• Present Guild officers: President, Mrs.Howard (La Vina ) Champine,Vice President: Mrs.
• Mrs. Allan (Alice) Christensen, Treasure: Mrs.Robert (Eileen) Christensen.
• 1957 the church became known as the St. John's United Church of Christ--E& R.Over the years the following improvements have been made. Balcony 1951,electric organ 1953, stained glass, new altar, pulpit, and lecturn in 1963.new light fixtures 1969, new padded pews, wall to wall carpeting,back addition, 2 furnaces, 2 rest rooms and rear exit in 1970, front entry additiion in 1974 and 2 ceiling fans in 1986.
• Since 1960 the church has shared a Pastor with the Congregastional lst Church UCC of Sherburn. Our centennial year was celebrated in 1995. Rev Paul Sherry , president of the United Church of Christ from Ohio came and gave the sermon for the church service, followwed by a noon meal and an afternoon of visiting at the Ceylon Legion. Many former ministers and their wives returned for the centennial celebration and spoke durning the afternoon.
• La Vina Champine has been the church organist for over 60 years.
• PRESENT OFFICERS FOR ST. JOHN'S UCC
• President: John Schmidtke
• Vice President: Charles Schmidt also Financial Secretary
• Sectrary: Shirley Schmidt
• Treasure:Robert Christensen
• Deacon: Orville Dickmann
• Eldor: Nick Schmidt
• Deacon: L Vina Champine
• Eldor: Ray Scheff
• Submitted by LaVina Champine and Shirley Schmidt.



• St. Paul's Lutheran Church --Wilbert 109 Years in Service
  Rev. Russel D. Reimers
  In the l880's Rev P. Maesse conducted services in the Drake School, section 15. August 1889 Pastor Becker, Sherburn served these families. 1980 these same this same group of German Lutherans organized St paul's Lutheran Church and School and immediately incorporated. Twelve members signed the constitution.
  Six acres of land was bought from John Drake. A 24' x 36' church bulding was built and used for both church and office. The church stood where the present school now stands. The first teacher was Karl Kroelich. 1892 the first resident Pastor was Pastor W. Becker. The parsonage was built and now serves as the school. 1895 the bell tower was erected. In 1900 F.L. Bode assumed the position of full-time teacher. In l938, electricty was installed. And in 1949, the church received a full basement. A pipe organ was installed in 1950 the art glass windows. Air Conditioning was installed in the church in 1974.The interior was remodeled in 1965.
  The Rev. Robert Hintz was installed in 1978 and served for 15 years. He was followed by Rev Russell Reimers, who now serves the Wilbert Church and is vacancy pastor for both Ceylon and Dunnell churches.
  
  
• Wilbert Church School From the beginning, Christian Education was important to the people of the Wilbert Church. A Christian day school was operated since the beginning. The 1965 enrollment reached 89 students in grades 1-8. Due to declining enrollment, it was voted to turn to 2 classrooms. In 1977, Marv Erdman served as principal and taught the upper grades. At that time, Sharon Schultz taught the lower grades. In 1991, Sharon Patrick took over the teaching of the lower grades.
  Marv Erdman retired from his position at the Wilbert school on June 30 after a career of teaching for 42 years, 31 of them at the Wilbert School. Wilbert sent well over 50 people into church work through the years--many are still active in the church as teachers and pastors.
  

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