Our Sister Congregation St Paul Flatrock is celebrating it’s 175 Anniversary on August 23rd 2026. I thought it would be nice to share some of that history! In our last post we discussed how Pastor Detzer became the first Pastor for St Paul Flatrock. In 1853 our first pastor moved to Defiance, but he continued to serve his entire field until August, when another pastor came into this territory.

The "Candidate” Henry Koenig, a graduate of the Fort Wayne seminary was ordained by Pastor Detzer in Knipp's settlement in Flatrock Township in a log schoolhouse August 14, 1853 (In a public schoolhouse erected on John Knipp's farm, one mile south, and one mile west from where the church now stands). Texas, at the time being the largest town in the new pastor's field, was chosen as his place of residence. From here Pastor Koenig traveled as far as Florida, another old river and canal station." He preached at times in Napoleon and organized St. John's-Michaelis, near Florida.

Pastor Koenig was able to preach at our congregation on Sundays. For some unexplained reason, however, he quit his charge in the summer of 1856. This was a critical hour for our congregation. Until that time it consisted partly of Lutheran and partly of Reformed members. After Pastor Koenig's departure the congregation called a certain Reformed preacher by the name of Bank. Having served the members for about three years, Pastor Bank desired that the congregation join a Reformed Synod. As a result the congregation separated. Again the Lutheran element turned to Pastor Detzer, and again Pastor Detzer, in time of need, proclaimed the Word of God once every four weeks on a weekday.

It was at this time also that the congregation decided to henceforth be called St. Paul's Congregation.

The address for the St Paul Lutheran church in Flatrock in Ohio is 12-868 County Road K Napoleon OH, 43545.