St. Paul Lutheran Church Flatrock Township, Ohio History - 1851-2026. Part 3.

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 the year 1858 the faithful Lutheran pastor Adolph William Bergt began to serve also our congregation and proclaimed the Word and administered the Sacraments until 1864, a period of about 5 years. The first records of official acts in our possession stem from the time of Rev. Bergt's pastorate. St. Paul was not the only congregation served by this faithful minister. At this time he was also serving St. John's, Ridgeville Township, St. James, Fulton County, where a parsonage was erected for him in 1858, and St. Paul's, Napoleon.

The first piece of property which this congregation acquired was bought from Tobias Knipp, June 30, 1863, for $1.50. On this plot of ground, at the northeast corner of our present cemetery, a frame church was dedicated the Sunday before Christmas, 1863. The years of the Civil War came and went, but here the work of the Kingdom went on uninterrupted. The new church must have been a source of joy to the worshippers. The first church had a steeple and a bell and benches and a board fence was erected around the church. A tuning fork aided the leader in singing. Among the organists was Mrs. Dan Kryling who gave of her time and talents for this service in the church. Evidently the church itself was a strong and sturdy building, and served well until 1904 when our present house of worship was erected.

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

The History of St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church in Florida Ohio; Part 3

Last September 13th 2025 St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church celebrated its 150th Anniversary. Every Wednesday we are going to post one of the articles from the time of our Anniversary. These were created at the direction of the St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church 150th Anniversary Committee. This week’s brief history of St. Peter’s beginnings follows the years from 1888-1909

The next spiritual leader Florida called was Pastor William Schust (1888-1891) of Lockwood, Missouri.  He was installed by Pastor William L. Fischer of Napoleon on the 25th Sunday after Trinity, 1888.  But soon after this, the congregation at Holgate experienced a vacancy, and asked Pastor Schust to also serve their needs.  So the agreement was reached between the two neighboring congregations that they be served jointly by the same pastor.  And since the pastor was to teach religious school at Holgate, he took up his residence in the parsonage there.  Up to that time Florida had not acquired a minister’s home.  The first resident pastor boarded with parish families.  However, the majority of the Florida membership preferred to have their pastor in their own midst, so the congregation decided to release Pastor Schust to Holgate altogether and to join with the sister congregation in North Richland Township in calling a new pastor.
This call was submitted to Candidate Ernest Gottlieb Juengel (1891-1893) of the seminary at St. Louis.  This young man was ordained and installed at Florida on the 17th Sunday after Trinity, 1891, by his father, the Reverend H. Juengel.  But his stay proved to be of short duration as in 1893 he accepted a call to serve a church in Cleveland.
During the following vacancy of seven months. Pastor Herman Diemer of the South Ridge congregation supplied the needs of Florida to the best of his time and ability.  Three times Florida called in vain.  Then Candidate Henry Kasper Rottmann (1894-1908) from the seminary at Springfield, Illinois was called successfully and Pastor Diemer ordained and installed him on July 29, 1894.
Under Pastor Rottmann’s leadership of fifteen years, the Florida congregation flourished and progressed visibly.  It was during this time that the church building was enlarged and the first parsonage erected and other improvements were made.  The parochial report of the year 1900 read:  Souls: 183; communicants 97; voting members 23; Summer school pupils: 25; baptisms: 13; confirmation 7: marriages 2; burials 1.

Re-printing excerpt from “Word and Sacraments 100 Years September 13, 1875 - September 13, 1975” -  Centennial Anniversary Booklet

• This might confuse some people since the Concordia Theological Seminary is today in Fort Wayne. In 1874, he 29 pre-seminary students of the practical seminary, along with one instructor, were moved to a campus in Springfield, IL. In 1976, the seminary returned to Fort Wayne.

The History of St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church in Florida Ohio; Part 3

Last September [2025]; St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church celebrated its 150th Anniversary. Every Wednesday we are going to post one of the articles from the time of our Anniversary. These were created at the direction of the St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church 150th Anniversary Committee.

This month’s brief history of St. Peter’s beginnings follows the years from 1888-1909

The next spiritual leader Florida called was Pastor William Schust (1888-1891) of Lockwood, Missouri. He was installed by Pastor William L. Fischer of Napoleon on the 25th Sunday after Trinity, 1888. But soon after this, the congregation at Holgate experienced a vacancy, and asked Pastor Schust to also serve their needs. So the agreement was reached between the two neighboring congregations that they be served jointly by the same pastor. And since the pastor was to teach religious school at Holgate, he took up his residence in the parsonage there. Up to that time Florida had not acquired a minister’s home. The first resident pastor boarded with parish families. However, the majority of the Florida membership preferred to have their pastor in their own midst, so the congregation decided to release Pastor Schust to Holgate altogether and to join with the sister congregation in North Richland Township in calling a new pastor.

This call was submitted to Candidate Ernest Gottlieb Juengel (1891-1893) of the seminary at St. Louis. This young man was ordained and installed at Florida on the 17th Sunday after Trinity, 1891, by his father, the Reverend H. Juengel. But his stay proved to be of short duration as in 1893 he accepted a call to serve a church in Cleveland.

During the following vacancy of seven months. Pastor Herman Diemer of the South Ridge congregation supplied the needs of Florida to the best of his time and ability. Three times Florida called in vain. Then Candidate Henry Kasper Rottmann (1894-1908) from the seminary at Springfield, Illinois was called successfully and Pastor Diemer ordained and installed him on July 29, 1894. [As we have discussed: The Theological Seminary which is now at Fort Wayne was at Springfield IL at the time].

Under Pastor Rottmann’s leadership of fifteen years, the Florida congregation flourished and progressed visibly. It was during this time that the church building was enlarged and the first parsonage erected and other improvements were made. The parochial report of the year 1900 read: Souls: 183; communicants 97; voting members 23; Summer school pupils: 25; baptisms: 13; confirmation 7: marriages 2; burials 1.

Re-printing excerpt from “Word and Sacraments 100 Years September 13, 1875 - September 13, 1975” - Centennial Anniversary Booklet

Devotion May 18th, 2026; Old Testament Holidays Part 1

This Summer I am going to occasionally discuss Jewish holidays; especially the ones that are connected with the life of Jesus . I want to start with one that actually falls in May, which is Pentecost. [Pentecost this year falls on May 24th 2026].

            We learn about Pentecost in Leviticus 23:15-22. It is often called the Fest of Harvest, feast of weeks or sometimes called the day of weeks. It lasted for seven whole weeks, or fifty days; Sometimes called a week of Weeks. I know what everyone is thinking 7 times 7 equals 49. But there was added a 50th Day, or sometimes considered the 8th Day. That fifth day is sometimes called the Azareth. Pentecost in the Old Testament was a Harvest festival. This was the time of year that God had appointed for Harvest. Hence the references to the harvest in Leviticus 23:10 and 23:22. Pentecost also became a time of studying the Torah.

            On the 50th day the Israelites brought two loaves of leavened wheat bread made with yeast as the “first-ripe produce” from the harvest.” Those loaves were presented together with a burnt offering made up of seven lambs, two rams and one bull. Also included were a sin offering with a male goat, and a peace offering with two male lambs. The seven lambs were connected with the complication of the seven weeks. A bull and the two rams were sacrificed because this was a national enactment. The male goat was sacrificed as a sin offering to make atonement for the congregation.

            The 8th day is a day of new creation. And we can see how this 50th day is like the ultimate 8th day, since it was the end of 7 weeks. In the same way after the sacrifice of so many animals and offering of the grain the Israelites themselves must have felt like a new creation.

Now for Christians, Pentecost is the day where the Holy Spirit breathed on the disciples and they were given power from on High. The most important power they received was the ability to speak to other people in their own language. In Acts 2, when the disciples received the Holy Spirit, they must have felt like a new creation. What did they do as a new creation? They went out and started a new harvest. The planted the seed of God’s word throughout Jerusalem.

            We today can continue to celebrate Pentecost and as we acknowledge there is still plenty of places, and plenty of people, to plant the seed of God’s word.

[Some of this newsletter used: Kleinig, John W. Leviticus. Concordia Commentary. Saint Louis, MO: Concordia Pub. House, 2003. Especially pages 500-505.]

            We invite you to join us for worship on Pentecost!

St. Paul Lutheran Church Flatrock Township, Ohio History - 1851-2026; Part 2.

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.

The History of St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church in Florida Ohio; Part 2

Last September 13th 2025 St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church celebrated its 150th Anniversary. Every Wednesday we are going to post one of the articles from the time of our Anniversary. These were created at the direction of the St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church 150th Anniversary Committee. This second article of St. Peter’s beginnings follows the years from 1875 to 1887.

*Pastor Detzer’s successor was Pastor Adalbert Kraft (1870-1876) who was installed on September 18, 1870. During his tenure of office, progress was made to the extent that a separate congregation could be formally organized.  On September 13, 1875, a constitution was written and signed by the charter members who named the new church for the Apostle St. Peter.  Also at this time, subscriptions for the building of a church were gathered from those who were interested in the undertaking.  However, this gathering of funds was halted for a time because of the calling away of Pastor Krafft.

After Pastor Krafft had delivered his farewell sermon on the 24th Sunday after Trinity, 1876, Pastor Herman Diemer (1877-1883) was called and installed in April 1877.   Now the enthusiasm for the building of a church was revived and by 1880 a nest-egg in the amount of $1,000.00 had been underwritten; half of which had been gathered from members of kindly sister-congregations in Henry and Defiance counties.  Soon the building was begun and completed and on Trinity Sunday, 1881, the first Lutheran church in Florida, Ohio, was dedicated to the glory of God.  Professor F.W. Stellhorn, of Concordia College, Fort Wayne, and Pastor L. Dulitz, of Napoleon, preached the German festival sermons and Pastor Diemer the English.
 During the periods when Pastor Krafft and Diemer provided Florida with church services and official acts, such as baptisms, marriages, etc, these men had their homes in Archbold.  Considering the almost impassable country roads of that day and the great distances between the mission stations, it is only natural that these early preachers met with untold hardships on their journeys.  But when they would arrive at Florida, they would always find a hearty welcome and good lodging with families such as the Fred Leonhard’s and others.
In 1883 another pastoral vacancy ensued for the Florida congregations when Pastor Diemer accepted a call to Pomeroy, Ohio.  At this turn of events the churches in Archbold and Ridgeville Corners decided to call a pastor of their own.  So Florida was forced to look elsewhere for spiritual guidance.  It did find ready response when Pastor G. M. Zucker of Defiance consented to serve as vacancy pastor.  This arrangement lasted for a year and a half, until the Florida congregation extended a call for their own shepherd.  The call was received favorably by the St. Louis seminary and on the 12th Sunder after Trinity, 1885, theological candidate Theodore Karl Horst (1885-1888) was installed as the first resident pastor of Florida.  From that time forward, it was possible to enjoy divine public worship on every Sunday and to institute religious instruction for the children.  Under such single blessings, the congregation grew both spiritually and outwardly for three years when the next interruption occurred.  Pastor Horst accepted a call to become the pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Toledo, Ohio.
Historical information is reprinted from “Word and Sacraments 100 Years September 13, 1875 - September 13, 1975” - Centennial Anniversary Booklet 

May 11th 2026; Devotion

      May can be the month were people start thinking about summer. Summer for a lot of people means vocations and travel. We can all imagine taking a trip to someplace where we never been before. For instance I have never been to Toronto, Canada! How might I got to Toronto, what kind of device could I use. Could I use a map or get directions from someone?

May is often part of the Easter Season. During Easter we should remember another place we are destined to go. Jesus has often described a special destination to His disciples. In John 14 Jesus says to his disciples:

 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 

 On behalf of Jesus’ disciples, Disciple Thomas asked the question, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Jesus was having a special conversation with His disciples. In the last hours before He went to the cross, He gathered with them in a room in Jerusalem. Jesus, the Servant, had washed their feet, and now He shared some final thoughts with them. Jesus explained that He was going away. Jesus would go to the cross. He would rise from the dead, and then He would ascend into heaven. Jesus wants these disciples and all disciples with Him. In spite of the facts that these disciples haven’t always listened to Him or understood His teaching, that a disciple will deny Him and that many disciples would hide rather than be at His cross, Jesus wanted them with Him in His “Father’s house.” Jesus wants disciples with Him surrounding His throne of glory.

Jesus explained that there is no earthly map to His “Father’s house.” We cannot find our own way there. The only way there is through Jesus. Jesus who came to walk in the ways of our life, Jesus who went the way of the cross, Jesus who was the way out of the tomb — Jesus is the way to eternal life.

Let Us Pray:

Jesus, when we were not able to find our way to You, You brought us on the way to Your cross and empty tomb. You have blessed us on the way to eternal life. Keep us safely on the path to salvation and use us to bring others on the way to life as Your disciples now and eternally. Amen.

Part of this was taken from: 2022–2023 CHAPEL TALKS FOR LUTHERAN SCHOOLS: 50.

On May 14th, 2026, which is the day of Ascension, we invite you to join us for worship at St Paul Flatrock in Ohio. The address for the church is 12-868 County Road K Napoleon OH, 43545].

St. Paul Lutheran Church Flatrock Township, Ohio History - 1851-2026; Part 1!

Our Sister Congregation St Paul Flatrock is celebrating its 175 Anniversary on August 23rd, 2026. I thought it would be nice to share some of that history! So, every Friday I am going to share some of the History of that congregation.

 "It was in the year 1851, August the 25th, that the evangelical Lutheran pastor, Adam Detzer, came into this settlement in order to baptize three children. At this occasion the settlers in these parts consulted with Detzer that he would, if possible, preach God's Word to them. In answer to this request, he preached several years, and because of great lack of time, every four weeks, on a week day." So, we read in the opening words of the oldest historical account of our congregation on record

 A hundred and 75 years ago Henry County was a swamp. Maumee valley was not too healthful a place. The traveler beheld the towering trees above, as he made his way through the mud and mire beneath. Millard Fillmore was the President of the United States. It was fifty-seven years after The Battle of Fallen Timbers. Those were considered days of progress, too, when one could reach Fort Wayne from Toledo in twenty-six hours by canal boat.

 Into the forbidding wilderness of Flatrock Township, Henry County came this zealous missionary of the Lutheran Church, Adam Detzer. Coming to America in June, 1845, he had succeeded in organizing three congregations, including Zion near Edgerton, and St. James, near Burlington in the year 1846. Pastor Detzer was also the founder of St. John, Defiance, which celebrated its centennial in 1951. Even if he had been able to read in the original language the serial and best seller, "Uncle Tom's Cabin," which appeared in 1851, the swamp preacher hardly would have had the time to do so. Today there are about a dozen and a half congregations of the Missouri Synod in the four northwestern counties of Ohio which are a living testimony to that which God wrought through the unselfish efforts of our Church's first circuit rider in northwestern Ohio. When our Synod was formed in 1847, Detzer was one of the ten advisory pastors who were charter members of our Synod. To this man St Paul owes much.

 As long as Pastor Detzer resided in Williams County, he made St. James, Bryan, his home. 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 address for the St Paul Lutheran church in Flatrock in Ohio is 12-868 County Road K Napoleon OH, 43545.

The History of St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church in Florida Ohio; Part 1

Last September 13th, 2025; St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church celebrated its 150th Anniversary. Every Wednesday we are going to post one of the articles from the time of our Anniversary. These were created at the direction of the St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church 150th Anniversary Committee. This Week we start with the beginning:

1850 - 1875    
On September 13, 2025, one hundred fifty years have passed into history since the St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of Florida, Ohio became an officially organized body.  The initial beginnings, however, date back much farther than one hundred fifty years.  It can be said quite safely, the congregation is really more than a hundred fifty years old.  A number of charter members who signed the first constitution of St. Peter in 1875 had settled in and around the village of Florida in the middle part of 1800.  As far as can be ascertained, we find among such early Lutheran families the names of Fred Leonhard, William Goldenstern, John Lange, Christian Barth, and William Spengler.  These members had not formed an organized congregation before 1875, but up to that time held divine services together with St. Johns - Michaelis Congregation in North Richland Township, Defiance County.
The history of St. Peter before 1875 coincides with that of the sister-congregation in Richland Township.  This neighboring church which no longer exists, had been served by Pastor Adam Detzer for a number of years, when on January 1, 1854, it was organized under the leadership of Pastor Henry Koenig into a formal congregation.  Among the 17 families who constituted the newly founded church there were several who lived in or near Florida, namely the families mentioned above.  From 1854 to 1870 these people were supplied with religious services by Pastor Detzer, then residing in Defiance.  Already at this time Sunday worship was held now and then in private homes of Florida and later in an old school house, which later was turned into Florida’s Town-hall.

The first recorded baptisms in St. Peter Church Records are:

Ÿ   Jakob Peter, born July 5, 1851. Parents: Philip and Katharina Peter.  Baptized on August 3, 1851.

Ÿ  Wilhelm Heinrick Stockmann, Born August 5, 1851. Parents:  Johann and Maria Stockman. Baptized on August 5, 1852. Witness: Wilhelm Goldenstern

The first death recorded was:

Ÿ   Philip Peter, Born on November 7, 1847 and died on March 8, 1855.

The first marriage was:

Ÿ   Jacob Thieme and Maria Laucher on November 14, 1854.

The first Confirmation Records are dated May 7, 1855.

Historical information is reprinted from “Word and Sacraments 100 Years September 13, 1875 - September 13, 1975” - Centennial Anniversary Booklet (With one hundred fifty years substituted for one hundred years)

And from “St. Peter Lutheran Register 1854 - 1920” Translated from German by Mr. Henry zumFelde

May 4th 2026; Devotion

            Ascension this year is on Thursday May 14th 2026. [And we invite you all to worship with us that night!] But what is Ascension day?

The fullest account of the Ascension appears in the Acts of the Apostles. Here we read how Christ gathers His disciples round Him. Jesus charges them with proclaiming the Gospel, promises that He will send the Holy Spirit, and then ascends to sit at the right hand of His Father. Then Two angels appear, asking: "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven."

How has Ascension been celebrated in Church history? As soon as Christianity had become a lawful religion within the empire, Helena, the mother of Constantine, made concerted efforts to pinpoint those places in the Holy Land that were associated with our Lord's ministry. One of these was the Mount of Olives. Helena had Constantine built a church there at the supposed site of the Ascension, though the building was several times destroyed by Arabs and Syrians. This basilica was thought to enshrine the very stone on which Christ last stood, and the pious believe His footprints are still visible.

In France and Germany Ascension was a popular day for a pilgrimage to a shrine or holy hill. Here the townsfolk acted out the events of the day. In some churches a statue of Christ was symbolically pulled up through a hole in the roof.

During Easter the Paschal candle is lit; representing the Risen Christ as the Light of the Lord.  The Paschal candle as a symbol of Christ's presence with His people, was solemnly extinguished. Now Christ would be present no longer in a visible manner but would instead send the Holy Spirit. Ascension seems to have been a especially important holiday among the Crusaders. The Knights Templars honored it with special reverence, and many a crusader emblazoned the symbols of the Ascension on his armor and pennons.

One common symbol of the Ascension is the lion and the dragon. The lion represents Christ, ascended in triumph to His Father. The dragon represents the devil, allowed once more to battle for the souls of men.

[This was partially taken from the “Year of the Lord: The Church Year: Its Customs, Growth, & Ceremonies by THEODORE J. KLEINHANS page 83-84].

On May 14th, 2026, which is the day of Ascension, we invite you to join us for worship at St Paul Flatrock in Ohio. The address for the church is 12-868 County Road K Napoleon OH, 43545].