Church: Greenwood Immanuel United Church of Christ Centennial (1974)

Contact:  Ken Wood
Email: woodi1999@yahoo.com

Marshfield News Herald Wednesday July 10, 1974 Page 8

CLARK COUNTY

More Than 600 Attend Centennial of Church

GREENWOOD-- A morning and an afternoon service Sunday commemorated the centennial of the congregation of the Immanuel United Church of Christ on route 2, Greenwood. More than 600 had registered during the day coming from 12 states and many points in Wisconsin. Greetings also were read from places as far away as South America.

The congregation first met in the Decker School in 1873 and the congregation was organized in 1874. In 1875 40 acres of land was purchased for a two-story log building with timber from the acreage. There was plenty of room for the pastror's horse and cows. At that time it was the German reformed Emmanuel Church.

The second church was built in 1890 for the sum of $915.13. When the third church was built in 1910, the old building was used for the church school. The church tower was removed in 1944.

With a bell being included in the new church, the ringing schedule included an angelus at sunset Saturday evening. If the bell tolled at 8 a. m., the community knew a child had died; at 10 a. m., it was a young person; and for an adult it was tolling at noon. Now the bell is rung for services and tolled when the funeral procession leaves the church.

This was the mother church to the Salem Church in Braun Settlement and Zion Church in Greenwood. The Zion United Church of Christ was discontinued in 1951 but the Ladies Aid continued as an active organization. In 1926 a cemetery board was established to take care of the east and west cemeteries and Forest Hill at Braun Settlement. The women of the church now have Immanuel Guild instead of the Ladies Aid.

Many changes have been made in the church proper through the years including extensive remodeling and an addition in 1952. The stained glass windows were added in 1957.

The Rev. Pacifico Camarin and his wife Priscilla have constructed a grotto between the parson age and church especially for the centennial. The Rev. Camarin, who is a native of the Philippines, has also carved the sign located on County Highway O east of the church.

Suring the noon hour barbecued pork was the main feature of the dinner. Ronald Tieman, assisted by Norman Liebzeit, Clayton Braun and Kenneth Steiger of the congregation, was in charge of barbecuing the three hogs. Indoors, three cakes formed the centerpiece of the head table. Mrs. Robert Susa, Greenwood, baked and decorated replicas of the church, the parsonage and the church school building. Other tables had floral decorations.

Taking part in the services in addition to the present pastor, the Rev. Camarin, and visiting pastros were the men's choir, the youth choir, the teen choir and the all church choir. There are 122 families in the congregation.

Visiting moinisters and families attending the celebration included the Rev. and Mrs. Dennis Siebert and son, Mineral Point; the Rev. Otto Vriesen and daughters, Norwood, Minn.; Kenneth Vriesen, Milwaukee; the Rev. and Mrs. Charles Koch and Linda of Sheboygan; Rev. and Mrs. Gary Clark and family, Neillsville; the Rev and Mrs. David Logue and chuildren, Greenwood; the rev. and Mrs, Lee Hoilmes, Marshfield; the Rev. James Savides, minister of the Northwest Wisconsin Association of the United Church of Christ; and Dr. and Mrs. Ralph P. Ley, conference president from Madison.

Mrs. Elmer Humke was chairman of the centennial committees and also chairman of the book committee which included Mrs. Erwin Toburen, Mrs. Norman Liebzeit and Mrs. Alvin Albert. The history book was compiled for the centennial.

Under picture of cakes and women:

CHURCH COMMITTEE--Serving on the book committee for the centennial celebration of the Immanuel United Church of Christ, route 2, Greenwood from left were Mrs. Alvin Albert, Mrs. Elmer Humke, Mrs. Erwin Toburen and Mrs. Norman Liebzeit. Mrs. Humke also was general chairman for the centennial planning. In the foreground is the centerpiece for the head table. The three cakes, decorated in the colors of the buildings, were the artistry of Mrs. Robert Susa, Greenwood.

 

 


© Every submission is protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.

 

Show your appreciation of this freely provided information by not copying it to any other site without our permission.

 

Become a Clark County History Buff

 

Report Broken Links

A site created and maintained by the Clark County History Buffs
and supported by your generous donations.

 

Webmasters: Leon Konieczny, Tanya Paschke,

Janet & Stan Schwarze, James W. Sternitzky,

Crystal Wendt & Al Wessel

 

CLARK CO. WI HISTORY HOME PAGE