Bio: Babler, Rev. James H. (Golden Anniversary - 2018)
Transcriber: Robert Lipprandt
bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Babler, Warmuth, Zank
----Source: The Star News (Medford, WI) 7/12/2018
Rev. James H. Babler of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Stetsonville will
observe 50 years in the ministry during the 9:30 a.m. music festival service on
July 15.
Babler attended Grace Christian Day School in Oshkosh. In his freshman year, he
entered Winnebago Lutheran Academy in fond du Lac, graduating in 1960. He
attended Northwestern Lutheran College in Watertown graduating from there in
1964 and went on to attend Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon graduating in
1968. During his seminary years, Babler was a part-time vicar at St. Paul’s
Church in Cudahy, where he helped with making hospital visits, catechism
classes, and preaching once a month. He also coached the boys’ basketball team
at St. Paul’s Lutheran School.
After finishing his first year at the seminary, he married his wife of 53 years
Donna in 1965. In 1966, he vicared at Trinity Lutheran Church in Marshfield for
one year before returning to the seminary for his senior year, graduating in
1968.
Babler received his first Bachelor of Divinity call to two parishes in rural
Minnesota, St. Paul’s in Seaforth and St. John’s in Belview. In 1970 he received
a divine call to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church n Sioux Falls, SD where he also
served as the WELS pastor at the South Dakota State Prison. In 1972 he received
a divine call to Salem Lutheran Church in Lowell where he served for 12 years.
In 1984 he received the divine call to Zion Lutheran Church in Stetsonville
where he has served faithfully for 34 years. In 2017 Zion Lutheran Church
extended a semi-retirement call to Rev. Babler to continue to serve Zion’s
congregation in an outreach capacity conducting weekly worship serviced in area
nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Medford, Abbotsford, Dorchester
and the Clark County center in Owen. He along with the late Rev. Marvin Zank
started the Monday morning worship services at the hospital nursing home in
1989.
Babler said the highlight of his years was being able to have the services with
the nursing home residents and assisted living people. Another special highlight
was being able to have the Christmas and Easter services broadcast on WSAU TV,
Wausau and WEAU TV, Eau Claire.
In August Babler will finish up his work at Zion performing his last wedding
there. The Bablers have two daughters, Elizabeth of Sheboygan and Erica Warmuth
and her husband Ben and their three children of Silver Lake.
Babler said if health remains he will still be available when needed to fill in
where needed. During his semi-retirement he served vacancies at Rib Lake and
Christie/Globe rural Neillsville and is presently helping at Merrill.
Pastor Babler will be celebrating his 50 years in the ministry and 34 years at
Zion Lutheran. He will be preaching his farewell sermon during the July 15 music
festival service at Zion Lutheran Church. The service will begin at 9:30 a.m.
and will be followed by a barbecue chicken dinner at the church. The music and
celebration will continue at the Centennial Community Center from 1 to 4 p.m.
Everyone is invited to attend.
© 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
|
|
A site created and
maintained by the Clark County History Buffs
Webmasters: Leon Konieczny, Tanya Paschke, Janet & Stan Schwarze, James W. Sternitzky,
|