The Chronicle of Zion Lutheran Church

Bridgeport, Connecticut

The original Church Register included sections for, Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Deaths and for a Chronicle of the Church. The Pastors of the church would write about the events that occurred during their times there. The chronicle was written in German. The following is a translation made in the early 1970s by Mrs. Margaret Connock.

Zion Lutheran Church Register – page 391

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Dec 8, 1897 – On this day, we all the members of our congregation decided to purchase the land and ground for a nice Church in North Bridgeport. Corner of Grand and Catherine streets. Down payment $1,500– plot to be 100 x 100. For some months the members had been contributing and we had a total of $1,000– towards the new building. A committee was called to find out what a Church 34 x 54 with a steeple and a full basement would cost. Further it was decided to increase the Pastor’s income by $5– monthly. So far the Lord has greatly blessed us. Soli Deo Gloria! (singed) Henry Spannuth

March 15, 1898 – A very discouraging situation has come up in our congregation. Mr. G. Bahn and A. Brechlin have offered a loan of $1,300– towards the building of the Church, it was absolutely refused by the members. – We fear if our Lord does not step in we may not get a new Church at all, as it is a very sad fact that the majority of our members show little interest in God’s work! (signed) Henry Spannuth

On Jan 29, 1899 – On this day by the Grace of God the Congregation was able to dedicate their Church to the Work of the Lord. – Pastor H. L. Steup was the first preacher at the dedication Service. Pastor E. H. Fisher was the preacher at the afternoon Service. – We hoped that with the completion of the Church the members would show more and greater Spiritual life. – Sorry to say this was not so. – So many members remained cool and did not take either reproof or warning to heart. Revelations 3: 15- 18 and Gal 6 – 7 (signed) Henry Spannuth

PS. There was a very one-sided and unfair debate that ended with the resignation of the Pastor H. Spannuth. – Names were mentioned and accusations of wrong deeds were brought up. – It was all one-sided talk – and the other side or members could not get in a word, so it ended with the Pastor resignation. On the whole the congregation was not aware of all this. Had all the members known about this going on in the Church it would have done no good but may have made matters worse. – When I decided to tell the congregation about the disgraceful quarrel and said I would destroy what was written they fully agreed with me. 9 March 1904 (Signed) Pastor FP Wilhelm

After the old quarrel was ended Pastor Wilhelm destroyed the missing pages.

 

Editor note: The Church register is missing pages 389 & 390 which would coincide with the pages that would have contained the issues mentioned.  I was also contacted by a distant relative of Pastor Spannuth and was informed that he disappeared a few years later when he was supposedly going to a meeting – he never arrived and no one seems to know where he went.