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.
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On Easter Sunday 1900 Pastor Spannuth preached his farewell sermon. P.H.E. Fisher of New Haven served as Pastor during the time the Church was without a Pastor. A call was sent out to John Frey assistant Pastor to his father in Brooklyn, New York, but it was not accepted. The congregation then called Pastor P. Wilhelm who was Pastor of our sister Church of the Redeemer, Cleveland, Ohio. The Church of the redeemer was an English Congregation. As he was ailing and on his way home to from somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, Pastor Wilhelm, could not at first decide to leave his Congregation, and as he did not find the hoped for recovery he asked his Doctor for advice. Pastor Wilhelm then decided to leave the ministry until his health improved. After earnest prayer to God for guidance and, also on the advice of several, fathers and brothers in the Congregation, he decided to come and accept the call. On July 8th 1900 he was installed as Pastor. Ed Fisher, P.S.F. Glasers and H. Wehrberg were the preachers at the Sacred Service. The members of the Church felt rather badly about having an ailing Pastor, who could only preach once on Sundays. The new Pastor also felt badly to find a rather sick Congregation But “Praise God! for His mercy and help the Pastor’s health improved and in September he was already able to preach two Sermons on Sunday.
Pastor Wilhelm kept on improving the strain on him was great at first during his weakness. The Congregation also improved for the better. In the beginning our benches were empty more or less. But to the “Praise of God,” The empty benches were filling up as time went on. More members were added to the Congregation.
1900 – in the beginning there was a deficit in which the Synod had to help the Church with $300. but Thank God! As the months went by this was reduced to $150. And as Our Lord worked in the hearts of the members, they also increased their offerings and “Praise God!” There soon was not only enough, but to spare. In 1901 we were able to have a beautiful Altar and chancel, and also in 1901 a lovely pedal organ was installed. The organ came from Boston. The money for the organ $375. came in such large amounts that there was enough left over for a better lighting system which of course helped greatly at the Evening Services. Lamps were used for this purpose.
1902 The ten year jubilee was celebrated on Sunday at the main morning service, Prof. Feth of New York was the Preacher. To go back, It was ten years ago that Prof. Feth was the preacher which resulted in “Zion” Lutheran Church.