Salem's History

By the grace of God, Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church exists for the purpose of carrying out our Savior's command to reach out to spiritually lost souls and to nourish the souls of its members. We seek to do this through the preaching and teaching of God's inspired, inerrant, infallible Word and through the faithful sharing of the sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion.

Salem has existed as a congregation in Owosso for over 150 years, and has experienced many changes to its buildings, staff, and members over those many years. However, our purpose of spreading the gospel to all has not changed. God has provided us with faithful pastors and teachers to lead and train us in our Christian faith.

The Early Beginnings

Salem's first church

During the late 1850s a number of Lutheran families settled in the Owosso area, but these people did not have a pastor until 1861, when a missionary and circuit riding pastor from the then Michigan Synod became the first pastor to shepherd them. Pastor Christian Eberhardt, who founded many other Lutheran congregations in the state of Michigan, wrote the following about this small group at the Michigan Synod convention in 1861:

"Today I have to report that in the last Synod Convention a still larger area was assigned to me, Owosso, 80 miles northwest of Detroit, is to be my westernmost preaching place."Pastor Eberhardt was a circuit rider and would come about three times a year. The first meeting was conducted in the Exchange Hotel in Owosso in 1862. Pastor Fred Miller would follow in 1864, and Pastor Furrer in 1867. Under Pastor Furer's leadership, the small society purchased a small frame building and property on November 8, 1867 from two of its members, Mr. & Mrs. L. Struber, for the cost of $850.00. This is the same property on which our current church building stands today.

The First 50 Years

In the fall of 1869, under the leadership of Pastor Johann Haas, the congregation was able to incorporate itself as a congregation. "Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church of Owosso, located in Shiawassee County, Michigan" was formed. On September 13, 1869, the constitution of Salem was voted upon. Pastor Haas was called by the congregation to be its first full-time pastor, and he stayed until September 10, 1877. Salem would not get another pastor until Pastor George Deckinger came in May of 1878. He stayed until 1879. Pastor J. F. Mayer came in 1879 and stayed until 1888. During his time at Salem, the old church was renovated and the debt that was still owed on the parsonage was paid off. Church minutes from this era record that a large number of members joined the church during Pastor Mayer's tenure. Pastor Mayer also served daughter congregations in Chesaning and Laingsburg.

In mid 1888 Pastor J. Ablemann came to Salem. He served at Salem until 1892. During his time, the congregation discussed building a new church and established a fund for that purpose. Pastor Paul Kionka came to salem in the summer of 1892. He served at Salem until 1901. On July 9, 1893, the congregation laid the cornerstone for the new church. The tin box inside the cornerstone contains a New Testament, a history of the church, a hymnal, copies of the church and synod constitutions, a copy of the Argus Press, and several other newspapers, a list of the names of the members of President Cleveland's cabinet, a list of members and officers of the congregation, and several religious periodicals.
The new church was to be 46 feet by 80 feet, with a steeple 140 feet high. It was constructed for a cost of $10,000, and dedicated on December 17, 1893. During this time, members of Salem were also eagerly undertaking the establishment of a school. The old frame church was moved to 416 E. Mason Street sometime in 1894, and opened as a school. Pastor Kionka oversaw the school, and although it was difficult to both pastor the congregation and operate the school, the school continued to grow. A teacher named Miss Klingmann was hired to assist him. She served from 1896-1897. As Pastor Kionka's responsibilities increased with his service to several daughter congregations, more help was needed at the school. Student Eggert (1897-99), and candidates Theophil Brenner (1899) and Albert Emmel (1899-1901) each served for short periods of time.

The interior of Salem Lutheran Church in 1893

In the middle of 1901 Pastor Kionka took a call to Wisconsin and Pastor J. Horsch (1901-1903) replaced him. Teacher Carl Broecker (1901-1903) also began service at the school. The congregation and school both flourished, and the congregation decided to move the school building to a more central location. Two lots on Milwaukee Street were purchased and with the help of young people in the congregation, a new two story school building was built using some of the material from the old school building.

The lower level of this new building housed two classrooms while the upper floor was used as a meeting hall for the youth society. After Mr. Broecker left, a new teacher could not be immediately found. Salem's pastor had to operate the school singlehandedly once again. Since he was also ministering to other area congregations, the synod sent help. Student August Bergmann (1903-1904) from the seminary in Springfield, Illinois assisted in the school and the pulpit. Eventually both Pastor Horsch and seminarian Bergmann accepted calls elsewhere and Salem faced another long vacancy. During this vacancy Student R. Ernst (1904-1905) taught at the school.

In February of 1905 Pastor Theodore G. Hahn (1905-1923) came to Salem. He taught the school by himself for two years and saw the enrollment grow from 17 students to 45. In the fall of 1907, Salem began school with a new teacher, Mr. Edmund Winter (1907-1911), and an enrollment of 60. Another teacher, Mr. William J. Rudow (1911-1922) came in February of 1911. By 1916, the school enrollment had reached 88.

Salem Lutheran School on Milwaukee Street, Mary 29, 1907
(Rev. Theodore Hahn is at the blackboard.)

Pastor Hahn wrote in the 50th anniversary booklet that the voting members of the congregation had grown to over 100. The financial situation of the congregation had also improved significantly. The church property had been expanded and improved. However, just when it seemed like the congregation would be debt free and able to purchase a new pipe organ, the city of Owosso was struck by a tornado. The beautiful high spire of the steeple lay broken in the street. The church was repaired, and a new, shorter steeple was erected. The total cost for the rebuilding was $1,200.

Postcard showing tornado damage from 1911

A postcard from 1911 showing the tornado damage and downed steeple

Salem with the repaired lower steeple

In 1914 the congregation purchased its first teacherage, a house at 508 Milwaukee Street.

In 1918, despite the war and higher prices, the interior of the church was redecorated, painted, and carpeted. The cost was over $1,000, and was paid completely by the Ladies' Aid Society.

The Second 50 Years

To relieve Pastor Hahn of his teaching duties, Salem called a second teacher. Miss Marie Kionka arrived in 1920. She taught at Salem for two years and left the same year Mr. Rudow left. Two new teachers, Ms. Agnes Harms (1922-1923), and Mr. Immanuel Gruber (1922-1924) came to fill the vacancies.

In 1922 the congregation replaced the reed organ in the church with a pipe organ for a cost of $5,700.

In August of 1923 the congregation was greatly shocked and saddened by the sudden death of Pastor Hahn. After nearly a year of vacancy, Pastor A.W. Hueschen (1924-1936) accepted the call to Salem in May of 1924. A new brick teacher age was erected in 1926 at a cost of about $7,000. Mr. Rudow, who had left in 1922, returned and taught from 1926 to 1930. Teacher Louis Sievert (1930-1939) was called to take his place. In September of 1928 Mr. Fritze Bartles (1928-1946) was called to teach the lower grades.

OnNovember 30, 1930, the congregation dedicated a new one story brick building at a cost of $18,000. This new school had two classrooms on the main floor, and n auditorium, lunchroom, kitchen, and furnace room in the basement. This building remains a part of our current school building, with the library and choir room upstairs and the lunch room and band room downstairs.

Pastor Walter Voss was Salem's next pastor. He served from 1936 to 1946. During his time at Salem, Pastor Voss founded a daughter church, Grace Lutheran Church, in Durand. Both Pastor Voss and Mr. Bartels left Salem in 1946. They were replaced by Pastor Kenneth W. Vertz (1946-1978) and Principal Albert W. Schleef (1946-1970).

Salem began several much needed renovations and redecorations at both the church and the school in 1946. Heating systems at both locations were updated, and both locations received rear entrances. An additional classroom was added to the school, the church basement was enlarged and expanded to include a new kitchen. The church was rewired, and received new tile and carpet. The chancel and balcony were rebuilt, an outdoor bulletin board was added, and some landscaping work was completed. The total cost for these updates was $20,000. A short time later, the congregation purchased a parsonage on Park Street.

Student growth at the time required Salem to call a second male teacher in 1950. Mr. William Woltmann (1950-1960) became the first to live in the new teacher age on Ryan Street.

In 1956, the congregation dedicated another major addition to the school. Three more classrooms, an auditorium-gymnasium, a large kitchen, boiler room, and storage areas were added to the school at a cost of about $200,000.

During this time Salem called two additional teachers. Judith Larson (1955-1957) and Barbara Ebe (1952-1960), both daughters of Salem, joined the staff. A fifth teacher was added when Elizabeth Van Epps (1960-1961) also came to teach for one year. Miss Eleanor Lahmann, another daughter of Salem, came to Salem in 1958, and taught at Salem until her retirement in 1973.

Mr. Walter Bock (1961-1967) accepted a call to salem to teach, direct music, and coach. His wife, Ruth Bock (1961-1967) was also called to teach and serve as the congregation's head organist. Dolores Cook (1967-1972), another daughter of the congregation, also taught at Salem.
In 1967 Salem called its first full-time vicar, Richard Warnke. As part of their training, third year students at Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, the Wisconsin Synod's pastor training school, serve as "vicars" in a parish for one year before returning to the seminary for their forth and final year. This program is similar to an internship, and pastors-in-training receive valuable real world experience. Salem has had eight vicars. They are,Richard Warnke (1967-1968), Ronald Winter (1968-1969), Louis Sievert (1969-1970), Dale Zwieg (1970-1971), Paul Hartman (1971-1972), Jeff Kutil (1972-1973), Fred Adrian (1973), and David Last (1975-1976).

It was also at this time that the Ruth-Naomi Altar Guild was formed to help the pastor in keeping the altar area clean. The Ruth-Naomi Altar Guild and the Ladies' Aid Society merged to create the current Sisters Serving Christ Organization on April 21, 2009. The Sisters Serving Christ continue to assist the pastors in keeping the church and altar area clean, as well as assisting with decorating the church for holidays, preparing the elements for Holy Communion, and other service projects.

The Owosso Lutheran Hour had its first radio broadcast in January of 1948. It remained on the air for 50 years before being off the air for a short period of time. Worship services are once again broadcasted on the radio on Z92.5FM at 10:00 every Sunday morning.
In 1964, Salem began a building project to add an educational wing to the east end of the church. This addition would include school rooms, pastor and secretary offices, an altar guild room, sacristy, bathrooms, and storage rooms. At the same time, the pipe organ was rebuilt, the chancel area was remodeled, the church balcony was extended, and new pews and carpet were installed throughout the church. Locker and shower rooms were added to the school at this time as well. The cost for this project was $108,000, and it was dedicated in May of 1965.
Many other teachers served during the second fifty years of Salem's existence. They are,Esther Zink (1923-1924), Lydia Zempel (1924, 1926-1927), Doris Gauss (1924-1925), Viola Louis (1928-1939), Lenore Thurow (1939-1941), Arthur Bade (1941-1942), Eleanor Wassmann (1943-1945), Doris Nast (1945-1947, 1951-1952), Ethel zimmermann (1947-1950), Elaine Hartley (1950-1951), Helen Vertz (1957-1958), Carolyn Muehlenbeck (1958-1961), Nancy Bruning (1960-1964), Elisabth Albrecht (1964-1966), Susan Blunk (1966-1967), Mavis Hemker-Norder (1966-1970, 1990-1992), Marla Toepel (1967-1968), Arlene Kirk (1967), Ronald Zahn (1968-1979), Allen Grohn (1968-1975), and Linda Vorbeck (1969-1970).

The Third 50 Years

In April of 1971, with a school enrollment of 205 and a staff of six teachers, an addition of two more classrooms and a faculty workroom were added to the school This project, which cost $66,516, was dedicated in October of 1971.

By 1972 Pastor Vertz's health was deteriorating. A second pastor, Robert Mueller was installed in January of 1974. Pastor Vertz was called as a semi-retired pastor. Due to his health limitations, a second full time pastor, Pastor Gary Stawicki, was called to serve Salem. Pastor Stawicki remained at Salem until 1980.

Another interior redecorating of the church began in 1977. The $52,000 project involved a complete repainting of the walls and ceiling of the nave of the church with gold leaf stenciling, a redesign of the chancel area, a new oak reredos, altar, and altar rail. New lights with speakers were added as well as a new carpet and refinishing of the oak woodwork. New decorative doors were purchased by Don Brady's family as a memorial to his wife, Arlene. The new oak altar in the chancel area was purchased in loving memory of Pastor Vertz by his family. The oak altar that had been in the chancel area was now too large for the remodeled space. That altar, which had been given by the Henzler family in memory of Gottlob and Christine Henzler was given to a mission church, Holy Redeemer Lutheran in Port Huron, Michigan.
In 1979 a new aluminum steeple cross was donated to the church in loving memory of Carol and Caroline Patenge by their family. This cross replaced the original cross which had been damaged in the wind storm.

During the 1980s, Pastor Mueller served as the president of the Michigan District of the Wisconsin Evangelical Synod in addition to serving as one of Salem's pastors. Pastor Daniel Schaller accepted a call to Salem in 1981 after Pastor Stawicki had left. Salem added another church secretary at this time, Donna Mueller. Donna and Ann Bernson worked together for many years as the congregation's secretaries. Salem has had several secretaries through the years: Francis Schlack-Duke, Marjorie Richmond-Strauch, Ann Bernson, Donna Mueller. Ann Bernson retired from the secretary position in 1996, and was followed by Esther Matthies, who continues to serve as Salem's secretary.

The next several years saw more improvements to the congregation's properties. In 1985 a pitched roof was added to the school. In 1986 Salem purchased a property and a house near the school. The house would later be sold. The family of Sam McLaren donated new furnaces for the church, and would later donate air conditioning units in 1989. In 1987 another family donated funds to have the church pews reupholstered.

Beginning in 1988, the Wisconsin synod began assigning "Graduate Assistants" as pastors. These men had graduated from the synod's seminary as fully trained and qualified pastors, and were assigned to congregations whose pastors also served as District Presidents. They would assist the district president for two years before being reassigned elsewhere. Four graduate assistants have served on Salem's pastoral team: Pastor Matthew Crass (1988-1990), Pastor Bill Tackmeier (1990-1992), Pastor Thomas Unke (1992-1994), and Pastor Paul Huebner (1994-1996).

Pastor Schaller left Salem in 1989, and was followed by Pastor Jonathan Balge, who came to Salem in 1990. In 1995 Pastor Mueller asked for a one year leave to serve in Russia for the Wisconsin Synod. His request was granted, and he returned to Salem in 1996 to serve one more year before his retirement in 1997. The congregation called Pastor James Bare to replace Pastor Mueller. He was installed in January of 1998 and still serves as one of Salem's pastors. Pastor Balge accepted a call away from Salem in 2002 and was followed by Pastor Lance McMorrow, who came to Salem in 2002. When Pastor McMorrow left in 2005, Pastor Daniel Westendorf replaced him. Pastor Westendorf served for one year and then left in 2006. Pastor Luke Boehringer followed him and served from 2006 to 2009. For financial reasons, after Pastor Boehringer left, the congregation decided not to call a second pastor but instead to continue with Pastor Bare as the sole pastor.

In 2001 the congregation began work on an elevator to enable handicap access to the sanctuary and basement. It was completed and dedicated in December of 2001, and provided a barrier-free way for members and visitors to access the worship and fellowship spaces. The front entrance to the church was redone in 2002, returning to the original platform entrance with steps going both north and south. The pipe organ was also rebuilt and additional registers were added in 2003.

An air conditioning unit was added for the educational wing of the church in 2009. The carpet at the church was replaced in May of 2014. New boilers for both the church and school were purchased and installed in 2017. The youth confirmation classes from 2014 to 2017 purchased murals for the church education wing. These four murals explain our Christian faith with the words, "Christ Was Born," "Christ Has Died," "Christ Has Risen," and "Christ Will Come Again."

The Christ murals on Salem's education wing

In 2017, the congregation's voters chose to begin calling for a second pastor. In May of 2018, the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary's assignment committee assigned a graduate, Paul Wilde, to Salem. Pastor Wilde was installed in July of 2018 and served with Pastor Bare until he accepted a Call to Shepherd of the Hills in Winchester, VA and moved there in June of 2023. Pastor Bare retired from the ministry in June of 2023. Pastor Randy Johnson was called in July of 2023 and is currently serving a part-time retirement Pastor Call. In May of 2024, Isaiah Duff was assigned as a WLS graduate to Salem. Pastor Duff was installed in July of 2024.
Throughout 2019, Salem celebrated its 150th anniversary as a congregation, remembering the amazing grace that God has showered on Salem through all its history. The theme for the year was Isaiah 54:10, "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you." The year's celebration included inviting former pastors and sons of the congregation who have gone into the pastoral ministry to guest preach. Salem held an outdoor celebration service on July 14, 2019, with a picnic, fellowship activities and even a 5k run/walk. On September 8, 2019, the congregation held it's formal 150th anniversary celebration service. Pastor Jon Balge guest preached, and the congregation enjoyed a fellowship meal following the service. Salem also celebrated the landmark year by inviting musical groups from the Synod to play concerts and lead music in worship.

The Next 50 Years

It is impossible to know what comes next. As the Salem eagerly waits for Christ to return, the congregation remembers the hard work of its many members, pastors, and teachers of the past and present, and looks hopefully to the future. Salem School continues to grow slowly, with more and more students from outside the congregation, presenting new opportunities and challenges. Salem Church continues to reach out to the people of Owosso with the gospel of Christ and trusts in God to continue to bless his people in Owosso.