Bethlehem Lutheran Church
80th Street N & 16th Ave. N
Upham, McHenry County, North Dakota 58789
(10 miles West of Upham)
80th Street N & 16th Ave. N
Upham, McHenry County, North Dakota 58789
(10 miles West of Upham)
ST. JOHN'S AND
BETHLEHEM LUTHERAN CHURCHES
The history of St. John· s Lutheran Congregation (Deep), 11 miles northwest of Upham and of Bethlehem Lutheran Congregation (Deep River), 10 miles west of Upham, N. D. really begins in the closing years of the 19th century when the Rev. F. W. Potratz, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Willow Creek began conducting services in the home of the early pioneer settlers of this area. Pastor Potratz ministered unto the spiritual needs of these Lutheran pioneers of Deep and Deep River from 1898 to 1900.
The next missionary to serve these people was the Rev. A. Rubbert of Kramer. Under his able leadership St. John’s congregation was formally organized on December 8, 1901. Following is some of the names of the first members of this congregation: Fred Gessner, Sr. Emil Luedke, Herman Ehlke. Gustav Gessner, Rudolph Vogler. Ferdinand Ehlke, Edward Luedtke, Wm. Friedrich, Wm. Zabel. Gustav Block, Charles Shong, Carl Rubbert, Fred Zabel, Wm. Moldenhauer and John Hammer.
Bethlehem congregation was organized in the spring of 1902 with the following families either as charter members or joining this congregation within the first few years of its existence: Bergs, Bells, Buchholzes, Finkes, Fuhrers, Junkes, Niewoehners, Neumans, Rosenaus, Schwarts, Steffens. Tornos, Wenzels, Zimmermanns and Zurchers.
Subsequently these two rural churches were served by the following pastors: Rev. Fred Wessler, 1905-1907; Rev. Martin Kretschmar, 1907-1910; Rev. Julius Timian, 1911-1918; Rev. Wm. Gierke, 1918-1938; Rev. Walter Leininger, 1938-1944; Rev. George Gesell, 1944-1949; 1967-1973: Rev. Reynold Petersen. 1973-1978: and the present Vacancy Pastor, Edward Rutter, since 1978.
The parsonage was for many years located at St. John’s Church and then was in the village of Russell for 5 years. In 1949 a modern ranch-type parsonage was constructed in the town of Upham.
In 1950 a number of families from both Bethlehem and St. John's congregations, who lived in or near Upham, organized Trinity Lutheran Church in Upham. The charter members of this congregation were the following: Reinhold Erdman, Lorenz Erdman, Rubin Erdman, Edward Podoll, Owen Podoll, George Rice Jr, Theodore Miller, Walter Torno, Egon Gessner, John Amon, Emil Anderson, Roy Rubbert and Bradley
Kersten. In 1970 Trinity congregation was discontinued so our parish again consisted of Bethlehem and St. John’s.
Sunday School was first organized in 1928 at Bethlehem and in 1929 at St. John’s St. John's had a Christian Day School during 1916-1918.
In 1940 the young people of each congregation organized and joined the International Walther League: in 1945 they combined into one parish group, becoming known as the Active Christian Teens (ACT) in 1972.
Lutheran Laymen’s League was formed in 1952 as a parish group.
Bethlehem LWML was organized in 1946 and St. John’s started as a Ladies Aid in 1938 and later as a Missionary League.
All auxiliary organizations are to aid the congregations in carrying out the main work of the church which is spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ as well as for personal spiritual growth, social concerns and Christian fellowship.
Bible Study is held every Sunday morning. Also, weekly ladies' Bible Study groups are held at various times of the year. The desire to study His Word is very evident in our parish.
In recent years, a Board of Education and Board of Evangelism have been formed to better carry out His work. A Mission-Ministry group studied God's Word in 1979 and found that all are to be “Lay Ministers” doing His work and not to expect this to be done by just the ordained clergy. The constitutions of both churches were then under study by this group for updating and revising and new constitutions were accepted by both congregations in 1979.
Bethlehem and St. John's belong to the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and are dedicated to the task of bringing the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ near and far. We pray that God of all grace may continue to be with us as He was with our fathers and that He will awaken in us the same love and desire for Him and His work which they possessed. For His word is the power unto Salvation to everyone that believeth.
Info from – Upham Diamond Jubilee 1905-1980 (pages 103 &104)
BETHLEHEM LUTHERAN CHURCHES
The history of St. John· s Lutheran Congregation (Deep), 11 miles northwest of Upham and of Bethlehem Lutheran Congregation (Deep River), 10 miles west of Upham, N. D. really begins in the closing years of the 19th century when the Rev. F. W. Potratz, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Willow Creek began conducting services in the home of the early pioneer settlers of this area. Pastor Potratz ministered unto the spiritual needs of these Lutheran pioneers of Deep and Deep River from 1898 to 1900.
The next missionary to serve these people was the Rev. A. Rubbert of Kramer. Under his able leadership St. John’s congregation was formally organized on December 8, 1901. Following is some of the names of the first members of this congregation: Fred Gessner, Sr. Emil Luedke, Herman Ehlke. Gustav Gessner, Rudolph Vogler. Ferdinand Ehlke, Edward Luedtke, Wm. Friedrich, Wm. Zabel. Gustav Block, Charles Shong, Carl Rubbert, Fred Zabel, Wm. Moldenhauer and John Hammer.
Bethlehem congregation was organized in the spring of 1902 with the following families either as charter members or joining this congregation within the first few years of its existence: Bergs, Bells, Buchholzes, Finkes, Fuhrers, Junkes, Niewoehners, Neumans, Rosenaus, Schwarts, Steffens. Tornos, Wenzels, Zimmermanns and Zurchers.
Subsequently these two rural churches were served by the following pastors: Rev. Fred Wessler, 1905-1907; Rev. Martin Kretschmar, 1907-1910; Rev. Julius Timian, 1911-1918; Rev. Wm. Gierke, 1918-1938; Rev. Walter Leininger, 1938-1944; Rev. George Gesell, 1944-1949; 1967-1973: Rev. Reynold Petersen. 1973-1978: and the present Vacancy Pastor, Edward Rutter, since 1978.
The parsonage was for many years located at St. John’s Church and then was in the village of Russell for 5 years. In 1949 a modern ranch-type parsonage was constructed in the town of Upham.
In 1950 a number of families from both Bethlehem and St. John's congregations, who lived in or near Upham, organized Trinity Lutheran Church in Upham. The charter members of this congregation were the following: Reinhold Erdman, Lorenz Erdman, Rubin Erdman, Edward Podoll, Owen Podoll, George Rice Jr, Theodore Miller, Walter Torno, Egon Gessner, John Amon, Emil Anderson, Roy Rubbert and Bradley
Kersten. In 1970 Trinity congregation was discontinued so our parish again consisted of Bethlehem and St. John’s.
Sunday School was first organized in 1928 at Bethlehem and in 1929 at St. John’s St. John's had a Christian Day School during 1916-1918.
In 1940 the young people of each congregation organized and joined the International Walther League: in 1945 they combined into one parish group, becoming known as the Active Christian Teens (ACT) in 1972.
Lutheran Laymen’s League was formed in 1952 as a parish group.
Bethlehem LWML was organized in 1946 and St. John’s started as a Ladies Aid in 1938 and later as a Missionary League.
All auxiliary organizations are to aid the congregations in carrying out the main work of the church which is spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ as well as for personal spiritual growth, social concerns and Christian fellowship.
Bible Study is held every Sunday morning. Also, weekly ladies' Bible Study groups are held at various times of the year. The desire to study His Word is very evident in our parish.
In recent years, a Board of Education and Board of Evangelism have been formed to better carry out His work. A Mission-Ministry group studied God's Word in 1979 and found that all are to be “Lay Ministers” doing His work and not to expect this to be done by just the ordained clergy. The constitutions of both churches were then under study by this group for updating and revising and new constitutions were accepted by both congregations in 1979.
Bethlehem and St. John's belong to the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod and are dedicated to the task of bringing the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ near and far. We pray that God of all grace may continue to be with us as He was with our fathers and that He will awaken in us the same love and desire for Him and His work which they possessed. For His word is the power unto Salvation to everyone that believeth.
Info from – Upham Diamond Jubilee 1905-1980 (pages 103 &104)