Clear Lake Lutheran Church

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Clear Lake Lutheran Church

• A history in pictures (and a few words)
• 1938 2008 (70 years)

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In 1938, Clear Lake cottage owners met since they
didnt want to miss church when they vacationed
at the lake. Dr. W. G. Polack of Concordia
Seminary, St. Louis was willing to serve as
Pastor in the summer. Overflow attendance at an
old abandoned school convinced them of the need
to build a chapel.
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Can you find Bob Bruick age 12?
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Mr. and Mrs. John Oehler offered to donate
several lots behind their south shore grocery if
a church would be built. On March 30, 1939 a
group met to begin preparing to build.
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CLLC Founding Families
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• Dr. William and Iona Polack
• Adolph and Ella Brueggeman
• Otto and Pauline Buesking
• William and Bertha Dreyer
• Fred and Corinne Gerke
• Louie and Ella Gerke
• Arnold and Minnie Koeneman
• Otto and Clara Schoenherr

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They were soon joined by

• Bertha Cobb
• Mrs. Ella Federspiel
• Ed and Emma Miller
• John and Valley Oehler
• Herbert and Blanche Tonne

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March 30, 1939
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April 15, 1939
Notice that even the women had shovels . . . .
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Horses and tractors break ground.
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April 30, 1939
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Willing workers in 1939
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May 15, 1939
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May 21, 1939 only 5 weeks after ground breaking
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June 6, 1939
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Original cost

• 2305.45 building
• 212.85 for furnishings

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Outside altar dedication by Reverend Polack
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• 1940 Estey electro-pneumatic organ dedicated.
  Pauline Beusking served as organist.
• 1941 Additional ground acquired and outdoor
  public address system installed to accommodate
  those not seated indoors.
• 1943 Huge rugged outdoor cross was dedicated.
• 1945 Once a month off season services started in
  fall with Sunday School and Bible Class. Both
  summer and winter group elected officers. The
  summer group owned the building. The gold
  lettering in the sanctuary (The Lord is in His
  Holy Temple) was dedicated. Services from the
  Chapel were broadcast over WGL out of Fort Wayne.
• 1946 Pews were added. Summer Sunday School
  begins with religious sound films some were in
  color.
• 1947 Pastors vestry added. Ladies Aid Society
  began. A 100 x 150 plot donated across the
  street and set aside as a cemetery. Furnace
  installed.
• 1948 Outside stone altar dedicated of Henry and
  Amelia Tonne. The basement was divided into a
  kitchen and Sunday school room.

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The Reverend Armin C. Oldsen, then a professor
at Valparaiso University and also a pastor of
The Lutheran Hour, continued as summer pastor
upon Dr. Polacks death in 1950. The summer
and winter congregations merged under a new
constitution in 1957 and Pastor Oldsen became
the full time pastor in 1958.
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• Average summer attendance was 517. Record
  attendance for one summer Sunday was just short
  of 1000.
• A Bohn organ was used. Ed Bohn of Bohn Organ
  Company was a regular worshipper.

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Charter member dinner
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• The chapel was enlarged with a new chancel and
  sacristy in 1962. The sanctuary was redecorated
  and indirect lighting was added. A larger Sunday
  school room and larger restrooms were added. The
  remodeling cost 6500.00.
• In 1963 stained glass windows were given in
  memory of Dr. Polack by his children.
• In 1968 the summer and winter congregations
  merged and formed Clear Lake Lutheran Church.
• The congregation became an incorporated and
  self-supporting congregation of The Lutheran
  Church Missouri Synod in 1969.

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• In 1971, a remodeling project was begun. The
  chapel was extended to the rear, two wings were
  added turning the chapel into a cross- shaped
  building and doubling seating capacity.
• A rear stairway was added to go down to the
  basement. The kitchen was moved to the new
  basement under the east wing.
• A new entrance, a new furnace, and roof
  replacement caused the cost to total 75,000.00.

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• 1972 Four stained glass windows with a four
  season theme and designed by Rev. Oldsen were
  donated as a memorial for Mrs. Minnie Koenemann.
• 1973 Grassy parking lot west of church was paved.

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Bicentennial celebration July 4, 1976
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• Reverend Oldsen was made Pastor Emeritus upon his
  retirement in 1977. Over 500 guests (a sold out
  dinner) attended his retirement dinner at
  Potawatomi Inn.
• Pastor Loren Shiley was called as pastor in 1978.
• Bell tower was replaced and vestibule repaired.
  New 33,000 organ installed.
• Controversy led to Rev. Shileys removal as
  pastor and the formation of Peace Lutheran
  Church in 1983
• Dr. Melvin Zilz served as interim Pastor until
  1984. The back patio was enclosed for an office
  for the pastor as well as additional Sunday
  School rooms.
• In 1984 Reverend Herman Reese was installed as
  the new pastor.

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Christmas programs
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• A free standing bell tower was erected in 1986.

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• Reverend Gilbert F. Meseke was called as interim
  pastor after Pastor Reese accepted another call.
  Pastor Meseke later became permanent but part
  time.

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Choir
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Confirmation
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Lutherans love to eat ?
Lutherans love to eat
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Helicopter rides
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AWESOME VACATION BIBLE SCHOOLS
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TERRIFIC VBS WORKERS
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In 1995, Ken Redmann served as vicar under Pastor
Meseke. Pastor Redmann was ordained and
installed as full time pastor in 1996 at CLLC.
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Baptism
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Lutheran Youth Encounter ConventionsRemember
Hot Lanta ?
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Here we grow again . . . . .

• Stained glass windows donated by Fremont National
  Bank were installed in 1995.
• The chancel underwent a total renovation in 1998
• 40 acres of land was purchased across from the
  church in 2000.
• Controversy again developed over the direction of
  the church and Pastor Redmann accepted a call to
  Florida.
• Rev. Don Rauhut served as vacancy pastor

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In September 9, 2001 (2 days before the 9/11
terrorist attacks), Reverend Mark H. Gaertner was
installed as pastor of Clear Lake Lutheran Church.
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Communion
Communion
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Adult Bible Class
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• The LWML (ladies group) asked the question
  What can be done to replace this old basement
  carpet? which led to the formation of Site
  Development committee as well as strategic
  planning.

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Strategic Planning Meeting
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A newly remodeled kitchen set the stage for our
490,000 building project.
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Mortgage burning for the land acquisition?
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Strategic planning leads to the formation of
small groups
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The ladies already knew the benefits of small
group. Their bible study has been a blessing.
They encourage all the women to join them.
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Groundbreaking March 21, 2004
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A generous grant from The Lutheran Foundation
gives our building project a firm foundation.
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Youth really seem to enjoy digging
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They drilled/pulled the electric and plumbing
lines underneath the original church.
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Bob the Builder assures us of a no more leaky
basement
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Do you think they know the bathroom isnt ready
yet?
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• The Laborers for Christ and their spouses began
  arriving on May 1st. They lived in their RVs
  nestled among the pine trees across from the
  church. Staying nearby enabled them to work more
  efficiently, watch over materials, as well as
  each day they have a devotional service at the
  church.
• Under the direction of Project Manager, Harry
  Patterson, the laborers gave of their time,
  energy, and skills to help us construct our 7091
  square foot addition (5338 sq ft new construction
  and 1,753 sq ft of remodeling).
• Laborers for Christ were here to assist us in our
  building project and members of the congregation
  were expected and encouraged to volunteer to work
  alongside of them.

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Another name for Laborers For Christ is Lutheran
Food Club (LFC)
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CLLC RV Park? Clear Lake residents were worried.
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Wait until I tell the rest of the VBS kids that I
really helped construct a church !
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Bob Federspiel and Rev. Polacks son, Bill, check
out the building project
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Rick The Brick joins one Dedication committee
meeting
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Making floral arrangements for the dedication
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The Lords Prayer always ended with an
enthusiastic REJOICE ?
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What an awesome donation display provided by the
Winzeler family!
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Christmas caroling
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Wedding celebrations
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Three outdoor worship services in the summer
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Anniversaries - 55 years and counting
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Dedication Sunday, October 17, 2004An awesome
celebration !
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The Pattersons and Andersons, 2 of our Laborers
for Christ, came for the dedication!
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CLLC Choir gathered before the service.
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Pastor Mark led the worship service.
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Sunday School sang songs from our VBS,
Construction Inc.
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Carol Degitz played her Marimba.
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And then we enjoyed another bountiful Lutheran
potluck.
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Building Fund Committee chairs, Larry Cutshall
and Tim Knoblauch
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Lutheran Foundation tours the facility
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The new fellowship room made a perfect place for
the annual Alpha Honey Ham for your Honey dinner.
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Willing Workers
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Ready to hunt Easter eggs
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Confirmation
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VBS
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July 17, 2005 Completion Celebration
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Awesome Pastors office
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Final Debt-retired celebration October 29, 2006

• 212,750.00 was granted to the project by the
  Lutheran Foundation
• 100,000 grant from the Breeden Family Fund
• 178,900.24 was contributed by members and
  friends of Clear Lake Lutheran Church
• 491,650.24 was spent

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CLLC was able to torch the mortgage on Sunday,
October 26, 2006. What a wonderful way to
celebrate the pay off of the Building Fund Loan
on Reformation Sunday at CLLC!  We are so
blessed. 
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Cemetery Project leads to new siding, door, and
windows on garage, enlarged cemetery, new fence,
and landscaping.
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Pastor (and wives) serving CLLC

• 1938-1950 William Gistave (Iona) Polack
• 1950-1977 Armin (Evelyn) Oldsen
• 1950-1956 winters Henry Kumnick
• 1957 winter Oscar Walle
• 1977-1983 Loren J (Virginia) Shiley
• 1983-1984 interim pastor Melvin (Carole) Zilz
• 1984-1990 Herman (Ruth) Reese
• 1990-1996 permanent part-time Gilbert (Bev)
  Meseke
• 2000-2001 vacancy pastor Don (Barb) Rauhut
• 2001- Mark (Susan) Gaertner

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In 1994 Rev. Gil Meseke was instrumental in
making CLLC a host congregation for field workers
from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne.

• 1994 Marty Schroeder, Timothy Parker
• 1995-96 Mike (Marty) Morehouse
• Dan (Amy) McQuality
• 1996/97 David (Mary) Sell
• 1997/98 Paul Beisel
• 1998-00 Les (Laverne) Judge
• 1999 Dan Guagenti
• 2000 Jared (Jan) Melius
• 2001/03 Don (Rebecca) Peterson
• 2003/05 Kelly (Elizabeth) Reagan
• 2003/06 John (Deb) Turner
• 2005/07 J(eff) Brown
• 2006/08 Mark (Darlene) Smith
• 2007/09 Nathan Ragazinskas

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• Thank you God for Clear Lake Lutherans first
  70 years of spiritual growth and fellowship.
• We pray that CLLC will always be a place of
  Welcome and Grace.