St. James Lutheran Church celebrates 175 years this weekend
Oct. 12—The congregation of St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church Of Logansport have been through many trying times over the past 175 years.
From railroads forcing the church to a new location, to a devastating fire causing the entire church and parsonage to be rebuilt, members of St. James have persevered and continued on.
The church will honor and reflect on its history this weekend as it celebrates its 175th anniversary with a series of events.
The church previously announced former Navy Rear Admiral Donald K. Muchow as guest speaker for the weekend. He served as the U.S. Navy's 20th Chief of Chaplains.
The Anniversary Committee plans a Friday evening catered banquet, Saturday mixers that include some Dentzel Carousel rides for its guests and members and a Sunday schedule that will include a Divine Service at 10:30 a.m., a meet-and-greet session with light fare, followed by a 2 p.m. Vespers Service with a sermon by the Rev. Dr. and Rear Admiral Muchow, in addition to pastors from the district. The public is welcome to attend the Vespers Service, where Muchow will talk on the anniversary's theme of "God's Grace, Our Faith!", based on Ephesians 2:7-10.
The church was started in 1848 and it's German-only services in those earliest years were first held in members' homes and in rented rooms at the northwest corner of Fourth and Broadway streets above a tin shop, and also in the city courthouse.
Finally, in 1851, the church purchased a lot on Canal Street near the Wabash River between Fourth and Fifth streets, for both a church and a school building. The Church's location became decidedly less desirable when the Pennsylvania Railroad purchased a right-of-way and put railroad tracks alongside it.
In 1863, the church purchased a property at Ninth and Spear streets, further east of the first building. That lot was big enough for both a church and a parsonage.
The church was originally called The German Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Logansport. It was later called St. Jacobi, or St. James Lutheran Church, and the cornerstone of the church still bears the early name of the church, when it was laid and dedicated in the spring of 1867. That year was also the year of the first English sermon, by a professor from Concordia College in Fort Wayne.
On March 6, 1883, a fire from the parsonage stove spread to the roof of the church, and with that, everything was lost. The very next day after the fire, a meeting was held and the members decided to rebuild both the church and the parsonage. Members of the new Presbyterian Church a few blocks away — now known as Calvary Presbyterian — offered St. James members the use of their facilities, which members of St. James gratefully accepted. Years later, when the Presbyterian church had their fire, St. James willingly reciprocated, offering their new church for the services for the Presbyterian members.
On Christmas Day, 1883, the new St. James church was dedicated with two services, one in English and one in German. Then, in 1886, a new parish building and school was built at the western side of Sixth and Market streets across from the old Post Office, which still stands. School classes were held there at the parish building until 1945.
At one point, St. James had the largest church building in the city, with a capacity of 800, and its membership in the early 1900s grew to over 900.
The cross atop the steeple of St. James is said to be the highest point in Logansport, and when there were fires in the Logansport area, it was the bells of St. James that were rung to alert the citizens as well as the fire wagons.
Fourteen pastors have served the church and the community in its 175 years, and three of those pastors served over 20 years: the Rev. J. H. Jox, the Rev. E. H. Reuter and the Rev. Alfred C. Gerni.
St. James' anniversary committee has been busy for two years diligently arranging the events of the anniversary weekend, and doing various projects to improve and upgrade the church's property. This weekend's events include an anniversary banquet, with members and past members enjoying a catered meal, and comments from speakers like congregation President Paul Gerni, the Indiana District President Rev. Dr. Stuckwisch, and Muchow, who will speak on the events of his amazing career in his speech "Shock and Awe in the Rear View Mirror!"
St. James is served and pastored by Pastor K. C. Dehning, now in his 15th year of preaching and teaching. The church also features the 140-year-old Barckhoff pipe organ, which draws many organ enthusiasts to the church each year.
