St. Paul Lutheran Church and Early Childhood Center

In 1846, the first church building was built in Wartburg by Gerding for the Company. It was during July of this year that Reverend John F. Wilken arrived in Wartburg and organized and began public worship. The building was located on Main Street between the Tavern and the Receiving House, or Immigration House which was used by new arrivals to stay and lodge while their own properties were established. These were the only three buildings located along this block on Main Street at this time.
 

The Church building was located on the block of Main Street which is directly across from the Courthouse Square. Today, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office is located at the site of the first church building.
 

In 1852, the members of St Paul Lutheran Church agreed to purchase the property located on Spring and Church Street to construct a second church building, parsonage and school. Mr. Gerding provided $200 for this purchase. This property is the current location today and covers the entire block.

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During the 150th anniversary, the St. Paul Lutheran Church Historical Society was unveiled. Many artifacts from the past were presented. The Historical room is in the newest section of St Paul.

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President Clinton sent a letter of congratulations for St Paul's 150th anniversary? The letter is part of the 150th binder in the Historical room.

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August 26, 1945  R.B. Faerber, Pastor

The devil was busy yesterday in our neighborhood. We had good reason to expect at least eleven youngsters for the confirmation class. Three came. We hope that God can accept the excuses of the others. Read Rev. 3:1-6

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LWML Fun Fact June 8th 1938

- The LWML Ladies Aide had meetings at members homes.

- Charged .25 a day to rent kitchen equipment & was charged additional .25 a day if kept a day over!

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In the summer of 1943 word reached the FBI that a young man had just arrived from St. Louis to be the Pastor of the German Lutheran Church in Wartburg. Some in town thought this man was not who he said he was and was in fact a German spy. The FBI came to his office and looked around, saw a typewriter and no spy equipment and quickly left. That young man was Pastor Faerber and fun fact: he didn't know German and obviously no Nazi's either. However, he was a great and devoted pastor, a proud American, a missionary to the Philippines, and passed away in 2020 at the age of 102.

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Fun Fact! The bronze statue of Jesus the Good Shepherd in our memorial garden isn't actually solid bronze. It is a bronze coated fiberglass statue cast in Northern Italy and was flown freight from Studio Demetz right to our doorstep. If you think it isn't heavy, you would be wrong! The bronze coating adds about 100lbs and it is bolted and sealed on a 2000lb plinth made of solid Tennessee granite.

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September 30th, 1956  Robert P. Nerger, Pastor

Camp Austin: a large group turned out for the Homecoming at Camp Austin. At least 150 were in attendance. The rain fell during the mealtime.

 

75th Anniversary Booklet: Pastor Wilken left no stone unturned filling his commission; namely, to be “the missionary in East Tennessee”. Talented and trained, he officiated in English, German and French. A Christian School (sometimes the only school in the county) was maintained by the pastor, who is also known to have taught in the public school in Montgomery at times.

 

75th Anniversary Booklet: With the departure of Pastor Wilken in August 1866, a vacancy of almost seven years followed. Being without a shepherd, the church was often in danger of going apart. During the interim the Pastors Eggers and Bachmann of Nashville and Rev. J. Heckel of Knoxville preached at long intervals.

75th Anniversary Booklet: The second pastorate of our church was held by the Rev. John L. Hirschmann in 1873, only to relinquish his connect in September of the following year. Having organized a congregation at Chattanooga he accepted the call to become its' pastor.