By Kris Leonhardt

STEVENS POINT – Oct. 2 marks 150 years for St. Paul Lutheran Church in Stevens Point, a landmark that they will celebrate in a big way.

“The planning process has been about three years or so to get to this point in the celebration activities and a lot of work and hands and thoughts and minds have gone into the process,” said Pastor Josh Baumann.

The 150^th Steering Committee, led by Myra Swiston, is bringing the entire congregation, which makes up four church services, for “Established in His Love – Rooted in Christ.”

“We are having one main event at the Holiday Inn on Oct. 2. We are having the whole congregation and a lot of people that have been connected through the years with St. Paul, to come worship,” added Pastor Steve Hulke.

This includes a 10 a.m. worship service.

“We have a very distinguished person coming to deliver the message,” explained Tina Weege, St. Paul’s director of the public relations board

“Rev. Dr. Dale Meyer was the speaker for the Lutheran Hour. He was the president of our seminary in St. Louis. He will be here to deliver the message that day, at that service,” said Pastor Hulke.

“It’s former members, some people who live out of the area who are coming back to share in the celebration.  

“The community is invited.”

After the service, the festivities will continue at the church for food and fellowship from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“After the church services, we will be coming back to the church itself and there are going to be multiple different activities going on at the church,” Hulke said.

The events include a hymn sing, a presentation on the stained glass windows, a “Hall of Ministries” featuring church organizations, a blessing of the church mural, and a living history video.

“One of our teachers created a 30-minute video by interviewing some of the elderly members of our congregation,” Weege explained.

“There will be a campus-wide family scavenger hunt that will take place throughout the building, it’s kind of a complete it at your own time and return that for a prize,” said Pastor Baumann.

An alumni event will be held the evening prior, Oct. 1, with a church service at 4 p.m., with festivities at 5 p.m.

“Any child or adult who has gone to the school is invited,” Weege said.

In addition to the weekend events, the committee has also put a book together, as well as a 15-month calendar. The parish has also completed digitization of its church ledgers.

Find the church history in next week’s edition of the Gazette