Ebenezer Congregational/Lutheran Church

Location

1431 St. Clair Ave.
Sheboygan, WI 53081
Telephone: 920.458.9667

History

Following a meeting that was held 14 June 1911, a congregation was organized as "Erste Deutsche Evangelische Lutherische Kongretionalen Ebenezer Gemeinde."  The congregation was received into membership of the Congregational Church and student George Graf was ordained as first pastor.  In 1912, the lot was purchased for $860 from John & Mary Müller and the church cornerstone was laid on 3 November 1912 and the building constructed at a cost of $16,000.  The new facility was dedicated on Pentecost Sunday in 1913.  The Rev. Rudolf Wilken from Au Gres, Michigan, served Ebenezer Congregational Church from 1 February 1915 to 15 October 1917.  He was followed by The Rev. Friedrich C. Dodzuweit from Goring, Nebraska, who served from 15 November 1917 to 23 April 1919.

On 2 June 1918, the congregation applied for membership with the Wisconsin District of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio and other states (now The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod) and was accepted at the LC-MS Convention held in Watertown on 29 June 1918.  Former U.S. Army Chaplain, the Rev. Frederick Proehl served Ebenezer Lutheran Church from 22 June 1919 to 1 May 1926.  He was followed by The Rev. Ernest Stoeckardt who served from 4 July 1926 to 22 April 1941.  The Rev. Erich Keller served the congregation for almost 30 years, from August 1941 to 1970.  German services were discontinued in 1950.  Following Pastor Keller was the Rev. Victor G. Meyer who served from March 1970 to September 1976.  He was followed by The Rev. Clarence Walter Stangohr beginning in 1977.

In 1997, the congregation became Hmong Ebenezer Lutheran Church (LC-MS).

Pastors

Ebenezer has been served by the following pastors:

George Henry Graf (1911-1914)
Rudolf Wilken (1915-1917)
Friedrich C. Dodzuweit (1917-1919)
Frederick Proehl (1919-1926)
Ernest Stoeckardt (1926-1941)
Erich Keller (1941-1970)
Victor G. Meyer (1970-1976)
Clarence Walter Stangohr (1977-?)

Volga German Families

The following families are known to have been at Ebenezer:

Eirich from Reinwald