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Ground Broken for Methodist ChurchBy EMMY HENSCHEL(Of the Commonwealth Reporter)STOCKBRIDGE - “We break (his ground today that a church may rise here where the grace of God may be manifest, making our human loves constant, our homes Christ!ike and our families creative centers of Christian witness.”The Rev. Gordon R. Bender, district superintendent of the 65-church, 17,000-member Eastern District United Methodist Church, said at groundbreaking ceremonies Sunday afternoon at Stockbridge for the new United Methodist Church, which may be dedicated by winter.The Rev. Mr. Bender of Fond du Lac referred to the construction scheduled to begin as a “workshop of faith,” noting that within the last 10 years,seven area churches have closed. On behalf of the eastern district and Wisconsin Methodist Conference, he congratulated the 49-member Stockbridge congregation for having enough confidence to build for the future.He read the declaration and the scripture reading from Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13 and 15-16. One by one members of the building committee; the Rev. Mr. Bender; and the Rev. Lorene Iwakiri of Greenbush, pastor of the church, turned a shovelful of earth.Starts TodayExcavation for the 28-foot by 54-foot basement was to be begin today by Ortlepp Pits of Hilbert. The Rev. Mrs. Iwakiri said a contract has not yet beensigned for construction of the $30,000 new structure, of which half will be paid for by the Wisconsin Conference, on the site of the century-old church which was razed recently.“I firmly believe that God has impelled us in this project,” Mrs. James Iwakiri, mistress of ceremonies, stated in herremarks during the brief program attended by about 20 persons at 2 p.m. Sunday.“The church has a capable building committee, which is putting many hours of physical as well as mental labor into the project. A congregation does not arrive at a point where it can have services such as this suddenly.” Services are being held in the adjacent Stockbridge Town Hall until thecongregation’s new home is ready.She noted that many meetings had been held and much correspondence had been exchanged before approval of the district building commission and the industrial commission had been received.Congregation Praised She praised the motivation and cooperation of the congregation and said t h e membership of the Stockbridge United Methodist Church looks “forward to having a building which will glorify God and speak messages of appealing welcome to those who canbenefit from its ministry and, in time, to minister to others in this community and in other parts of the world.”The Rev. Mrs. Iwakiri alsois pastor of the Bethel United Methodist Church at Meggers, northeast of New Holstein, and the G r e enbush-Glenbeulah United Methodist congregation, which has 240 members. The Meggers congregation has a membership of 32,The building committee is comprised of Alfred Sell, chairman; Mrs. John Weber, secretary; Mrs Harvey Heller, treasurer; George Hostettler and Reuben Totzke. Miss Kate Pottle represented the Women’s Society of Christian Service, ofwhich she is president. JamesIwakiri and 7-year-old Jimmy, husband and son of the pastor, also attended groundbreakingceremonies S u n d a v . The morning service was held at 10:30 a.m. In the town hall.
Newspaper Details
Fond Du Lac Commonwealth Reporter
Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin, US
Mon, Jul 12, 1971
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Winnefox L.
WI, USA 31 Jan 2023
Other Publications Near Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin
Fond Du Lac Commonwealth Reporter
Fond Du Lac Daily Commonwealth
Fond Du Lac Weekly Commonwealth
Fond Du Lac Whig
Fond Du Lac Western Freeman
