19 Oct Friends of St Paul Newsletter – Oct 2022
Introduction
Welcome to the Friends of St. Paul Newsletter! The purpose behind the Friends of St. Paul Newsletter is to relate with people that have in some way been supported or influenced by St. Paul. We will reminisce about the rich history of St. Paul as we enter its 150th anniversary in 2023 and look toward the future of its ministry, all while encouraging subscribers in their faith through stories from members and staff – past and present.
For all who subscribe to this newsletter, we encourage you to become an active part of this outreach opportunity! Please invite anyone you may know through St. Paul who may not be regularly engaged with St. Paul to subscribe. We also encourage feedback and ideas on what content works and what you would like to learn about.
“For I the Lord your God, do not change”
Close your eyes and take a minute to think about your first memory of St. Paul. Was it a children’s message or a snack in kindergarten? Was it the green carpet that covered the altar area or was it opening the red or blue hymnal for the very first time looking at musical notes? Since those first memories of church or school, some things may have changed. Teachers change, Pastors change, and even the carpet color changes. One thing that does not change, that is timeless, is God.
Reminiscing on St. Paul
Jeanette Till, St. Paul Member 1941-Present, St. Paul Student 1941 – 1949
Jeanette Till moved to Ferndale, MI from Norfolk, NE in August 1941 with her parents and sister. Her maternal grandparents moved nearby in December of 1941 and joined St. Paul as well.
She began 1st grade at St. Paul in September 1941. Her mother would pick up the Peludat boys, Marilyn Pflieger, and a few others for rides to church and school. Jeanette recalls the original school fondly, even remembering each teacher by name: Miss Wiebusch, Mr. Hansen, Mr. Beck, and Mr. Leitz.
“The school was the original white-painted clapboard church. One room with all 8 grades, and I’m guessing about 60 students and 1 teacher, Mr. Steinbach. Eventually, an addition was built, and it became 3 rooms. Also at that time, Pastor Frincke moved to a different Parsonage and the downstairs of the old parsonage was a classroom. My sister and I attended all 8 grades, graduated, and were confirmed at St. Paul. My favorite teacher was Earl T. Beck.”
In 1952, Jeanette met her future husband, Manford Till, when he was hired to teach the 3rd and 4th grades for one year. They were married in 1955 at the old church by Pastor Herbert Bartz in front of the altar that is now in the lounge.
Their four children were all baptized, confirmed, and attended school at St. Paul. The Till history continues at St. Paul with several of her children’s weddings, grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s baptisms, confirmations, and attending school at St. Paul. Her family continues to cherish the teachers and St. Paul staff they interacted with over the years.
“As a parent, I also appreciated all of our teachers. Especially Gloria Wellmer for being an excellent English Teacher and being kind; Mrs. Butala, Mrs. Costakes, and Tina Eising for loving the little kids so much; Eric Pittman for being such a good coach and coming back ‘just one more year’ for Girls’ Basketball; and Greg Paul for all the wonderful choirs, both Children’s and Adult. All teachers for the Christmas Programs and working so hard to make our school truly good.”
The family connection to the church includes her sister and brother-in-law, Phyllis and Ronald Phillips, who were married in 1958 and had their daughter also baptized and confirmed at St. Paul. Phyllis taught Sunday School for many years as well before they moved in 1981.
St. Paul has also been there for Jeanette and her family in the hard times as well. Her grandfather passed away in 1955, her grandmother in 1973, her father in 1978, her mother in 2003, and her husband in 2006. Their memorial services were all at St. Paul over the years. She also dealt with the loss of her sister in the Spring of 2022, connecting with her church family for comfort during another hard time.
Jeanette said she and her husband greatly enjoyed being involved in St. Paul activities as well. Her husband sang in the choir and was on the Board of Education. She got involved with choir, Women’s Guild, Circle groups, and funeral luncheons.
Through the many changes to the church and school over the years, Jeanette says she cherishes the many memories she has from her family and friends in the St. Paul community.
“Through the years we attended St. Paul, the church was led by I think 9 or 10 different pastors. I especially appreciated Rev. Ronald Guettler, Rev. Jeremy Schultz, and currently Rev. Jakob Andrzejewski for sermons you can understand and apply to life…I wouldn’t give this church up ever.”
St. Paul Welcomes New Staff!
On August 21st, St. Paul installed and welcomed three new members to its school and church ministry along with returning staff.
Chris Francik is the new principal this year, following Rita McClatchy and Eric Pittman who were co-principals for the 2021-2022 school year. He comes to St. Paul with his wife, Sue, and his 2 sons, Ben and Sam, moving from Topeka Lutheran School.
Emma Eising was called from Trinity Lutheran in Reed City, Michigan to be the 2nd-grade teacher.
And lastly, Vicar Zachary Staehr is a welcome addition to St. Paul through the vicarage program for the 2022-2023 period, working jointly with Historic Trinity in Detroit. He joins St. Paul with his wife, Emily from Concordia Theological Seminary – Fort Wayne.
In a time where there are numerous vacancies in Lutheran schools for called teachers and principals, and fewer people are entering the ministry, St. Paul is truly blessed to, at one time, have two new called staff members and a new vicar learning from and supporting the ministry.
All three new staff members have families in church work, which they said was an influence on them choosing the career paths they did.
Chris Francik
Chris Francik said that his grandparents were very involved in their churches through trustees, women’s guild, being an usher, and LWML. Francik’s mother was also a Lutheran Kindergarten teacher for 26 years at the school he attended and his father became an LCMS pastor through an alternative seminary route, getting ordained in 2009. His brother is also an LCMS pastor.
“As far as becoming a principal, God used three people in a 12-month period to encourage me to consider school leadership,” Francik said. “Two principals and a professor I deeply respected independently told me they saw gifts and abilities in me that would make a good principal. This experience was one of many times God has used His people to speak truth to me.”
Emma Eising
Emma Eising’s family has been a big influence at St. Paul Lutheran Church and School as well through her grandfather Rev. Ronald Guettler, a pastor from 1970-1996; her mother Tina Eising, current 1st Grade teacher; and her uncle Greg Paul, current 5th and 6th Grade Science, Choir & Band director and church organist.
“I am very excited to be back at St. Paul,” Eising said. “I feel like St. Paul has given me so much. It is very neat how God has worked it all out for me to be here today. I feel like this is my home. It has always been my home and I can serve all the better.”
Vicar Zach Staehr
Vicar Zach Staehr’s parents are Lutheran school teachers, his brother is the Minister of Music and choir and band director at his church, and his brother-in-law is entering seminary next year.
“During this vicarage year, I was most excited to go on visits initially since I hadn’t had much practice previously,” Staeher said. “Since arriving and having a month and a half of vicarage under my belt, I think I am looking forward to picking the brains of each of the almost 10 pastors that I connect with on a regular basis to see what strategies are best to reach out to people. This is one of the unique experiences which many other vicars will not have.”
Opportunities for St. Paul’s ministry
Francik, Eising, and Staehr have all been looking for opportunities to expand St. Paul’s ministry in their roles at the church and school.
At the school, Francik said that St. Paul’s location and community present unique growth opportunities.
“The excitement the people of St. Paul Church and School have about my presence and bringing new ideas to the school and congregation is a surprise,” he said. “…St. Paul’s location in a small downtown area is unlike any of my other Lutheran school ministry locations. Being part of a downtown area provides the school and church community a unique and incredible opportunity to access a variety of people that might be hard for other congregations and schools to meet.”
After being away from St. Paul during her years in college at Concordia Ann Arbor and then her teaching position in northern Michigan, Eising is especially happy to be back at her home church – an opportunity she wasn’t sure would ever be a possibility.
“…I initially thought that I would never be able to come to St. Paul as a teacher,” she said. “I always knew I wanted to be a Lutheran School teacher but was resigned to the fact that it would be elsewhere. Then there was this one day where I thought, ‘well, why can’t I teach at St. Paul?’”
When Eising received the call earlier this year from St. Paul, she said she felt excited to be able to bring new and original contributions to the school ministry.
“I just love this place,” Eising said. “That works itself out differently for everyone but that is what is at the heart of a call – God putting us in a place where our talents are used to help a ministry flourish with others. I am looking forward to growing, learning, and teaching here at St. Paul.”
While there are a lot of challenges facing LCMS congregations, Staehr said he is happy to be sharing God’s Word.
“Of course, I love sharing God’s Word while I preach, but I have a heart for missions even within the context of one church,” he said. “So my vicarage in Detroit at Historic Trinity and at the Royal Oak suburb at St. Paul gives me a perfect glimpse at how an active community may be reached by a congregation literally right next door.”
Staehr also wants to encourage Christians to look for outreach opportunities in their own communities.
“Church attendance across America has been declining,” Staehr said. “I think the need for missions within the United States is at an all-time high. We don’t need to only look at other countries to think of missions. One of the largest growing mission fields in the world is the United States. So I pray that the Lord would raise up young, faithful people to enter into the ministry.”
St. Paul is blessed and grateful for the additions of Chris, Emma, and Vicar Zach!
Looking to the Future
Pastor Andrzejewski shares a message about our changeless God in his introductory comments for the current capital campaign at St. Paul, Our House His Throne. It is a beautiful expression of God’s love for all who have studied or worshiped together, the blessing of the St. Paul ministry, and the gift God gives us in each other; a family of followers. Everyone who has walked through the doors of St. Paul Church and/or school is part of this family.
Malachi 3:6- “for I, the Lord your God, do not change, and thus your descendants will not be consumed.”
When we step into this house, we experience a changeless forever.
That which time is measured with eternal instants. Moments that can’t be defined by seconds, minutes, or hours. A God that steps outside the boundaries of time and declares permanence. That’s what we have here at St. Paul: the forever God. And for the past 150 years, that’s what we’ve been given: permanence. And this is what our house offers: instants of forgiveness that last into eternity. Instants of baptisms that reach into everlastings. Instants of love by which time cannot destroy. This is our house. This is His throne. This is forever.
“And I will give you rest…” (v11) said the Lord. Isn’t that what this house is for? To find rest from affliction. To find rest from the violence. To find rest from our sins. When the Lord promised to “make you a house,” he spoke of more than just brick and mortar. God used the word “בּיִת” (bah’-yith) which the plain English translates as “house” but the Hebrew root means “armory” or “palace” or even “habitation.” It’s the same word God used when he described the Ark in Genesis 6 that housed the living from death. It’s the same word used to describe a place of protection in 1 Sam. 6:7. It’s the same word used to describe the Israelite family tree in Jeremiah 2:14; even means a house of descendants in Gen. 18:19. This means so much more than just a building. This means family. This means forever. Let us rest in this.
Let’s build forever together.
Pastor Andrzejewski
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your perpetual, forever love. Thank you for the longevity of the ministry of St. Paul and for all of the people who now know you through it. Bless and encourage all friends of St. Paul that they be faithful examples to the next generation to be active in the church and to encourage faithfulness. Please work in the hearts of young Christians to be moved to serve in ministry and education so that congregations like St. Paul continue to be equipped to provide the love and spiritual support needed by anyone walking through its doors. Thank you for Jeanette, Chris, Emma and Vicar Zach and their wonderful stories.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
What Story is Next?
If you have anyone (even yourself) who has a story to share or a picture or a memory, send it to us. We would welcome any historic pictures of events, baptisms, marriages, plays, retreats, or anything to bolster our historic picture album.
Christmas Cheer
We are looking for pictures or favorite memories of Christmas at St. Paul from the past to share please send your stories and photos to us.
Help Continue St. Paul’s Ministry
If you are interested in donating to St. Paul’s Capital Campaign, visit https://bit.ly/3ecOtgR