Foursquare Church celebrates 100th

On Sunday, May 13, Ritzville Foursquare Church celebrated the 100-year anniversary of its church building, known for most of its years as the Philadelphia Congregational Church. History is not the inanimate building, with the cornerstone that reads, May 12, 1912, but history is the people that brought life to the building within its walls. That was the story Amy Galbreath shared during the service briefly covering the 100-year history.

It really began 124 years ago, four and a half miles west of Ritzville, when the First German Congregational Church in the country, considered the mother church of Philadelphia Church, was organized in 1888. There were great economic changes in 1910-1912 as the local farmers that had homesteaded land were retiring and moving into Ritzville.

Since travel in those days was with horse and buggy, it was difficult for the retired folk to return to the country church for worship and prayer services.

So the decision was made to found and organize the new church in the city, with 54 members signing the charter roll.

Galbreath’s grandparents, Jakob and Anna Stromberger were charter members and Jakob brought his team of horses to dig the basement of the church. Jakob’s two sisters, Mr. and Mrs. J.J. Thiel and Mr. and Mrs. George Bauer (later Mrs. Chris Rieker), were also of those charter members.

The first pastor was Rev. Jakob Morach, then followed Rev. Herman Nuetzmann and Rev. Rudolph Kirschenmann. It was under Kirschenmann’s pastorate (1941-1956) that the church was remodeled and an addition put on, the German language was dropped, and membership reached its peak of 375, with 175 children attending Sunday school.

Then came Rev. Haemmelmann, followed by Rev. Ernest Sprenger, Rev. William Arthur, Rev. Paul Eaton, husband/wife team of Pastor Earl Menchhofer and Pastor Gale Smith, followed by Interim Deborah Hasdorff, ending with Pastor Elizabeth Senden. The final service as Philadelphia Congregational Church was held Nov. 21, 2004, thereafter combined with Zion.

The Ritzville Foursquare Church purchased the building and held its first service Jan. 1, 2005, led by Pastor Bill Cox and his wife, Lisa. So the building’s history will continue as a house of worship.

At the Sunday celebration, the hymn, “Faith of Our Fathers” was sung, as it was at the 50th celebration in 1962. Being that it was also Mother’s Day, which is now over a 100-year celebration, Dennis Sackmann and Tyler Fryberger dressed to the time era, and sang “The M-O-T-H-E-R” song, which is also a 100-year-old song.

A reception was held after the service in the fellowship hall. Pictures, scrapbooks, record books and memorabilia were also available to view.