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History of Grace Lutheran Church and School
1905 - 1980 

On Sunday, October 22, 1905, on the 18th Sunday after Trinity, William Bohn, Carl Bohn, William Yergen and Carl Yergen met with Pastor Gerhard A. Ernst of Tacoma, Washington, and organized as the German Evangelical Lutheran Grace Church of North Yakima, Washington. Pastor Ernst conducted the first service on the same day.

The newly organized congregation immediately called Pastor John Ebert. He served the congregation until June 17, 1907. Until the spring of 1907 , services were held in the Sunday School rooms of the First Presbyterian Church on the corner of Third and A Streets. Thereafter until May, 1908, the services were conducted in the Adventist Church on the corner of Fourth Avenue and B Street. After Pastor Ebert's resignation, the congregation was without a pastor from June to December, 1907. During this time, lay members William Seipp and Carl Schlien held reading services.

In the beginning of December, Pastor Edward Bartkc arrived and was installed by the Rev. R.C. Ave-I.allernant of Tacoma on December 15, 1907.

The growing congregation now realized that a church building had become a necessity. Two lots on the corner of Sixth Avenue and B Street were purchased from William Ludwig for $500.00. The original church building 32 feet by 60 feet was erected on the corner lot under direction of Mr. Caesar Kobernik. During the construction, there were some anxious days. After the skeleton framework was up, a severe windstorm threatened destruction and badly twisted some of the forms out of shape. On Sunday, May 31, 1908, the church was dedicated to the glory of God. Pastor Ave-Lallemant was the guest speaker.

On October 7, 1909, Pastor E. Bartke accepted a call to Jacksonport, Wisconsin. During the vacancy that followed, candidate Martin Keturakat field reading services.

The congregation now extended a call to Pastor Louis Krug of Whitehall, Wisconsin. This call was accepted and Pastor Krug was installed on Sunday, April 10, 1910.

In the fall of 1910, the congregation erected a parsonage on the lot adjoining the church, and the pastor with his family was able to move into the new dwelling the week before Christmas.
  
Due to impaired health and upon the advice of his physician Pastor Krug resigned from the congregation July 1, 1912.

On July 12, 1912, the Rev. Frederick H.K. Soil, then president of the General Synod of Wisconsin and Other States having accepted a call from Grace Congregation, arrived in Yakima with his family and was installed by Rev. L.C. Krug on July 14, 1912. In addition to the spiritual upbuilding of the Kingdom of God, Pastor Soil, with the assistance of members, improved the congregation's property with extensive and necessary landscaping.

Among other things, Pastor Soil began to construct a Gartenhaus (Garden House) which was to serve as a playhouse for his children. However, being able to salvage some lumber from Helliesen Lumber Company after the yard had partly been destroyed by fire, an addition was added to the original small room.

On November 8, 1914, the little frame building was completed which for many years served as a meeting place for the various groups within the congregation and the district.

Through the building of the church and parsonage, the congregation had incurred a rather heavy debtedness. A sincere effort was made to liquidate the debts as soon as possible. The final payment of $700.00 plus interest was paid on January 25, 1921, seven months before the mortgage was due. The guidance and goodness of the Lord was especially seen in this decision of the congregation to make the final payment when they did. Two days after the treasurer had made the payment, the bank in which the members had their money deposited was closed. Thus if the payment had not been made when it was, all the money would have been lost. On May 15, Pentecost Sunday of that same year, the congregation held a special service of thanksgiving for being debt free.

Soon after its organization, the congregation became a member of the Wisconsin Synod. Beginning with Pastor Bartke's ministry, the congregation received a subsidy from the Wisconsin Synod to assist in paying the Pastor's salary. This continued until July 1, 1924, since which time the congregation has been self-supporting. In all, the congregation had received about $12,000.00 from the Synod.

On June 17, 1910, a young people's society was organized with the purpose of providing an opportunit, for Bible study as well as Christian fellowship for the young people of the congregation. It was during Rev. Krug's pastorate that the congregation also began to use the English language for some of it: confirmation instructions.
Since 1913 the ladies of the congregation have been meeting once each month and through these meetings have found ways and means to contribute to the general good of the congregation.

Since 1927 the ladies of the congregation have also been meeting once each month as the Kraenzchen (circle). The main purpose of this group was to give the ladies an
opportunity to gather funds for the building of a parish house. The offerings brought by this group each month are still being placed into a building fund.

The history of Grace congregation would not be complete without mention of the bell. Bells are an invention of the Christian church. The purpose of ringing the bell was to summon all the people in the village to join the congregation in worship. The custom of tolling the bell after the sermon was to invite the sick and bedridden to join the congregation in praying the Lord's prayer.  That is the purpose the bell in the tower of Grace church has served these many years. It came to the congregation as a gift from Mrs. Ernestine Gross. It weighs 500 pounds. The tone is D sharp. It was made in the foundry in St. Louis, Missouri. It was dedicated on September 9, 1923, at which service Rev. Krug had been invited to preach the sermon.

After planning for years to have adequate quarters for Sunday School and other purposes, the congregation in its July meeting of 1938 decided to erect a building to serve that purpose. The original Gartenhaus was sold for $25.00 and moved to 803 South Third Street where it still stands today. On August 27, 1938, the new Gartenhaus was completed under the leadership of Mr. Sprockel Brockelman. Mr. Fred Suckow and Mr. George Duchow were other members of the building. Most of the work on the building was donated by members of the congregation. Pastor Walter Amacher preached for the dedication of the building on August 28, 1938.

Due to illness, Pastor Soll was granted a leave of absence for six months on October1, 1939. The cross the Lord had laid upon him was especially heavy since Mrs. Soll, who had been a faithful helpmeet for so many years had been called to her eternal rest in July of the previous year. The same time the congregation decided to call a seminary graduate as temporary assistant. It was hoped that an extended period of rest would make it possible for Pastor Soll again to assume all the work in the congregation. For the next two months, the congregation was served by Pastor Ewald Kirst. Having accepted the call of the congregation candidate T.R. Adascheck arrived in Yakima on December 1, 1939, and on December 3rd was ordained into the holy ministry and installed as temporary assistant.

Although his health -ould not permit him to do much work, Pastor Soil's love for the work of Christ and souls of sinful men never ceased. For some time he had hoped to be able to start a mission in Zillah, Washington. The time for that now seemed ripe. With the help and encouragement of Mr. Gottlieb Winckler, a member of Grace congregation who lived near Zillah with his family, a survey of the Zillah field was made in the spring of 1940. 

The survey indicated it was a promising field which to begin mission work. Soon thereafter, with the prayers and blessings of Grace congregation, the daughter congregation which took the name of the mother congregation was started in Zillah and is a flourishing congregation today. It erected its house of worship at Hillcrest Drive and Second Avenue.

Hopeful as Pastor Soil had been for regaining his health, the Lord in His wisdom had ordained otherwise. When it became apparent that he could not again result his full-time work in the congregation, Pastor Soil resigned on July 7, 1940, with his resignation becoming effective on the following Sunday, July 14th, the same day on which he had been installed twenty-eight years before.

At the same meeting in which Pastor Soil resigned, the congregation gave Pastor Adascheck a permanent call.

Upon his resignation, the congregation gave Pastor Soil the position of assistant pastor and he continued his labors in the congregation until the Lord himself terminated his work. On November 14, 1940, he was called to his eternal rest and on November 18th, funeral services were conducted in Grace church where the deceased had proclaimed the saving Gospel of Christ for 28 years.

When the congregation organized, all the work was done in the German language. The need for English soon became apparent. Additional English services and instructions for the children were added from time to time. The German Sunday School classes and confirmation instructions were continued until April, 1944. Since July, 1944, English services are conducted each Sunday and German services on the first, third and fifth Sunday of each month, as well as on all special holidays.

During the war years, the City of Yakima had a great influx in population and with it the congregation also experienced a healthy growth in membership. The Sunday School room and also the church became over crowded. After careful study of the entire situation, the congregation was unanimously of the opinion that the best solution at the time was to start a mission in the western fringe of Yakima and to transfer all such members who would be interested in becoming members of the new mission. The mission was organized on July 25, 1948, with 71 voters, 43 communicants and 70 souls. Grace congregation also contributed $5,600.00, which was one-half of the amount it had in its building fund, to the new mission for the purchase of some choice lots. Thus the mother congregation established another daughter congregation in carrying out its commission to bring the Gospel to all men. The Lord has visibly blessed this work. The new mission selected the name Redeemer and today it is a prospering congregation at 415 South 31st Avenue.

Several years later, our congregation had again reached an all time high in church membership and attendance. More room had again become a pressing need.

On November 9th, 1953, a special meeting of the congregation was called. The purpose of the meeting was to consider purchasing some lots for the expansion of our church. A committee consisting of Pastor T.R. Adascheck, Mr. Fred Groth and Mr. Reinhold Garbe had been appointed to investigate this matter. 

These men then presented their findings and after some discussion, the congregation voted unanimously to purchase eleven lots in the 1200 block of Cornell Avenue for the future location of the church. The trustees were then instructed to purchase this property immediately, making full payment out of the Building Fund.

In the annual business meeting held in January, 1954, the congregation voted to place into the hands of a committee consisting of Mr. Reinhold Garbe, Mr. Fred Groth and Mr. Kenneth Alderson, the task of studying plans and the approximate cost of building at the new location.

These men diligently investigated and researched, making contact with Mr. Champ Sanford, a local architect. In a special meeting held in June of the same year, plans of a new church building drawn by Mr. Sanford were presented to the congregation. Unanimously, the congregation voted to accept these plans. It was also decided to have Mr. Sanford serve as architect for the congregation. A committee was named to research the possibilities of borrowing funds for the building of the new church-school building.

The quarterly meeting called in July of 1954 gave rise to the signing of a contract as drawn by the architect.
In the congregational meeting held in October of 1958, a seven member committee was appointed by the trustees to study the building situation and to gather facts and figures to prepare for the forthcoming building program.
The quarterly business meeting of the congregation held in April of 1959 saw the formation of a Building Committee. Those selected were Kenneth Alderson, Homer Triboulet, Lawrence Boltz, George Ehlers, Herman Guenther, Reinhold Garbe and Howard Ruegg. This committee met for the first time on April 15, 1959, and selected Kenneth Alderson as chairman and Homer Triboulet as secretary. Rev. T.R. Adascheck and Mr. James Dallamann were to meet with and assist this committee also. At this meeting, it was decided that Mr. Sanford meet with the committee when necessary.

Many meetings of this committee were held in the following months discussing plans for the new church-school building, loan possibilities, cost of construction, etc. At a meeting held in May of the same year, Mr. Sanford presented a rough sketch of the new building. The cost of the building itself was approximately $100,000. This did not include the cost of the furniture, organ and the parsonage.

This information was later presented to the congregation and it was decided to accept the recommendations of the Building Committee and to lay the groundwork to begin a building fund campaign. The campaign began November 1, 1959, with a special church service.
  
A special meeting of the congregation was held in June of 1959 and the information gathered by this committee was presented. It was decided that the new church be located on the property that had been purchased and that the building include two school rooms, the outside wall to be constructed of brick veneer.

On Sunday, March 20, 1960, the members and friends of the congregation had the joy of taking part in the ground breaking service which began construction of this church-school building. To add a festive spirit to the service, the choir and the school children sang at the ceremony. The Chairman of the Building Committee, Mr. Alderson, turned the first shovel of earth.

The Building Committee was vitally interested in obtaining the best in every way for the congregation. The contractors selected were Hugh Templeton, Lentz Heating and Plumbing and Creamer Electric. While one of these bidders was not the lowest, a special contribution was made to the church erasing the difference, therefore enabling the congregation to obtain the best possible bid for the entire construction.
At the quarterly business meeting held on July 3, 1960, it was decided to proceed, upon the recommendation of the Building Committee, with the building of the new parsonage. A large loan from one of the members of the congregation allowed the congregation to also proceed with the building of the parsonage.

On September 11, 1960, the laying of the cornerstone was held. The cornerstone itself was a gift.

Numerous meetings during construction of the parsonage and church were held by the Building Committee and on November 6, 1960, the church-school building we dedicated to the glory of God. Pastors M.F. Teske and E.H. Zimmerman were guest speakers.

Having fulfilled its duties and responsibilities, the Building Committee was dissolved March 7, 1966.
 
In April of 1971, the Lord in his wisdom saw fit to make a change in the pastorage of Grace Congregation. Pastor T.R. Adascheck whose ministry had begun here at Grace in December of 1939 was forced to resign for reasons of health. It is noteworthy that in its 75 years of existence, Grace Congregation has had two men, Pastors Soll and Adascheck, serve it for 59 of those years. The congregation has been served since August of 1971 by Pastor M.F. Teske.

In the early years of the decade of the 70's, the parking lot was blacktopped and a storage building was constructed on the lower end of the parking lot.

In April of 1972, the congregation in a special service celebrated the payment of the mortgage on the church building. The Rev. T.R. Adascheck who had guided the congregation through the building project was the guest speaker for the service.

Grace Congregation has been engaged in a radio ministry since early 1975. A half-hour radio service known as "Lutheran Meditations" is presented every Sunday. Generous contributions made it possible to purchase quality equipment and these radio broadcasts have from the beginning been produced in the parsonage basement. Mr. Gary Nelson, a member of the Radio Broadcast Committee, designed and constructed a most adequate broadcast facility. Pastors Valerio and Teske do most of the production of the broadcasts with all the Wisconsin Synod pastors of the Eastern Washington area alternating as preachers. This radio ministry which began with one broadcast in Yakima is now also carried on stations in Kennewick. Pullman, Wenatchee and Spokane. The Lord has blessed this ministry beyond what we could ever have imagined.

When the church was built, the congregation wisely purchased a pipe organ. The designer and installer of the organ worked closely with the architect of the church; thus by the strategic placement of the pipes, the congregation has enjoyed the full benefit of this fine instrument. From the beginning, provisions had been made to enable the congregation to add to the organ as it saw fit. Thus in 1978, the congregation engaged the original installer of the organ to add chimes and two ranks of pipes. The additional pipes and chimes were dedicated to the glory of God in a special service held on November 5, 1978. Our organ is a Wicks Pipe Organ which now has a total of six ranks of pipes. The six ranks of pipes produce six voices and twelve pitches or tonal variations. We are indeed most grateful to have this instrument to sing our God's praises.

As we look at the history here recorded, we take note of names and we mention accomplishments and events. The truly noteworthy feature of this history, however, is that our God has permitted us to carry on the ministry of reconciliation here in this place for 75 years. This is the purpose for our existence and everything else this congregation does finally revolves around this ministry. We have indeed been blessed immeasurably richly.
Should the Lord permit Grace Congregation to celebrate any anniversaries in the future, may the next generation say of us, "By God's grace, they have been faithful." To God alone the glory.

 - written for the 1980 75th anniversary celebration.