“Churches Observe New Year Entrance” from the January 3, 1930 Door County News
Churches Observe New Year Entrance
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Watch - Night Services Held; Varied Programs
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Various churches of Sturgeon Bay and Sawyer held special New Years eve services, among which were the following: Sturgeon Bay Methodist, Rev. J. T. Bowden, pastor; Moravian, Rev. Edw. F. Helmich, pastor; Norwegian Lutheran in Sawyer, Rev. T. A. Austad, pastor; and the Sawyer Methodist, Rev. R. T. Wilkowske, pastor.
The Sturgeon Bay Methodist opened their several hour program with a social hour commencing at 8:00 o’clock, followed by a short play, “A Visit to the Editor’s Office,” by the Epworth League. Refreshments were served at 10:30, and at 11:00 o’clock a religious service lasting one hour was held. Each fifteen minutes of the hour represented five hundred years of history, covering the time from the birth of Christ to the present day, the principal points of which were taken up by the pastor. Mrs. Wallace Wilson added to the program by way of a reading on the birth of Christ, taken from Ben Hur. Lyle Stephenson rendered a closing message and the final few moments before midnight were spent in prayer. A large number attended the services.
The Moravian church held a two hour program from 8:00 o’clock until 10:00. D. W. Long was in charge of the meeting and called on several present to give short talks. Songs by the assembly, prayer and reading texts followed the social hour. A thanksgiving testimony meeting in charge of the pastor, Edward F. Helmich, was next held, and the closing moments were spent in solemn prayer. A goodly number attended the services.
New Years wake was kept at the Norwegian Lutheran church in Sawyer which opened at 9 :30 with talks by Elwin Miller and Sherman Hoslett. A vocal duet by Ted and Lester Haines, a vocal solo by Miss Irene Rogen and selections by the choir made up the musical program, which was followed by a social hour from 10:30 until 11:30. At 12:00 o’clock devotions were held with the pastor, Rev. T. A. Austad, officiating. The Luther League was in charge of the program. A large number attended the services.
The Sawyer Methodist church held its New Years eve services commencing at 9:00 o’clock and continuing until the hour of midnight. The services were opened with musical selections by the choir and several members of the congregation. A social hour followed the musical program, at the close of which refreshments were served. At the hour of midnight religious services were held with the pastor. Rev. R. T. Wilkowske presiding. The services were attended by a large number of the congregation.
Courtesy of the Door County Library Newspaper Archive
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