“Moravian church scene of Johnson memorial” from the January 28, 1975 Door County Advocate
Moravian church scene of Johnson memorial
The program called it “A service of worship celebrating the life of Dr. Thor Johnson.”
And that it was..a celebration. There was a wistful feeling in the packed Ephraim Moravian church Sunday afternoon but the prevailing mood was triumph. The people also wanted to say “Thank you, Lord, for giving us this man.”
The service was a music festival in miniature. Soprano Ilona Kombrink sang three anthems, her rich voice filling the historic old frame church.
Flutist Gary Sigurdson played selections by J. S. Bach.
Latecomers heard Luther Didrickson’s “Trumpet Voluntary” sound through the church walls even before they entered.
The Preucil family lent their own string ensemble. And there was Mary Sauer, concert pianist, playing “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” on the church upright.
Three northern Door county musicians joined Didrickson for brass chorales at the close of the service, Roger Lent, trombone, Dale Seaquist, trumpet, and Leonard Peterson, tuba.
The worship was led by the Rev. Warren Sautebin of Green Bay, who recalled how Dr. Johnson had taken an amateur chorus at the Moravian Music Festival at DePere last year and turned it into an outstanding ensemble through his skill and ability to inspire.
Speaking of how much Thor Johnson did for others Sautebin said “When one gives himself God is honored in that act.”
Possibly the emotional highlight of the service was the congregation’s singing of the final hymn “Sing Hallelujah, Praise the Lord!” The fervor marked each person’s gratitude for the life of Thor Johnson. — CFH.
Courtesy of the Door County Library Newspaper Archive
[“Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEJruV9SPao
“Sing Hallelujah, Praise the Lord!”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NWUSnaPB2Y, text at https://hymnary.org/hymn/Mor1995/543 ]
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