Mauston campus
Beginning and Building
Exploratory services at St. Paul's in Mauston began in 1896 with Pastor W. Parisuis of Elroy conducting services. Shortly after that, Pastor Emil Zaremba was assigned from the WELS Seminary to work full time in Mauston.
On August 23, 1896 die evangelische lutherische Sanctus Paulus Gemeinde was organized. In the beginning, the congregation met in the German Presbyterian Church, and then in the spring of 1898, the congregation of twelve families decided to construct their own place of worship.
After purchasing a site at the corner of Martin and Williams Streets, a building was constructed and dedicated on June 12, 1898. The first parsonage stood next to that church and was completed in 1904.
Growing and expanding
In the following years the Lord blessed the congregation with more members, and with it the need for a new building. The cornerstone of that church building was laid in September and dedicated in December of 1938. The congregation called that building home for nearly 60 years.
In the summer of 1990, a new parsonage was donated to the congregation, located near Mile Bluff Medical Center on Division Street. This would later be sold to one of our pastors to allow all of our called staff the opportunity to own their own homes.
On July 30, 1995, our current church building was dedicated to the Lord's service. In 2010, our congregation recognized the need to reach our with the gospel to our neighbors in Adams County were there were no WELS churches. And so we began a mission congregation in the Adams-Friendship area (see history of this campus below). As both campuses grow and welcome new members, we know that the future of St. Paul's Lutheran Church is in the Lord's hands.
Adams Friendship campus
Exploratory work
In 2006, the members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Mauston decided to begin an outreach initiative in Adams County. A weekly Bible study began in the basement of Carlson's Rustic Ridge restaurant and was largely attended by members of St. Paul's in Mauston who lived in Adams County. As the classes continued, more people showed interest from the local community.
The interest was so great that the decision was made to start worship services in Adams. On September 19, 2010, the first ever WELS worship service took place in Adams County. It was held in the Adams Community Center where services continued each Sunday. Mauston's two pastors split their time between the congregations in Mauston and Adams.
Expansion of ministry
Worship services averaged around 30 people, and with continued interest, the members of St. Paul's decided that it was necessary to call a full-time pastor in 2012 to continue the outreach efforts in Adams County.
With continued growth, more space was needed. The congregation decided to rent a building on Main Street in Adams in October of 2012 to use full-time for services, an office, and other weekly activities. Worship services began on October 7 in this this building.
Building for the future
With attendance increasing, the members of St. Paul's decided in 2015 to purchase land across from the Adams County Fairgrounds in the Village of Friendship to build a new church building to accommodate the growth of the congregation. A building fund was started later that year.
The construction of a new church building began on March 15, 2020, and was completed that same year. The final worship service at the location on Main Street in Adams was on September 20, 2020. A dedication service for the new church building was held on September 27, 2020.
Former Pastors
The Lord's servants, whom he sent to shepherd us in the past:
1896 - 1902: Emil Zaremba
1903 - 1907: William Nommensen
1907 - 1911: Martin Plass
1911 - 1914: W. Ulrich
1914 - 1931: William Lutz
1931 - 1956: Albert Winter
1956 - 1964: Carl Rosenow
1964 - 1987: Max Herrmann
1987 - 1996: David Leistekow
1997 - 2004: Paul Steinberg
2000 - 2012: Johann Meyer
2005 - 2012: Collin Vanderhoof
2012 - 2016: Souksamay Phetsanghane
2012 - 2017: Brian Schmidt
2004 - 2020: Joseph Fricke
2018 - 2024: Jasper Sellnow