Education

History Highlights of St. Paul Lutheran Church

1891-1916

1892-1906: 300 North 3rd St.
1906: 6th & Silver

April 16, 1891 The Rev. William Rosenstengel, a missionary for the Nebraska Synod, organized St. Paul Lutheran Church with 22 charter members

1891 The Rocky Mountain Synod was organized

1896 - 1910 Services were in German with occasional services in English. In 1910, English became the primary language.

1916-1941

1916: 79 communing members: 6th & Silver

1916 25th Anniversary Celebration

1923 St. Paul Church Council voted unanimously to become self-supporting, ending its status as a mission congregation

1927-36 A. E. Johnson initiated a program to involve Indian youth from the Indian School. 30 Indian students became church members. James Patten, one of the Indian students, was confirmed and is still a member today

1934 The first pipe organ was dedicated May 6 to the memory of Elna Knudsen, wife of Pastor Arthur Knudsen (she died in 1928)

1941 Church radio broadcasts began and continued for at least 24 years

1941-1966

1941: 269 communing members: 6th & Silver

1941 The Jubilee Year of St. Paul Lutheran Church and the Rocky Mountain Synod were celebrated in Albuquerque

1955 As St. Paul grew rapidly in membership, the construction of a new educational unit began. During this time some Sunday School classes were held in a double decker bus and at the Franciscan Hotel

1956 The new chapel and educational unit were dedicated

1957 Pastor Soker left to become President of the Rocky Mountain Synod

1962 The United Lutheran Church, the Suomi Synod, the Augustana Lutheran Church and the American Evangelical Lutheran Church merged to form the Lutheran Church in America

1963 The Rocky Mountain Synod, Lutheran Church in America held its first convention at St. Paul

1966-1991

1966: 829 communing members
1966-1971: 6th & Silver
1971-present: 1100 Indian School Rd. NE

1966 The congregation of St. Paul Lutheran Church approved the relocation of its church facilities from 6th and Silver Ave. to the new Indian School Road property

1966 The 75th Anniversary of St. Paul was celebrated

1968 Sanctuary at 6th & Silver destroyed by fire on Palm Sunday afternoon

1970 Pastor Heglund left to become Bishop of the Rocky Mountain Synod

1970 The Storehouse was started with the enthusiastic support of the people of St. Paul

Nov., 1971 Dedication of the new church at 1100 Indian School Rd. NE

1977 Plans for making St. Paul accessible for the handicapped were made and have been realized

1978 A Suicide Prevention and Crisis Center was started

1980 Calico Butterfly Preschool was established

1981 Tape Ministry was organized to provide tapes of services to homebound members and also a tape library was established

1981 Friends Feeding Friends, a program of providing meals for the homeless, began

1981 St. Paul (as one of four sponsoring churches) participated in the groundbreaking of La Vida Llena, a retirement facility

1987 Associate Pastor Melinda Wagner, our first woman pastor, was added to our staff

1988 The Lutheran Church in America, the American Lutheran Church and the America and Evangelical Lutheran Church merged to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

1989 The Visitation Ministry, reaching out to homebound and new members began

April 14, 1991 Centennial Celebration!

1991-Present

April 16, 1991: 803 communing members

1992 Immersion trip to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

1994 Mini-immersion to Martineztown, Albuquerque

1994 St. Paul joins Albuquerque Interfaith

1997 St. Paul participates in city-wide Lutheran Habitat for Humanity project

1999 Youth trip to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico

2001 Pastor Larry Wright retires after 30 years of service; Pastor Melinda Wagner answers call to Portland, Oregon

2002 St. Paul implements new constitution with election of lay member as president of congregation

Aug. 2003 Youth attend National ELCA Youth Gathering in Atlanta, Georgia

Pastors of St. Paul Lutheran Church

Rev. Wm. Rosenstengel 1891 - June 1892

Rev. Charles E. Pistor June 1892 - Dec. 1892

Rev. G. A. Neeff Feb. 1893 - Jan. 1896

Rev. T. A. Bendrat 1896 - July 1900

Rev. Richard Richter June 1902 - Sept. 1903

Rev. H. Mueller Nov. 1904 - Feb. 1905

Rev. G. Wenning June 1905 - April 1906

Rev. E. Moser April 1906 - July 1908

Rev. J. W. Paetznick Sept. 1908 - Aug. 1910

Rev. W. S. Oberholtzer Nov. 1910 - Feb. 1913

Rev. E. P. Schueler, D.D. June 1913 - July 1917

Rev. A. M. Knudsen, D.D. Jan. 1918 - July 1930

Rev. A. O. Frank, D.D. Nov. 1930 - Mar. 1935

Rev. W. F. Martin June 1935 - 1942

Rev. Leeland C. Soker April 1942 - Jan. 1958

Rev. Franklin C. Heglund June 1958 - June 1970

Rev. John Chandler June 1962 - Nov. 1963

Rev. Larry A. Wright Feb. 1970 - June 2001

Rev. Daniel Erlander June 1975 - Dec. 1981

Rev. Richard Westwick Sept. 1979 - Sept. 1980

Rev. Jeffrey D. Louden Sept. 1982 - Oct. 1986

Rev. Melinda J. Wagner, D.D. July 1987 - Mar. 2001

Rev. Patricia L. Holman Aug. 2001 - Present

Rev. Barrett R. Cain Oct. 2003 - Aug. 2004

April 16, 1891	The Rev. William Rosenstengel, a missionary for the Nebraska Synod, organized St. Paul Lutheran Church with 22 charter members
1891	The Rocky Mountain Synod was organized
1896 - 1910	Services were in German with occasional services in English. In 1910, English became the primary language.

1916	25th Anniversary Celebration
1923	St. Paul Church Council voted unanimously to become self-supporting, ending its status as a mission congregation
1927-36	A. E. Johnson initiated a program to involve Indian youth from the Indian School. 30 Indian students became church members. James Patten, one of the Indian students, was confirmed and is still a member today
1934	The first pipe organ was dedicated May 6 to the memory of Elna Knudsen, wife of Pastor Arthur Knudsen (she died in 1928)
1941	Church radio broadcasts began and continued for at least 24 years

1941	The Jubilee Year of St. Paul Lutheran Church and the Rocky Mountain Synod were celebrated in Albuquerque
1955	As St. Paul grew rapidly in membership, the construction of a new educational unit began. During this time some Sunday School classes were held in a double decker bus and at the Franciscan Hotel
1956	The new chapel and educational unit were dedicated
1957	Pastor Soker left to become President of the Rocky Mountain Synod
1962	The United Lutheran Church, the Suomi Synod, the Augustana Lutheran Church and the American Evangelical Lutheran Church merged to form the Lutheran Church in America
1963	The Rocky Mountain Synod, Lutheran Church in America held its first convention at St. Paul

1966	The congregation of St. Paul Lutheran Church approved the relocation of its church facilities from 6th and Silver Ave. to the new Indian School Road property
1966	The 75th Anniversary of St. Paul was celebrated
1968	Sanctuary at 6th & Silver destroyed by fire on Palm Sunday afternoon
1970	Pastor Heglund left to become Bishop of the Rocky Mountain Synod
1970	The Storehouse was started with the enthusiastic support of the people of St. Paul
Nov., 1971	Dedication of the new church at 1100 Indian School Rd. NE
1977	Plans for making St. Paul accessible for the handicapped were made and have been realized
1978	A Suicide Prevention and Crisis Center was started
1980	Calico Butterfly Preschool was established
1981	Tape Ministry was organized to provide tapes of services to homebound members and also a tape library was established
1981	Friends Feeding Friends, a program of providing meals for the homeless, began
1981	St. Paul (as one of four sponsoring churches) participated in the groundbreaking of La Vida Llena, a retirement facility
1987	Associate Pastor Melinda Wagner, our first woman pastor, was added to our staff
1988	The Lutheran Church in America, the American Lutheran Church and the America and Evangelical Lutheran Church merged to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
1989	The Visitation Ministry, reaching out to homebound and new members began
April 14, 1991	Centennial Celebration!

1992	Immersion trip to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
1994	Mini-immersion to Martineztown, Albuquerque
1994	St. Paul joins Albuquerque Interfaith
1997	St. Paul participates in city-wide Lutheran Habitat for Humanity project
1999	Youth trip to Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
2001	Pastor Larry Wright retires after 30 years of service; Pastor Melinda Wagner answers call to Portland, Oregon
2002	St. Paul implements new constitution with election of lay member as president of congregation
Aug. 2003	Youth attend National ELCA Youth Gathering in Atlanta, Georgia

Rev. Wm. Rosenstengel	1891 - June 1892
Rev. Charles E. Pistor	June 1892 - Dec. 1892
Rev. G. A. Neeff	Feb. 1893 - Jan. 1896
Rev. T. A. Bendrat	1896 - July 1900
Rev. Richard Richter	June 1902 - Sept. 1903
Rev. H. Mueller	Nov. 1904 - Feb. 1905
Rev. G. Wenning	June 1905 - April 1906
Rev. E. Moser	April 1906 - July 1908
Rev. J. W. Paetznick	Sept. 1908 - Aug. 1910
Rev. W. S. Oberholtzer	Nov. 1910 - Feb. 1913
Rev. E. P. Schueler, D.D.	June 1913 - July 1917
Rev. A. M. Knudsen, D.D.	Jan. 1918 - July 1930
Rev. A. O. Frank, D.D.	Nov. 1930 - Mar. 1935
Rev. W. F. Martin	June 1935 - 1942
Rev. Leeland C. Soker	April 1942 - Jan. 1958
Rev. Franklin C. Heglund	June 1958 - June 1970
Rev. John Chandler	June 1962 - Nov. 1963
Rev. Larry A. Wright	Feb. 1970 - June 2001
Rev. Daniel Erlander	June 1975 - Dec. 1981
Rev. Richard Westwick	Sept. 1979 - Sept. 1980
Rev. Jeffrey D. Louden	Sept. 1982 - Oct. 1986
Rev. Melinda J. Wagner, D.D.	July 1987 - Mar. 2001
Rev. Patricia L. Holman	Aug. 2001 - Present
Rev. Barrett R. Cain	Oct. 2003 - Aug. 2004