Grace celebrates 100 years with music, fellowship

Name of church: Grace Lutheran Church

Location: 700 Beechwood Ave., Waukesha

Denomination: Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS)

Mission Statement: Enabling people to have reverence for God through the message of Jesus.

Phone number: (262) 547-3688

Web site: www.gracewaukesha.org

Office hours: Approximately 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday

Pastor: Arthur G. Koepsell

Service times: Through May - 5:30 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m. Sunday, 9:05 a.m. Children's Sunday School, 9:15 a.m. Adult Bible Class, 10:30 a.m. Sunday; Memorial Day through Labor Day - 5:30 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. Sunday

Ministries: OWLS (Organization of WELS Lutheran Seniors)

History: Grace Lutheran Church at 700 Beechwood Ave. is a daughter congregation of Trinity Lutheran Church, located about a half mile away. Grace was established for local Lutherans to conduct worship in the English language. The congregation was originally incorporated in the early 1900s as English Evangelical Lutheran Grace Congregation.

At the beginning of the 20th century a large percentage of Waukesha's inhabitants spoke mostly German. At Trinity there was a group of foresighted individuals who felt strongly that English should be adopted before its usage was forced on them. On Dec. 6, 1908, Trinity offered what is believed to be the first English Lutheran worship service in Waukesha. Soon after it was realized that conducting activities in English would best be done at a separate location so a search began for a remote location at which the English effort could carry on by itself. The Lutherans agreed to rent a small wooden building on Beechwood Avenue for $5 per month and on May 23, 1909 the congregation was incorporated at the location where it remains situated to this day. On July 25, 1909 Grace ordained and installed as its first pastor a young man newly graduated from the seminary. Henry Woyahn.

Woyahn served as pastor at Grace for over 50 years until his death on Aug. 23, 1960. His tenure saw the demolition of the congregation's original worship facility and the construction in 1940 of the sanctuary where Grace continues to hold worship to this day.

Longevity has been a prominent characteristic of pastorates at Grace. Pastor Marvin Volkmann served Grace for 20 years until his retirement in 1980. In autumn of that year, Grace installed Rev. Art Koepsell who is currently in his 31st year of service with the congregation.

During 2009 Grace celebrated its centennial with a plethora of special efforts and events. Throughout the year the congregation was led in worship by choirs from synodically affiliated schools. The congregation hosted several guest preachers and a number of fellowship opportunities.

After 100 years, Grace is still partnering with its parent congregation, Trinity. Grace provides assistance to members who want their children to attend the grade school at Trinity. Grace also supplies Trinity's school with one of its teachers, a position currently held by Jim Martens, a member at Grace.

Among the many other things enjoyed by Grace is its music. Congregational singing is led by skilled keyboardists. There are two bell choirs, both of them snappy. There is a brass ensemble known as Grace Brass whose sounds can range from mellifluous to rambunctious and sometimes verge on flamboyant. There is also a rather interesting choir.